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For this study, VIDA recruited residents of Hidalgo, Starr, or Willacy counties in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas who were interested in high-demand occupations. Participants were required to have low incomes, be public assistance recipients, be underemployed, or be unemployed; be at least age 18; and be eligible to work in the United States. Participants were also required to have a high school diploma or general education diploma. After being deemed eligible and completing baseline and consent forms, the study randomly assigned 478 participants to the intervention group and 480 participants to the comparison group. Enrollment occurred from November 2011 to June 2014.
Enrollment occurred from November 2011 to June 2014, and the study presents findings for Years 1 to 7 after random assignment.
The Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education evaluation was funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation in ACF, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
All participants were residents of the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. More than 60 percent were ages 21 to 34, and about 70 percent were female. Nearly all were Hispanic (96 percent). All were required to have a high school diploma or equivalent certification, although about 1 percent lacked this credential. Most participants had some postsecondary education before the start of the study (73 percent), and about one-third of participants held a vocational or technical certificate or diploma (31 percent). In the year before random assignment, about two-thirds received benefits from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (68 percent).
VIDA, a community-based organization, provided program services in partnership with local colleges and universities.
VIDA has existed since 1995 and was formed by the local business community and faith-based leaders.
The VIDA program analyzed local labor markets to understand which occupations were in high demand in the region. VIDA participants enrolled full time in educational programs related to these high-demand fields. Five partnering colleges or universities offered these programs. Educational programs included certificate programs, associate's degree programs, or the last two years of coursework to receive a bachelor's degree. Those who were not deemed college-ready participated in the College Prep Academy, a 16-week basic skills remediation program provided through a local college. Participants received intensive weekly counseling services in one-on-one or group settings. Counseling sessions focused on life skills, such as time management and budgeting, as well as skills to support success in participants' education programs. VIDA also offered a variety of supportive services, including financial aid; funding for books, tools, or uniforms needed for programming; connection to child care; transportation assistance; and emergency assistance.
Participants in the comparison group were unable to receive services from VIDA. They could receive other services provided in their communities, which included the same college programs VIDA offered. However, the coordination of services and the particular bundling of services VIDA provided was only offered to those in the intervention group.
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Services were provided for an average of 2.5 years.
Not available
VIDA took place in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX.
Psychosocial skills, life stressors, family structure, job quality, career knowledge and availability of career supports, health insurance coverage, home ownership, level of debt, signs of financial distress, parental engagement, child outcomes, childbearing (women only), and living arrangements