The FY 1979 budget proposal for Recruitment and Communications reflects a strengthening of the entire Agency recruitment capability. This increased capability is important and necessary to provide the ACTION programs with the volunteer work force required to accomplish program missions. The new administration is committed to increasing the visibility and stature of the Agency's individual programs--Peace Corps, VISTA, and Older Americans--in order to provide the opportunity for a broader range of persons to volunteer in the effort to reduce poverty at home and abroad.

A new recruitment task force was created to study the Recruitment and Communications functions. The task force recommended several processes now being implemented that will reestablish the individual identities of ACTION's programs.

In the Peace Corps, recruitment activity will be emphasizing individuals who are highly motivated and who will receive skill training in order to meet the basic human needs of people served abroad. Recruitment for the VISTA program will be expanded to provide the volunteers essential for increasing and improving service in areas of basic human need in the United States.

An additional reponsibility of the recruitment system is to provide information for individuals who are only able to volunteer on a part-time basis. Ar improved communications program will serve three functions:

to recruit highly committed citizens dedicated to the belief
that they can play an active role in the building of self-
sufficient communities;

to insure that the programs of the Agency receive the public
identity and support that encourages citizens to volunteer
for community service;

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to inform the American public of the necessity of individual
commitment, through volunteer service, to meet basic human
needs at home and abroad.

Major changes have been made to meet these goals. These include:

Problem: The separate existence of the Office of Communication and Office of Recruitment led to administrative confusion and precluded an efficient, integrated recruitment and communications function in the Agency.

Solution: The Office of Recruitment and Communications (ORC),
reporting to the Director, was reestablished with responsibility
for integrating communications and recruitment functions. This
integration will further support Agency efforts to meet its
recruiting goals. This Office is headed by an Assistant Director
of ACTION who is a former Peace Corps Volunteer.

Problem: Recruitment activities were left to field service centers whose roles were independent and uncoordinated, resulting in inefficiency and duplication.

Solution: Service centers and area offices will serve as opera-
tional units of ORC, carrying out recruitment activities each year
which reflect a national Agency plan. A new automated management
information system is being designed to monitor daily recruitment
activities on a national rather than merely a local basis.

Problem: In the Peace Corps recruitment was directed toward highly credentialed specialists which excluded many individuals from volunteer service.

Solution: In line with the Agency focus on basic human needs,
Recruitment will seek highly motivated volunteers who will be skill-
trained for service. This emphasis will enable a wider range of
the American public to participate.

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Problem: Racial and ethnic minorities traditionally have been underrepresented in both the Peace Corps and VISTA.

Solution: Volunteer and recruiting activities will be directed toward opportunities for minority groups and will be coordinated agency-wide. A plan has been designed which will become operational in March 1978 that will include more minorities in volunteer service.

Problem: Agency programs and Agency support units associated with recruitment operated independently, resulting in inefficiency and bureaucratic strife.

Solution: A Volunteer Delivery Work Group was established to coordinate all recruitment activities for the Agency. It is comprised of each program and support unit in ACTION, and is the forum for resolving problems and for monitoring performance across organizational lines. The experience and data available in Recruitment will be refined and utilized for making decisions on recruitment activities. Problem: Communications activities have lacked coordination and focus and, as a result, program visibility and identity have suffered. Solution: A Communications Board was established for the Agency. is comprised of representatives from headquarters and the field and from program and support units to establish communications policies which will be monitored centrally and implemented by field offices. Communications activities will stress individual program identities rather than Agency identity.

It

Beginning in March 1978 national ads will begin on television and radio to reestablish individual program identity, explain new directions, and to recruit committed volunteers. This is intended to be but one component of planned communications campaigns conducted annually by the Agency.

These actions will improve Agency efficiency and coordination, establish greater program visibility for Peace Corps, VISTA, and the Older American Volunteer Programs, and encourage the participation of a large and more diverse number of citizens to address the most basic human needs in our nation and the rest of the world.

Budget requirements for Recruitment and Communications are based primarily on anticipated levels of trainees needed to produce volunteers for Agency programs. The requested $8,833,000 provides for the following program requirements:

a/ Represents trainees to be recruited, evaluated, and processed. b/ Represents trainees to be processed.

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