Ready, Willing and Able Pathways2Work (Pathways)

Pathways began with orientation activities, which included assessments of occupational skills and career interests. Participants then worked three days per week and spent the other weekdays participating in nonwork activities provided by Pathways, such as job-readiness training, career-development workshops, and case management. Participants first worked in transitional jobs with street-cleaning crews or in the kitchen of the implementing organization, the Doe Fund. Next, they worked at a subsidized internship with a partner employer. Participants earned slightly more than minimum wage during the transitional jobs and internships. Participants who did not secure unsubsidized employment by the end of the internship participated in job-search activities. Participants could access job-readiness services, including computer training, financial literacy classes, and soft-skills training throughout their participation in the program. Participants received financial incentives, including $100 for securing an unsubsidized job and up to $1,000 if they were employed for 32 hours per week for 5 months. The program lasted for up to 26 weeks (1 or 2 weeks of orientation, either 6 or 8 weeks of transitional work, 8 weeks of subsidized work, and 6 to 9 weeks of job-search assistance).

Pathways was implemented in New York City, NY. The evaluation of Ready, Willing, & Able was part of the Enhanced Transitional Jobs Demonstration (ETJD) evaluation, which also tested similar subsidized employment interventions in Atlanta, GA (Good Transitions); Milwaukee, WI (Supporting Families Through Work); San Francisco, CA (TransitionsSF); Syracuse, NY (Parent Success Initiative); Indianapolis, IN (RecycleForce); and Fort Worth, TX (Next STEP).