Well it depends on the individual;whether the person is going to join an established club or strike it out on their own.
If they are going to join a club then the typical 40-60 size balsa high wing/high dihedral trainer glow or electric is fine as someone will more than likely be with them for awhile as an instructor.

If they are on their own then a foam electric high wing with SAFE is a better choice. Easier to repair and the safe really works well. Yes the safe is like a set of training wheels and some will use it as a crutch but eventually they will fly without it. The nice thing is that the training wheels can be taken on and off with a flip of a switch.. Very handy when a new pilot is trying intermediate maneuvers,gets into trouble ,and there is no instructor to bail them out.