The Winning New Jobs (WNJ) Workshop: An Intervention for Teaching Welfare-to-Work Clients

1. The Winning New Jobs (WNJ) Workshop: An Intervention for Teaching Welfare-to-Work Clients Successful Job Search Strategies Amiram D. Vinokur With Shawna J. Lee “From Art to Technology: The Challenge of Replicating and Disseminating Employment-Related Programs for Low-Income Individuals” March 18-19, 2004 Michigan Prevention Research Center Institute for Social Research University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106-1248v fn:Jobs4Joyce.ppt

2. FINANCIAL STRAIN LOSS OF STRUCTURED ACTIVITIES LOSS OF SELF ESTEEM & OCCUPATIONAL IDENTITY LOSS OF SOCIAL NETWORK JOB LOSS & UNEMPLOYMENT DEPRESSION VIOLENT BEHAVIOR ALCOHOL ABUSE CHILD ABUSE TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS MARITAL SEPARATION AND DIVORCE Figure1

3. 6-Month Follow-up Long-term Follow-up 12 or 24 Months Pretest Job-Search Efficacy R2 = .26 .20 Job-Search Motivation R2 = .17 .18 .24 .18 .19 .14 .29 .30 .17 .20 .30 .25 .48 .38 -.10 .07 .20 .28 Long-term Employment 12 or 24 months R2 = .20 .30 Financial Strain R2 = .19 .30 Job-Search Intensity R2 = .25 .30 Employment at 6 months R2 = .08 .14 Mastery R2 = .04 .05 -.19 -.33 .35 .41 .05 (NS) .15 .17 .11 -.08 -.08 .31 .36 -.02 (NS) -.10 .06 .04 -.56 -.52 Depressive Symptoms R2 = .49 .51 Figure 2. Structural equation model of the effects of baseline psychological and demographics predictors of reemployment at 6- and 12-month (CEP study) or 24-month (JOBS study) followups. Figures in italics and bold are, respectively, for the JOBS and CEP studies. Not shown are the effects of the demographics on the psychological predictors and reemployment (see Table 1). All of the solid line paths are statistically significant at .05 or above. In JOBS, 2 (163, n = 700) = 426.9 and CEP, 2 (163, n = 1280) = 712.6. Normed, non-normed and comparative fit indexes are for the JOBS study .91, .92 and .94 respectively, RMSEA =.05, and for the CEP study .93, .92 and .95 and RMSEA = .05. Fn:jcr0.ppt semland.ppt

4. JOBS Intervention Mediating Processes PROCESS CONTENT PERSON BEHAVIOR OUTCOMES Enabling Conditions • Skilled co-trainers • Make participants feel comfortable • Make participants feel valued • Enhance participant’s trust and confidence in the trainers’ expertise • Job-search skills • Job-search self efficacy • Inoculation against setbacks • Self-esteem Reemployment Job-Search Behavior Reduced economic hardship Improved mental health • Effective search • Persistent search Major Topics • Identifying marketable skills • Networking for job leads • Thinking like the employer • Contacting employers • Presenting oneself on application, resume and interview • Anticipating barriers and setbacks Core Processes and Activities • Active learning process • Enhancing job-search self-efficacy • Building inoculation against setbacks • Forming implementation intentions Figure 3

5. 2 3 1 5 4 6 The Diamond Active Learning Intervention Process 2. Diagnosing solutions for problems and needed activities and skills for implementing them Goals, problem, and tasks 3. Practicing skills, for implementing solutions 1. Diagnosing goals, problems & tasks 4. Diagnosing barriers and possible setbacks 5. Diagnosing solutions to barriers and setbacks Barriers and setbacks 6. Practicing skills to overcome barriers and setbacks Figure 4 Based on Caplan, Vinokur, van Ryn & Price (1989); Vinokur, Price & Schul (1995)

6.  “160 hours of training?” • Techniques that promote effective job search behaviors • Highly developed level of group facilitation • Mastery of the elements of active learning • Credible trainers • Mastery of co-facilitation Figure 5

7. Training Trainers (group facilitators) at Baltimore County Department of Social Services • 30 individuals were trained as trainers (group facilitators) • Training was conducted by Steve Barnaby, MPRC’s master trainer and an Associate from the WNJ project • in California • Trainers were new hires from the pool of welfare-to- work clients, job-retention specialists, and supervisory staff • Training lasted for two consecutive weeks and additional follow-up sessions two months later Figure 6

8. How much training time and effort should be devoted to Strategy A compared to Strategy B... Strategy A Giving the participants specific and detailed instructions on how to get each task done. ...compared to... Strategy B Working with participants to develop ideas and strategies for how to get each task done. Time and effort should be devoted: Circle one number on the scale below: Completely to A Mostly to A Somewhat More to A than to B Equal Amount to A and B Somewhat More to B than to A Mostly to B Completely to B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Develop ideas (vs. detailed instructions) Figure 7

9. Clients’ motivation Figure 8

10. Clients’ ability Figure 9

11. T1:No Show Sample of 213 T3 4-month follow-up N = 139 (54%) Baltimore County’s Department of Social Services “From the Ground Up” Program for Welfare-to-Work Clients T1: WNJ Workshop 1 week – 5 half days: Baseline first day: N = 1,543 T2: End of last day N = 1,059 (69%) T3: 4-month follow-up N = 1,031 (67%) T4: 8-month follow-up N = 966 (63%) Figure 10. Research Design of the Evaluation of the Winning New Jobs (WNJ) Program in Baltimore County

12. Mastery 4-Month Follow-up Baseline Pretest Job Search Efficacy R2 = .20 .45 .43 Financial Strain R2 = .04 .11 -20 .13 Employment Intention R2 = .20 .12 .41 Employment R2 = .14 .02 -.37 -19 Depressive Symptoms R2 = .61 .12 Work Barriers R2 = .04 Figure 11. Effects of baseline predictors on reemployment. 2(80, N = 989) = 214, NFI = .97, NNFI = .98, CFI = .98, RMSEA = .04. All solid line arrows represent statistically significant paths at .05 or above.

16. Table 4 Nu mber of Barriers to Keeping Current Job Reported by Employed WNJ Clients Four - month Following (T3) Barrier Frequency Percent 0 105 26.6 1 63 15.9 2 53 13.4 3 55 13.9 4 42 10.6 5 36 9.1 6 25 6.3 7+ 16 4.1 Subtotal 395 100.0 Miss ing Data 53 - TOTAL 448 -