COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION - EVALUATION OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL APPROACH TO LOCAL-ACTION

''Community mobilization'' in the Community Trials Project refers to o rganizing community members to support and implement policies to reduc e alcohol-involved trauma. This paper defines the conceptual model of mobilization used in the project. In evaluating the project, we were g uided by the conceptual model and we used structured materials from in terviews with local staff in all three experimental communities; we fo und that the overall goal of mobilization (implementation of policies) was achieved. Additional observations based on naturalistic case stud ies of the communities include: (1) the importance of an established r esearch bare, (2) the varying role and problematic nature of coalition s, (3) the strategic advantage of early project support among the gene ral population, (4) the role played by hey leaders in mobilization, (5 ) the advantages of a multi-component design, and (6) the key role pla yed by media advocacy.