Participants in New Visions worked at least 20 hours a week, had a high school diploma (or general educational diploma), and had children. The program was a partnership between Riverside Community College and the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services in Riverside, CA.
The program consisted of a one-week orientation session followed by 24 weeks of academic instruction focused on college preparation, occupational training, or both.
The academic instruction included courses in math, English, reading, and office-related computer software. After the 24-week program, participants were placed in occupational training that lasted up to five months.
The occupational training consisted of course modules with breaks in between so participants could more readily combine training sessions with work and family demands. Participants received credit for this training.
Riverside Community College and Riverside County Department of Public Social Services covered tuition and college fees, and books and other supplies were made available to participants at no cost. Case managers helped participants balance education and work by helping find employment and training opportunities. New Visions took place in Riverside, CA.
- The average effect seen for outcomes related to employment is comparable to a decrease in percent employed of 1 percent in the short term and 3 percent in the long term.
- The average effect seen for outcomes related to earnings is comparable to a decrease in annual earnings of $899 in the short term and cannot be calculated for long-term earnings.
- The average effect seen for outcomes related to benefit receipt is comparable to an increase in annual income from government programs other than Social Security of $473 in the short term and $344 in the long-term.
Pathways estimated these effects for the population of low-income adults in 2018 and all dollar values are presented in 2018 dollars.
New Visions Self-Sufficiency and Lifelong Learning Project was a college bridge program for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients that aimed to provide them with educational skills necessary for longer term academic success, foster lifelong learning, and promote job advancement.