Yes, I always "help them out" at the beginning of a game. They're way to slow, & they do stand around in a daze at their bad luck. At that point in the game there really isn't anything else usefull to train them in, so I don't give them a choice.
About the fears tho, (that villager who's afraid of heights wont gather coconuts for you) I've noticed that they wont fish/garden or whatever when you try to make them, but if you have them set to farming & train them with the area they're not afraid of, they will fish/garden on their own most of the time, and can get to Master level.