The director may, with the approval of the Director of General Services, enter into contracts with colleges, universities, and other organizations for the purposes of research in the field of delinquency and crime prevention and of training special workers, including teachers, institution employees, probation and parole officers, social workers and others engaged, whether as volunteers or for compensation, and whether part time or full time, in the fields of education, recreation, mental health, and treatment and prevention of delinquency.