MEDFORD R TRIBUNE Hidden Benefit We have commented before on the Job Corps and how it is an investment in the future of young people who, otherwise, would be lucky to have any future other than welfare doles or jail and prison records. But there is an added benefit, one which we had not really considered before we had a conversation with President Arthur Flemming of the University of Oregon the other day. (The U of O operates the Job Corps Center at Tongue Point for the Office of Economic Opportunity.) This hidden benefit lies in the experience and training of those counselors and instructors and teachers who are assigned to work with the young men (now women) who are getting a taste of education and training-often for the first time-at Tongue Point. IF THE "war on poverty" is to be a success, it will take money, an investment in public funds to upgrade these young people so they will become independent, productive members of society, rather than drains on society, and the perennial wards of welfare, police, the courts, jails and prisons. More than this, it will take an experienced and knowledgeable corps of men and women who have learned to deal with these young people, many of whom are almost completely alienated from today's society. A few years ago, this type of individual was virtually non-existent. There were a few caseworkers, a few teachers, who had dedicated, themselves to trying to break through the "invisible walls" which have surrounded the poor. But they were few, and their lonely task was almost impossible of accomplishment. ་ TODAY there are considerable numbers those who have gone through the often-traumatic early days of the Job Corps, of Project Headstart, and of the other anti-poverty programs, particularly those dealing with young people. They have learned new values, and how, with proper attention, these can be transmuted into values held in regard by the rest of today's society. They have-no small accomplishmentlearned how to communicate with young people who have had little or no experience in communication at any level. They have learned how to instruct, to teach and to inspire. This corps of teachers and instructors, those who learned the hard way and those who are coming after, constitute a major asset in a society which is, for the first time in history, really trying to elminate poverty as a way of life. -E.A. FINALE To quote Excelsior Springs, Missouri Bank President O.W. RISLEY, at the April 12, 1967, meeting of the Center-Community Relations Council: "It's become a part of the community, just like the Mr. BRADEMAS. Mr. Kelly, would you comment on the question that my colleague, Mr. Goodell, asked, and I think he was referring to this. That is the role, the activity of the Job Corps centers in the field of direct placement of your graduates. Mr. KELLY. Dave, do you want to reply to that? Mr. GOTTLIEB. Several people played important roles in the placeinent of a Jobs Corps man. In about 35 percent of the cases the corpsman takes the initiative and helps to place himself and does a fairly effective job. The Job Corps center in about 13 percent of the cases has taken the intiative and then we operate with organizations. WIC's helps us and the JACS, which is another organization involved in the placement part so that we try to involve as many people as possible. Mr. BRADEMAS. I am sure I have no more time left but I would like to ask unanimous consent that if there is time remaining after the other members put their questions that my colleague from New York, Mr. Goodell, be given additional time to proceed. Chairman PERKINS. Mr. Ayres. Mr. AYRES. I suggest that Mr. Quie be next. Mr. QUIE. I would like to ask you about the evaluation reports. What reports are there other than the three that Louis Harris & Associates have conducted? Mr. GOTTLIEB. There are a variety of reports ranging all the way from the educational gains study to studies of vocational training, how effective we have been in our curriculum on communications skills. I have a list here that we can submit. Chairman PERKINS. Without objection it will be inserted in the record, gentlemen. (The list to be supplied follows:) A&R REPORTS #4 Evaluation and Research Branch, Plans and Evaluation Division, Plans and Programs Directorate, Job Corps, OEO-JC1 JOB CORPS EVALUATION, RESEARCH AND PROGRAM PROJECTS In this the fourth issue of A & R Reports, abstracts of studies and A discussion of the efforts of Centers and individual staff members is not included. We would like to publish an issue which deals specifically with the efforts of Job Corps staff since there has been very little exchange in this area. If your Center has completed studies or projects of interest we would appreciate copies of the report to be placed in the Evaluation and Research files and the OEO Information Library. In a further attempt to encourage the contribution of Job Corps Center Staff, the Plans and Programs Directorate has sponsored the "Action" Research Program. The purpose of this program is to provide small amounts of money to sponsor special efforts of Job Corps Centers in the areas of program evaluation, programmatic research and documentation. A bulletin announcing this program and detailing procedures will be released shortly. We hope to feed-back as much of the information available to Headquarters as possiblein future A & R Reports. It is hoped that this report series will promote integration of ideas in Job Corps. Any suggestions or comments concerning this publication or contributions for future issues, as distinct from requests for information mentioned within the publication should be addressed to Dr. William Darnell, Evaluation and Research, Job Corps, OEO, Washington, D.C. 20506. We would truely welcome suggestions and comments. The views, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this document do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of agencies of the United States Government. |