A system for career advancement in the community action agency must be based on the fundamental principle that it is the responsibility of the community action agency to develop the full potential of the nonprofessional staff. The agency must take the initiative on several aspects of its policy and program. Nonprofessional employees must be able to gain a variety of types of work experience -- for example, the neighborhood worker must be able to work at supervision of other neighborhood workers, as a counselor in a Job Corps center, and as a coordinator of home health aides. The nonprofessionals should have easy mobility between component programs. The agency should seek out, or plan themselves for, opportunities for further education for nonprofessional employees, perhaps through use of a local community college or correspondence study. It is possible for the agency to seek further financing, or to restructure current use of funds, to cover the modest costs of encouraging career advancement. The development of viable career opportunities within the neighborhood service system, as well as into the more traditional areas, would go far to bring the system into broad practice. (MF)