PROJECT ENABLE (EDUCATION AND NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION FOR BETTER LIVING ENVIRONMENT) WAS A ONE-YEAR PROJECT FUNDED BY THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY IN SEPTEMBER 1965 IN WHICH VOLUNTARY SERVICE AGENCIES IN 59 CITIES MOUNTED PROGRAMS TO HELP POOR PARENTS IMPROVE CHILD REARING PRACTICES, USE EXISTING COMMUNITY RESOURSES, AND IDENTIFY THEIR MOST PRESSING NEEDS THROUGH DISCUSSION GROUPS AND NEIGHBORHOOD CONTACTS. REPRESENTATIVES OF THREE NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS--FAMILY SERVICE ASSOCIATION, CHILD STUDY ASSOCIATION, AND NATIONAL URBAN LEAGURE--WORKED TOGETHER TO PLAN THE OVERALL PROGRAM AND DEVELOP THE STAFF TRAINING CURRICULUM. IN THE TRAINING PHASE, 138 PROFESSIONAL STAFF MEMBERS WERE TRAINED IN SIX AREA INSTITUTES IN GROUP LEADERSHIP, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION, WORKING WITH POOR PARENTS, INSTITUTIONAL FORCES IN POVERTY COMMUNITY, TEAM APPROACH, AND ORIENTATION AND SUPERVISION OF SOCIAL WORK AIDES. MORE THAN 200 INDIVIDUALS, RECRUITED FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO BE SERVED AND TRAINED ON THE JOB, WORKED AS SOCIAL WORK AIDES. THE ENABLE EXPERIENCE SHOWED THAT A TEAM APPROACH CAN BE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IN DEALING WITH HUMAN PROBLEMS, NONPROFESSIONAL STAFF MEMBERS CAN PROVIDE VALUABLE SERVICE, AND WITHIN POOR NEIGHBORHOODS THERE IS AN UNTAPPED RESERVOIR OF STRENGTH AND MOTIVATION THAT CAN MAKE AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO AN ATTACK ON INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY PROBLEMS. (THIS DOCUMENT WAS REPRINTED FROM SOCIAL CASEWORK, DECEMBER 1967. 8 PAGES.) (AJ)