THE PROGRAM IS ADAPTABLE TO LOCAL NEEDS AND PROVIDES HELP FOR A VARIETY OF ADOLESCENTS OVER 15 YEARS OLD. OF THE FIRST 156 ADOLESCENT VOLUNTEERS IN THE PROGRAM, 54 PERCENT WERE GIRLS, 46 PERCENT BOYS; 40 PERCENT HAD A PREVIOUS HISTORY OF BEING UNDER CARE ORDERS; 80 PERCENT HAD BEEN IN CARE FOR OVER 1 YEAR; AND 69 PERCENT WERE OFFENDERS, SOME PERSISTENTLY DELINQUENT. CARE ORDERS WERE APPLIED BECAUSE THESE ADOLESCENTS WERE EITHER BEYOND CONTROL, OFFENDERS, OR ABANDONED OR NEGLECTED. THE MAJORITY SUFFERED FROM EDUCATIONAL UNDERACHIEVEMENT UNSTABLE EMPLOYMENT HISTORY, REJECTION BY THEIR FAMILIES, OR POOR CARE. JOB PLACEMENTS NEGOTIATED FOR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS VARY WIDELY WITHIN PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS, COMMUNITY HOMES AND RESIDENTIAL CENTERS FOR THE HANDICAPPED, NURSING HOMES, NURSERY SCHOOLS, AND PLAY GROUPS. DURING THEIR JOB PLACEMENTS, 50 PERCENT OF THE PARTICIPANTS LIVED AT HOME, 18 PERCENT IN INSTITUTIONS, 24 PERCENT IN HOSTELS OR COMMUNITY HOMES, AND 24 PERCENT IN FOSTER HOMES. THE MAJORITY OF THE ADOLESCENTS ENJOYED EXCELLENT RELATIONS WITH BOTH THE FACILITY STAFF, AND CLIENTS. SUPERVISORS' REACTIONS TO THE SCHEME HAVE BEEN POSITIVE; THEY HAVE OFFERED PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS STRONG SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT. FOR PARTICIPANTS, EMPLOYMENT HAS RESULTED IN A GROWTH IN CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM, IMPROVED RELATIONS WITH ADULTS, GREATER INDEPENDENCE AND RESPONSIBILITY, INCREASED MATURITY, AND A WILLINGNESS TO DISCUSS PROBLEMS WITH ADULTS. RESULTS OF A PRELIMINARY QUESTIONNAIRE INDICATE THAT SUPERVISORS HAVE BEEN VERY WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SCHEME, THAT THE ADOLESCENTS WERE VIEWED AS VERY HELPFUL, AND THAT RELATIONS WITH THE ADOLESCENTS AND THE PROGRAM PLACEMENT STAFF WERE SATISFACTORY. TYPES OF WORK UNDERTAKEN BY VOLUNTEERS INCLUDED GENERAL AND DOMESTIC WORK AT THE FACILITIES, INSTRUCTIONAL TASKS, INTERACTION WITH CLIENTS, AND ORGANIZATIONAL DUTIES. TIMEKEEPING/ATTENDANCE PROBLEMS WERE THE MOST OFTEN IDENTIFIED BY SUPERVISORS. VOLUNTEERS EXPRESSED SATISFACTION WITH THEIR CARING ROLES; THE MOST FREQUENT COMPLAINT CONCERNED INSUFFICIENT AMOUNTS OF WORK. ADOLESCENTS ALSO INDICATED THAT PROGRAM PARTICIPATION HAD RESULTED IN IMPROVED FAMILY RELATIONS. (JAP)