Tuition assistance/financial aid

Level
child

Credentials to Careers (C2C)—Northern Virginia Community College

C2C was a community college consortium designed to develop and provide education and training to prepare unemployed, underemployed, and displaced workers to take on jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math industries. Northern Virginia Community College’s (NOVA’s) local C2C program, called NOVA’s IT Pathway, led to credentials and careers in IT-related fields. The program was implemented by NOVA and its strategic community and business partners.

Denver Housing Authority’s (DHA’s) Home Ownership Program (HOP) Home Buyers Club

The DHA’s HOP provided case management, education, and supportive services to build families’ financial assets, promote economic self-sufficiency, and increase rates of home ownership. In the first stage of services, HOP worked alongside other DHA programs to help households reduce debt, manage credit, find or retain employment, and increase savings.

CareerAdvance

Intervention (standard name)

CareerAdvance participants enrolled in one of three programs linked to a health care career (nursing, health information technology, or medical assisting). Participants also received funding for tuition, books and supplies, additional child care assistance (if child care needs could not be met through the Head Start program alone), coaching, and financial incentives for meeting program milestones. Peer support groups were also available.

Maximum Customer Choice (as compared with Structured Customer Choice)

Maximum Customer Choice participants could request counseling from program staff to guide them to appropriate training selections, but they did not automatically receive counseling. Participants received an individual training account in the amount of $3,000 to $5,000, depending on the program site. Most Maximum Customer Choice participants requested counseling and completed counseling and training program selection in five sessions. Then, participants engaged in their selected training program for an average of 18 weeks.

Guided Customer Choice (as compared with Structured Customer Choice)

Guided Customer Choice was designed to broadly represent the approach that most local areas were implementing on their own under WIA. Participants in Guided Customer Choice had to complete six mandatory counseling activities to select a training program and then had to assess whether they had enough resources to complete the training. Counselors were directed to help customers make an informed decision about training. However, counselors did not direct participants toward particular occupations, and participants could independently select their training program.

Guided Customer Choice (as compared with Maximum Customer Choice)

Guided Customer Choice was designed to broadly represent the approach that most local areas were implementing on their own under WIA. Participants in Guided Customer Choice had to complete six mandatory counseling activities to help them select a training program and then had to assess whether they had enough resources to complete the training. Counselors were directed to help customers make an informed decision about training. However, counselors did not direct participants toward particular occupations, and participants could independently select their training program.

Chrysalis Social Enterprise Program

Intervention (standard name)

To prepare people for employment, Chrysalis provided a core curriculum on job preparation and related skills, short-term mental health counseling, and mentorship. Employment specialists referred individuals they believed to have the highest employment barriers to the social enterprise program. These individuals participated in an orientation and assessment before entering Chrysalis’s labor pool to work in one of its social enterprises related to street cleaning or a temporary staffing position.

Milwaukee Safe Street Prisoner Release Initiative (PRI)

Six months before justice-involved adults were scheduled for release from prison, individuals were transferred to one of two facilities in Racine, WI. In these facilities, social workers would provide case management workups, which included an assessment of needs; risks; child support; credit; and personal documentation issues, such as a lack of driver’s license or Social Security number.