THE RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, ORIENTATION, AND EFFECTIVE USE OF VOLUNTEERS IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS ARE DISCUSSED. VOLUNTEERS WITH PROFESSIONAL SKILLS CAN SERVE AS PHYSICIANS, NURSES, TEACHERS, AND SOCIAL WORKERS. LAY VOLUNTEERS CAN RELIEVE REGULAR STAFF MEMBERS OF ROUTINE DUTIES AND INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE. VOLUNTEERS FALL INTO TWO GROUPS, EACH OF WHICH SHOULD BE RECRUITED AND ORIENTED IN DIFFERENT WAYS. PARENTS OF CHILDREN ENROLLED IN THE CENTER AND OTHER RESIDENTS OF THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD COMPRISE THE FIRST GROUP, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LARGER COMMUNITY COMPRISE THE SECOND GROUP. IN SELECTING VOLUNTEERS, PREFERENCE SHOULD BE GIVEN TO PARENTS, FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION WOULD STRENGTHEN THEIR IDENTIFICATION WITH THE CENTER AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO ADOPT TECHNIQUES TAUGHT THERE. WORD OF MOUTH IS AN EFFECTIVE RECRUITMENT TECHNIQUE FOR PARENTS AND NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS, MASS MEDIA ARE ALSO USEFUL. EACH VOLUNTEER SHOULD BE INTERVIEWED. IF ACCEPTED, HE SHOULD ATTEND AT LEAST ONE ORIENTATION SESSION, SHOULD BE INTRODUCED TO SOME BASIC PRINCIPLES BEFORE BEGINNING WORK, SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE CENTER'S GOALS, AND SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE BROAD NATURE OF HIS DUTIES. GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVELY USING VOLUNTEER SERVICES ARE THAT THE NUMBER OF ADULTS IN A ROOM SHOULD BE SMALL, THE VOLUNTEER SHOULD BE PLACED IN A COMFORTABLE POSITION, THE DUTIES FOR INEXPERIENCED WORKERS SHOULD BE SIMPLE AND CAREFULLY EXPLAINED, AND THE VOLUNTEERS SHOULD ATTEND THE REGULAR MEETINGS OF THE PAID STAFF WHEN POSSIBLE. POSSIBLE PROBLEMS CONCERNING VOLUNTEERS INCLUDE PROFESSIONALS WHO MAY RESENT VOLUNTEER PARTICIPATION, LAY VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE SENSITIVE ABOUT THEIR AMATEUR STATUS, AND PARENT VOLUNTEERS WHO FIND IT DIFFICULT TO REMAIN NEUTRAL IN SITUATIONS INVOLVING THEIR OWN CHILDREN.