VOLUNTEER SERVICES CAN ONLY BE AS GOOD AS THE ADMINISTRATION OF THEIR SPONSORING AGENCIES. THE FIRST STEP IN CONSIDERING THE USE OF VOLUNTEERS, THEREFORE, IS ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITMENT. IN THE SPECIFIC CASE OF A HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY THAT OFFERS COUNSELING SERVICES, THERE ARE TWO PRIMARY MEANS BY WHICH AN INDIVIDUAL CAN COME INTO CONTACT WITH SUCH BASIC SKILLS AS COMMUNICATION, INTERPERSONAL, INTRAPERSONAL, AND LIVING SKILLS: BY BECOMING A CLIENT, OR BY BECOMING A COUNSELOR. VOLUNTEERS MAY BE A DIRECT FUNCTION OF AN AGENCY, ARE LINKED TO A SPECIFIC SYSTEM, TAKE TIME FROM THEIR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT TO PERFORM THEIR TASKS, ARE TRAINED FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE, AND OPERATE ORGANIZATIONALLY AS IF IN A PAID AGENCY. NATURAL PROVIDERS, ON THE OTHER HAND, ARE INDIRECTLY RELATED TO AGENCIES AND FUNCTION INDEPENDENTLY, HAVE ONE POSSIBLE LINK TO A SYSTEM WHICH IS THAT OF REFERRAL, OPERATE WITHIN THEIR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, ARE TRAINED GENERALLY TO LIFE SKILLS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SPECIFIC TRAINING, AND DO NOT FIT INTO ANY TYPICAL ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE. EVEN THOUGH VOLUNTEERS AND NATURAL PROVIDERS DIFFER, THERE IS A DEFINITE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS THAT CAN BE SEEN BY CONCEPTUALIZING THE OVERALL SERVICE DELIVERY SYSTEM AS A PYRAMID. THE BROAD BASE OF THE PYRAMID INVOLVES NATURAL PROVIDERS, FOLLOWED UP THE HIERARCHY BY MORE SPECIALIZED VOLUNTEERS AND HIGHLY SPECIALIZED PROFESSIONAL AGENCIES. IT IS NECESSARY FOR AN AGENCY TO DETERMINE WHAT THE ATTITUDES OF ITS PERSONNEL ARE TOWARD VOLUNTEERISM AND NATURAL PROVIDERS. OTHER ESSENTIAL FACTORS TO CONSIDER BY AN AGENCY ARE COMMITMENT, ACTUAL PROGRAM OPERATION, EVALUATION, PLANNING, NEEDS ANALYSIS, AND SELLING THE CONCEPT OF USING LAY SERVICE PROVIDERS VERSUS NATURAL PROVIDERS. EXERCISES TO AID VOLUNTEERS IN THEIR FUNCTIONS AND FUNCTIONS OF THESE PERSONNEL ARE EXAMINED. (DEP)