The COPC model was originally piloted in Cameron Park and Progreso, located in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas.

Community Outreach Projects

The COPC conducted activities in the following areas:

1. Assisted the community-based advisory councils of two existing community centers (established by the Center for Housing and Urban Development of Texas A&M University), to obtain nonprofit [501(c)(3)] status from the Texas Secretary of State and the Internal Revenue Service. Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws were submitted and approved by the State of Texas.
    
2. Provided a bilingual entrepreneurial skills course, consisting of 10 modules. These modules cover the following topics:
   • Entrepreneurial Spirit
   • Bookkeeping
   • Products and Services
   • Legal Aspects
   • Inventory Control
   • Financial Statements
   • Cash Flow
   • Marketing
   • Client Service
   • Business Plan
   These modules will soon be made available online through a collaboration with the Women's Empowerment Business Center.
   The entrepreneurial course was taught to 177 colonia residents in both Cameron Park and Progreso. Some of the entrepreneurs attending this course further benefited from the assistance of COPC staff by developing a Business Plan and applying for a micro-loan from local financial institutions.
    
3. Facilitated the exchange of information with private and public entities. One of the long-lasting results of the outreach component was the creation of the National Colonia Clearinghouse, which is a compilation of academic research, professional reports, and journal articles on colonias.

Applied Research Projects

COPC coordinated university resources to implement a variety of research projects in the two target communities. The projects included:

1. The School of Health Sciences implemented "El Progreso Sano," which integrated health promotion /illness prevention activities into existing communication channels and social structures of adults in the colonia of Progreso. During the grant period, comprehensive health screenings for 80 Progreso residents were conducted along with follow-up one-on-one educational intervention strategies. Impact of such education was measured by pre- and post-comparisons of knowledge as well as health status. Intervention strategies included case management, newsletters and train-the-trainer. 72 colonia residents participated in the initial screening of which 25% returned for the follow-up screening The investigators documented that a 25% return rate is a successful rate.
    
2. The School of Arts and Humanities -Communication Department conducted a "Summer University." Twelve Progreso High School students participated in a ten-week Life Skills Training summer program. The purpose of the study was to determine whether specialized intellectual stimulation will improve the communication competence and intellectual curiosity of Colonia Youth. Diagnostics were run in a pre-test/post-test design to establish efficacy of the program. The final report submitted indicated that although the participation by the youth was less than anticipated, the findings and recommendations made by the Communications Department are valuable for future program development. As a result of this research project, a Youth Advisory Council in the Progreso Colonia was established. The core members of the Youth Advisory Council graduates of the Summer University program. Their experiences with the project instilled the self-esteem necessary to initiate community service projects. The Youth Advisory Council contributed crime deterrent strategies for the Progreso Strategic Plan.
    
3. The UT Border Health Coordination Office implemented the "Health Education/Personal Responsibility Project." Health promotion education workshops for youth and adults were conducted in Progreso and Cameron Park. The main topic areas included 1) physical fitness and nutrition; 2) hygiene; 3) alcohol and other drug abuse; 4) safety and first aid. An ethnographic investigation was conducted as an attempt to solicit baseline data and to evaluate the overall project. Ethnographic procedures were coordinated with other investigative procedures. The intent of the project was to empower children and their families with information to improve their health and well-being. The project focused on Hispanic families and aimed to change the community's health related knowledge as a result of a hands-on program with strong emphasis on participation.
    
4. The School of Business Administration conducted a "Colonia Census Project." This study conducted a census for three Rio Grande Valley Colonias. Researchers developed comprehensive methodology for further study life in the colonias. The major thrust of the study is to examine demographic characteristics of the populations as they relate to crime, employment, entrepreneurship, family formation, health housing, immigration and wages. This last project resulted in a report entitled "Colonias in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas: A Profile of Lull, Progreso and Cameron Park", presented at two academic conferences by Dr. Gilbert Cardenas, Dr. Charles J. Ellard, and Dr. Jose A. Pagan.