Documents Department Oklahoma State University Library THE VOLUNTARY RELCCATION ·PROGRAM OF THE BUREAU OF INDLAN AFFAIRS The Bureau of Indian Affair's voluntary relocatl.on·program is designed to assist Indiana from reservations to settle in communities away from the reservation, secure p_erllll.!1ent employment, and adjust satisfactorily to the new living and working condd.tdone enccuntered , During fiscal year 1955 approximately .3,461 Inc.ians were assisted to relocate. This number included 2,656 persons in 708 ramily._ groups . _ and 805 unattached men and women. or the 3,461 · who rec·e1 ved reloca. tdon - assistance, financial assis4tan,ce to cover all or part of the ·costs- of transportation to the place ot relocation ar..d short-term.temporary subsistence at destination was provided to 2,'415 Indians, in addition. to ·all other relocation services. The remainder of 1,046 financed themselves but were extended all other relocet:!.on services including assistance in obtaining employment and housing at point ,of relocation •. _ During the fiscal year 1955 field relocation office staf~s were in contact with over 3, 500 employers. Ind:tans placed in . various jobs earned average beginning hourly vages cf $1~62 for·· men and $1.07 .. tor women_. M:>st women were employed on a guaranbeed Wi'3-ge, plus piece work._ rates. Average rates quoted for females do not renect piece work bonus rates. Interest in relocation has increa■ed among I;ndians. ·This has been stimulated largely-by increased awareness of opportunit~es offered.through the program, and by.letters and other r~ports receiv~ on the reservations from Indians, who relocated previously, .. relating their successful experiences. The presence of several thousand Indians already relocated ii;i the-Los Angeles and Chicago ·urban areas.has assisted greatly ii;i removing fears of loneliness and homesiQkness. lvbre -applications for relocation·have been received during each.fiscal year in which the program has been in operation than can be handled with the funds available. The.decision to relocate is optional. If an individual Indian or family group is interested, application is made to the agency relocation officer. This is r ollowed by discussion and arrangements - · -which require time up to a month or two, .giving the applicant opportunity to understand what is involved in the plan, and perhaps to1 reconsider·. · · Reloc~tees have been placed in employment with sever~ hundred different employers in diversified industries and, in general, gave good satisfaction as workers. The ·capabili-ties or Indian workers· are becoming better known and many employers are asking for-additional people •. Letters have been received from.a nUDlber of employers testifying to their satisf.action. This success in adjustment as employees has secured acceptance of Indians as workers· in some firms which had never employed Indians before, and has played a big part in the ·success of the relocation program. ... ,___ ~· '" ~ . / . Experience .has demonstrated that succes-sful relooation · involves much more than securing employment. Relocation of.fices . provfde realistic counseling and. guidance to relocatees, assistance in s8curiJlg,.11.C>using, in.formation concerning community facilities and, When necessary, liaison with churches, schools and appropriate local agencies. -It is Bureau··policy that Indians who relocat_e should use . established local agencies rather than rely on Bureau staff. Local ·community groups have cooperated fully and newspapers have given their ·support to the voluntary relocation program. As a result, a survey -made ·on.reservations in November 1954revealed that less than one-third of the Indians assisted to relocate during the perio(i July 1, 1952 through June JO, -1954, had· returned to live on the reservation. And· even some -of -these have gone out a second ti.'lle • .Iri December, 1954, a·· new responsibility was given to· the Bureau's branch of relocation - that of developing and activating · a program or relocation with vocational training for ·members of tribes -for whom terminal legislation acts have been passed. The new · relocation and vocational training program was explained to a number of training institutions, and it was, without exception, received with interest and a desire· to cooperate. From M!rch 1 through June 30, 1955, agency relocation off"icers took a total of 17Q applications and completed plans for·the relocation and-vocational .training ofll3 accepted applicants. · The response of the Indian people to this new program, as well as to the Bureau's older voluntary relocation progfam, indicates that both are filling an important need in Indian lives., and that through these.efforts many Indians are being assisted to achieve the living standards wished for them by people of" sympathetic and _humane intent. \. 2 OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII · 3 6135 02212 2040 . . _ . '· ,' . : ~-. ~ . ~ .,. .• .. • ~ j .,._ "~ . ~ ~ > ·, .·, 1 ' .... .. ~ -~