THE AIMS OF THIS EVALUATION OF THE USE OF NONPROFESSIONALS IN COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAMS WHICH WAS PREPARED FOR THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ARE--(1) TO PROVIDE A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAMS, (2) TO ASSESS THE VALIDITY OF THE BASIC PREMISES OF A NONPROFESSIONAL PROGRAM, AND (3) TO IDENTIFY THE SUCCESSFUL AND UNSUCCESSFUL METHODS OF OVERCOMING THE OBSTACLES INTERFERING WITH THE PROGRAM'S ACHIEVEMENT. THIS STUDY IS BASED ON DATA FROM NINE CITIES AND CONSISTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ASPECTS OF THEIR NONPROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS--(1) SIZE, (2) CHARACTERISTICS AND ROLE OF THE NONPROFESSIONAL, (3) RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, TRAINING, AND SUPERVISION PROCEDURES, AND (4) WAYS TO EVALUATE AND UPGRADE THE NONPROFESSIONAL AND TO DEAL WITH HIS UNSATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE. THE BULK OF THE REPORT IS DIVIDED INTO PART I, A POLICY REPORT, AND PART II, A RESEARCH REPORT. PART I CONTAINS AN OVERVIEW OF CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OPERATIONAL ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM. PART II INCLUDES A SUMMARY OF THE DATA FROM THE NINE INDIVIDUAL CITY REPORTS AND DISCUSSES THE BACKGROUND, HIRING, AND EMPLOYMENT OF THE NONPROFESSIONAL. (NH)