New Perspectives on Practice: A Guide to Measuring Self-Regulation and Goal-Related Outcomes in Employment Programs

Record Description
This brief from the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation is aimed at practitioners interested in helping clients reach self-sufficiency by focusing on goal-making abilities. The brief describes the importance of the ability to set and achieve goals and what, when, and how to measure to determine a program's ability to help its participants with this need. Specific real-world program examples are highlighted throughout the brief.
Record Type
Combined Date
2018-02-28T19:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
SFS Category
Region
City/County
URL
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/opre/50020_goals_measurebrief_final…
Publication Date
2018-03-01
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

Arches Transformative Mentoring Program in New York City

Record Description
In this report, the Urban Institute assesses New York City’s Arches Transformative Mentoring program, a group mentoring program that serves young adult probation clients by engaging mentor “credible messengers” or direct service providers with backgrounds similar to those they serve. The evaluation found that Arches participants experienced reduced felony reconviction rates by approximately two-thirds after one year of participation and by approximately one-half after two years of participation.
Record Type
Combined Date
2018-02-19T19:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
https://www.urban.org/research/publication/arches-transformative-mentoring-prog…
Publication Date
2018-02-20
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)
Innovative Programs

Connections to Success

Mission/Goal of Program

Originally founded in 1998 as Dress for Success Midwest, Connections to Success is a nonprofit organization serving Kansas, Missouri and Illinois that empowers individuals in their transformation to economic stability. As an OFA Healthy Marriage and Relationship Education grantee, CTS provides workforce training, life coaching, relationship education, and intergenerational support to low-resourced individuals and families.

Their mission is to break the cycle of generational poverty by helping people living in challenging situations re-establish hope, get connected with needed resources and implement a plan to reach economic independence.

Programs/Services Offered

Connections to Success (CTS) uses a holistic, evidence-based model to help individuals and families gain social capital and achieve economic independence. The organization’s approach is intergenerational, focused on improving outcomes for both parents and their children through programming and collaborations with other service providers. CTS’s model integrates training opportunities, life transformation coaching, support services and job development to equip participants for long-term success. CTS offers ongoing support to foster continued growth and career advancement. Through its holistic Pathways to Success model, CTS targets families impacted by generational poverty, incarceration, and unemployment. The model includes a Personal and Professional Development workforce training and focuses on healthy relationships, parenting, employment services, life coaching, education and skills training, volunteer engagement, and mentoring.

Interagency collaboration has been key to the program’s success. By having multiple partners involved, the team has been able to help remove barriers many individuals coming out of prison face. For example, the team helped enroll the men in SNAP, secure housing, and meet with Child Support and Probation and Parole. Additionally, employers participated in mock interviews and representatives from an apprenticeship program shared opportunities. CTS also provided new suits to each of the men, and many received job offers.

CTS focuses on intergenerational impact to ensure outcomes extend beyond the immediate future and empower the next generation. Of CTS program graduates, 74% become employed and 70% retain employment at nine months following initial employment. Additionally, 82% of those employed received earnings increase within six months of employment. CTS participants involved in the organization’s reentry programs have experienced a 14% recidivism in 12 months after release from incarceration, and for those who also participated in their mentoring program, the recidivism rate is only 8% (compared to the national average of 44%). 

Start Date
Thursday, January 1, 1998
Type of Agency/Organization
Community-Based Organization
City
St. Charles
State
Illinois
Kansas
Missouri
Geographic Reach
Multistate
Clientele/Population Served
Low-income individuals and families transitioning from generational poverty, incarceration, domestic violence and other challenging and disadvantaged situations
Topics/Subtopics
Employment
Assessment
Job Readiness
Mentoring
Supportive Services
Post-employment Supports
Special Populations
Homeless Families
Incarcerated and Individuals with a Criminal Record
URL
https://connectionstosuccess.org/

Building a Future: Interim Impact Findings from the YouthBuild Evaluation

Record Description
This report from MDRC presents the interim impact findings from an ongoing evaluation of YouthBuild, a program that employs at-risk youth in the construction field, teaching them marketable skills while also supporting them to earn their high school diploma or GED. Many of the reported impacts from this randomized control trial were positive, and each is examined in the report.
Record Type
Combined Date
2016-10-31T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
https://www.mdrc.org/publication/building-future
Publication Date
2016-11-01
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

The Impacts of Self-Sufficiency Interventions on Recipients of Rental Housing Subsidies: An Exploratory Analysis of Data from Selected Randomized Controlled Trials

Record Description
This working paper from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development explores the effect of employment advancement and anti-poverty strategies when used with those who resided in subsidized rental housing. The findings were mixed, showing some subgroups benefited from the interventions, while others experienced no effect.
Record Type
Combined Date
2015-01-13T19:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/MDRC-Housing-Subgroup-An…
Publication Date
2015-01-14
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

Evaluation of Career Bridge: Final Report

Record Description
This MEF Associates evaluation report prepared for the City of Seattle evaluates their Career Bridge program. Career Bridge was developed as an alternative means of addressing recent gun violence in the city by addressing employment barriers of low-income men of color. The report focuses on the implementation of the program and the employment outcomes for the first three program cohorts that completed the program in 2014.
Record Type
Combined Date
2015-06-15T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
http://mefassociates.com/publication/evaluation-of-career-bridge-final-report/
Publication Date
2015-06-16
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

TANF Policy Academy for Innovative Employment Strategies (PAIES)

Record Description
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Family Assistance (OFA) recently announced an application solicitation to award cooperative agreements to state agencies for participation in a TANF Policy Academy for Innovative Employment Strategies (PAIES). PAIES is a series of technical assistance activities developed to help state TANF programs design, plan, and implement innovative and comprehensive approaches to increase employment outcomes for TANF participants through coaching and career pathways. The PAIES work will document and disseminate emerging and promising strategies, and awardees will receive 18 months of funding, subject to funding availability. Applications are due May 29, 2018. For more information on coaching grants, please see https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/HHS-2018-ACF-OFA-FJ-1280. For more information on career pathways grants, please see https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/HHS-2018-ACF-OFA-FJ-1345.
Record Type
Combined Date
2018-03-28T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
Coaching
Career Pathways
Publication Date
2018-03-29
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

Mentoring at the Crossroads of Education, Business, and Community

Record Description
This report, by Ernst & Young and MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, uses 18 case studies to describe how corporate America is becoming involved in the youth mentoring movement. The authors provide best practices for corporate engagement including the thoughtful development of relationships with partners, investment in evidence-based programming, and targeted employee engagement.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2015-12-31T19:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/Mentoring_at_the_crossroads_of_educati…
Publication Date
2016-01-01

Evidence-Based Elements for Effective Mentoring

Record Description
North Carolina A&T State University Center for Behavioral Health and Wellness published a best practices brief focusing on the six standards of mentoring: recruitment, screening, training, matching, monitoring & support, and closure. Recommendations within each of the six standards are based in recent research and are informed by the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring (2009). The authors provide guidance on cultural considerations and ethical principles, and provide an overview of current trends in youth mentoring such as youth-initiated mentoring.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2013-09-01T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
http://www.ncat.edu/academics/schools-colleges1/soe/hdsv/cbhw/pdfs/mm_best_prac…
Publication Date
2013-09-02

College and Career Success Mentoring Toolkit

Record Description
This toolkit from the Indiana Youth Institute showcases best practices in mentoring as a strategy to prepare students for career and college success. The toolkit provides step-by-step instructions on designing a successful program, recruiting and supporting mentors, and engaging the surrounding community.
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2015-08-02T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
URL
http://www.learnmoreindiana.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/1184-Mentoring-Progr…
Publication Date
2015-08-03