Rural Organization and Poverty Action.

The deprivations of poverty seriously restrict the ability of millions of rural Americans to develop their potential and obtain "quality of life". If development of potential is to be maximized and if deprivations are to be reduced, structural changes are needed. The 4 change approaches that encompass much purposive social change at the locality level are locality development, traditional planning, advocacy planning, and social action. It is also possible to characterize change activities in terms of positions along 2 sets of dimensions (vertical and horizontal) on which these approaches differ. The goals and structure of the People Mobile Project, which was conducted in Chenango County, New York, are summarized and the project is analyzed in terms of the 2 sets of dimensions. Some conclusions are suggested based on this analysis. Two of these are (1) the need for a new role--the "community support worker" and (2) the need for anti-poverty action on the State and national, as well as local levels. (Author/NQ)