Jones, E. Walton

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Research Papers in Economics

NORTH  CAROLINA-API  PROGRAM  IN
HUMAN  RESOURCE  DEVELOPMENT
E.  Walton Jones
Extension Economist in  Public  Policxy
North Carolina State  University at Raleigh
The  Extension  Service  in  North  Carolina  has  become  people
conscious  and  in  cooperation  with  the  Agricultural  Policy  Institute
has  designed  an  educational  program  around  the  theme,  "Develop-
ment  of  Human  Resources."  We  hope  to  achieve  a  better  under-
standing  by both  extension  personnel  and  local  leaders  of  the  need
for  and  the  problems  of  developing  people  who  can  function  effec-
tively in a  complex  modern  economy.  This broadening  of the  base  of
understanding  was  set  forth  as  our  major  objective  since  we  felt
this  was  necessary  to prepare  community  leaders,  with  the  assistance
of  extension  personnel,  to  launch  action  programs  that  would  get
at  the  heart  of  the  problems  facing  people  in  making  social  and
economic  adjustments.
We  began  with  a  meeting  of  the  extension  administration,  in-
cluding  district  agents.  The  objective  of  this  meeting  was  to  solicit
support  and  get  advice  and  counsel  concerning  how  to proceed.  We
succeeded  in getting  the  full support  of the  administration.
A  three-man  committee  was  appointed  to  spearhead  the  project.
The  committee  was  supplemented  by  advisors,  including  several  peo-
ple from  the  campus  and two  or three  people from  each  of  ten  coun-
ties.  Every  person  associated  with  the  committee  participated  from
the  beginning  until  the  program  was  launched  in  the  ten  counties
represented  and  introduced  to all  other  counties  at  the  1964  annual
conferences  involving  the  total  state Extension  Service.  The  program
was  endorsed  vigorously  by  the  extension  administration  at  these
meetings.
The main  task of the  committee  was  the  preparation  of materials
for  the  program.  I  think  the  highlight  of  the  program  materials  is
the  set of  slides  designed  to  be shown  in  conjunction  with  a recorded
script.  The  points made in  the  program  are:
1.  The  United  States  is  the  most  highly  developed  country  in
the  world-yet,  we  are  continually  searching  for  ways  to  achieve  an
even higher rate of growth.
2.  A  high  rate  of economic  growth  will  not,  in  itself,  solve  the
130income  problem  and  related  problems  of  thousands  of North  Caro-
lina  citizens.
3.  The  problem  is  to  maintain  a  high  rate  of  economic  growth
and  develop  people  so  that  they  are  willing  and  able  to  make  the
necessary  adjustments.  The fruits  of progress  are  bitter  to  those  who
are unable  to make  adjustments  in response  to changes  in economic
conditions.
4.  At the  very  heart  of  economic  growth  is  a  shift  of  resources
between industries,  between  geographic  regions, and  from low to high
skilled  jobs.  Technological  change  is  the  engine  of  progress,  but  it
is  the  basic  force  that  requires  people  to  move  and  continually  up-
grade  their skills.
5.  Education  is  the  major  avenue  through  which  social  and
economic changes  are achieved.
6.  Millions  of  persons  in  the  nation  could  be  more  productive
if  they were properly  trained  and  had  the desire  and  ability  to  move
into better jobs.
7.  The  problems  of  people  in  adjusting  to  a  rapidly  changing
economy  are many  and varied.  There are no easy  answers.  Numerous
government  programs  are  available  to  help  people  help  themselves
and  their neighbors.  Much  can  be  done by  local people  without  gov-
ernment  assistance.
8.  Many youth  are  heading  down  a blind  alley  by not preparing
themselves  to  participate  in  an  increasingly  complex  society.  In
the  future,  these  people  will  be  suspended  in  the  throes  of  poverty
unless extra effort  is made  to improve  their productive  capacity.
The  slide-tape  presentation  was  designed  to  generate  interest  in
the  total  program  and  to  provide  a  limited  learning  experience  for
those  who  might  not participate  further.  It  is  hoped,  however,  that
most  counites  will  carry  out  a  full-fledged  program  using  the  entire
packet  which  includes:
1.  "Developing  North Carolina's  Human  Resources"
2.  A  script,  "Developing  North  Carolina's  Human  Resources"
3.  "Change-Agricultural  and  Economic  Trends  in North  Caro-
lina"
4.  Supplement, "Developing  North Carolina's  Human  Resources"
5.  "People-Our  Most Important  Resource"
1316.  Six  leaflets  on  "Developing  Human  Resources  for  Economic
Growth"
7.  County  Extension  Guide,  "Developing  North  Carolina's  Hu-
man  Resources"
Although  each  county  is  free  to  improvise  and  implement  the
program  as  it  thinks best,  depending  upon  the  local  situation,  a  gen-
eral  procedure  was  proposed  as  follows:
Step  I.  Staff  Preparation
A.  Become  familiar  with  packet  of  materials  and  discuss  in  de-
tail with county  staff.
B.  Collect,  anlayze,  and  develop  into  presentable  form  appro-
priate  county  data.
C.  Develop  a  county extension  plan  and schedule  for  the project.
Step  II.  Presentation  to  Related Functional  Groups
A.  County  commissioners
B.  County Extension  Advisory Board
C.  County Agricultural  Workers Council
Presentation  to  these  groups  may  be  a  matter  of  information  to
gain support,  or appropriate groups  may be  asked to help develop  the
project plan.
Step  III.  County  Committee
A  county committee  is  needed  to aid  the  county  staff  in  develop-
ing,  coordinating,  and promoting  the county  program.
A.  Select  a committee  of 7  to  12.  Types  of leaders  that should  be
on  this  committee  are:  County  school  superintendent;  secre-
tary  of  chamber  of  commerce;  key  banker;  representatives  of
major  county  organizations,  Employment  Security  Commis-
sion, industrial  educational centers;  and others.
B.  The  committee  should be  trained  on:
1.  The purpose  of program
2.  County  situation  as  related  to  human  resource  problems
and  opportunities
3.  Its  role  and  responsibilities
C.  The  committee  should  develop  a  project  plan  that  will  in-
clude:
1. Project objectives
1322.  Clientele to be reached
3.  Procedure  plan
4.  Persons  to be  responsible
5.  Project timetable
6.  Evaluation
Step  IV.  County-Wide  Leaders'  Meeting
This  should  be  sponsored  through  the  county  committee  as  a
part  of the total county  plan.
A.  The  purpose  of  this  meeting  is  to  inform  and  train  county
leaders  on  the  present  conditions,  trends,  etc.,  in  the  county
and  materials  avaliable  for their  use.  After  this meeting,  these
leaders  will  be  prepared  to  present  the  Human  Resource  De-
velopment  project  to their  respective  groups.
B.  Leaders  to  be  invited  to  this  meeting  should  include  repre-
sentatives  of  all  groups  within  the  county  that  have  interest
in human  resource  development,  such  as  PTA's,  civic  clubs,
churches,  home  demonstration  clubs,  4-H  Clubs,  community
organizations,  and  many  others.
By using this procedure,  the committee  felt that Extension  would
be able  to train  leaders who would  take the  leadership  in  conducting
the program in  their respective  organizations.
Step  V.  Follow-up
Follow  up county  leaders'  meeting  by making  materials  available
and  providing  assistance  upon request.  The  follow-up  would  include
giving  recognition  to individuals  and  groups  for  presenting  the  pro-
gram  and  carrying  out  other  specific  related  projects.  Mass  media
coverage would be a major part of the project.
I am  not sure how  the results  of this type  of educational program
are measured.  One  of the home demonstration  ladies  who carried  the
program  to  the  low-income  groups  informed  me  that  in  the  first
meeting  she  had four persons to  enroll in  a  training  program  of  one
form  or  another.  This  type  of  activity  or response  is  very  rewarding.
However,  I  think  in  the  long  run  the  type  of  response  that  will  be
of greatest  significance  can  be  illustrated  by the  individual  who votes
"yes"  in the next school bond referendum  as  a result  of this program.
I  anticipate  that the  program  will  also  serve  as  a  launching  pad
for many  more  specific  activities.  It will  provide  the background  and
the  frame of reference  for local  groups  to  develop  community  action
133programs  and  projects  that  will  get  at  the  heart  of  their  problems.
Over  the  long  pull,  I  think  this  program  will  improve  the  over-all
performance  of  professional  groups  such  as  the  Extension  Service
itself in  achieving  the general  objective  of improving  the  level  of liv-
ing  of all people  in the state.
134

NORTH CAROLINA - API PROGRAM IN HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

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