Initiatives to Promote Family Self-Sufficiency

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Initiatives to Promote Family Self-Sufficiency

• Agency for Workforce Innovation, Florida

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Florida

• 24 Regional Workforce Boards implement the
  Welfare Transition program
• Applicant programs
• Employment and training programs (assistance
  recipients)
• Transitional support programs
• Other non-assistance programs

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Florida

• Dollars to promote the TANF purpose
• Special projects
• Performance based contracts
• Legislative initiatives

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Serving the TANF Purpose

• 54,722 (unduplicated) recipients on the recurring
  benefit payroll from October 2005 to October 30,
  2006
• 43,943 had education records in the workforce
  system
• 30 less than 12th grade completed
• 39 completed 12th grade, had a diploma or earned
  a GED

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Serving the TANF Purpose

• Less than 9 have any college
• 3.2 have No Formal Schooling
• 11 have completed less than a 10th grade
  education

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Serving the TANF Purpose

• WT participant barriers (referred during Feb
  2005-Jan 2006) in the workforce data entry system
• 1,327 have only one barrier
• 30,612 have multiple barriers
• 24,207 individuals reported a need for
  transportation to secure a job (under reported)

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Serving the TANF Purpose

• 18,390 need childcare to obtain employment (under
  reported)
• 3, 795 English was a second language and lack of
  English skills was a barrier to employment
• 3,673 medical issues or lack of medical care were
  a barrier to employment (under reported)
• 3,573 a lack of clothing was a barrier to
  employment

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Serving the TANF Purpose

• 3,176 housing was a barrier to employment
• 2,520 a lack of computer skills was a barrier to
  employment
• 1,657 a criminal record was a barrier to
  employment (under reported)
• 1,356 they were not able to conduct a successful
  job search without help

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Serving the TANF Purpose

• Securing a job during TANF participation (not
  just assistance), State Program Year 2004-2005
• 7.71 average entry wage
• 10.85 the State LLSIL
• Families entered on average at 71.02 of the
  LLSIL
• Most current, third quarter 2006
• 8.12 average entry wage
• 11.29 the State LLSIL
• Families entered on average of 71.96 of the LLSIL

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Serving the TANF Purpose

• 7.71 per hour
• At 25 hours per week, 828.83 a month before
  taxes
• At 40 hours per week, 1,326.00 a month before
  taxes
• 8.12 per hour
• At 25 hours per week, 872.90 a month before
  taxes
• At 40 hours per week, 1,396.64 a month before
  taxes

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Serving the TANF Purpose

• Floridas employment horizon
• 11.7 of new jobs in Florida will require a
  Bachelors degree
• 53.7 of new jobs in Florida will require a post
  secondary vocational or community college
  training
• 36.4 of new jobs in Florida will require a high
  school diploma or less

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Working Towards Self-Sufficiency

• WT program requirements
• Transitional services up to 2 years after exit
• Childcare
• Transportation
• Education and training
• Special projects and legislative initiatives
• Career Advancement and Retention Challenge (CARC)
• Passport to Economic Progress

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Working Towards Self-Sufficiency

• CARC
• During the 2nd and 3rd quarters preceding the
  beginning of CARC 02-03 (CARC 02-03 Cohort)
• CARC clients earned a median quarterly wage of
  5,081 (annual 20,324)
• During the 2nd and 3rd quarters following the end
  of CARC 02-03
• CARC clients were earning median quarterly wage
  of 7,732 (annual 30,064)
• Increase of 52

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Working Towards Self-Sufficiency

• CARC 02-03 Cohort
• 82 retained employment during the 2nd and 3rd
  quarters following the program
• Control 02-03 Cohort
• 64 retained employment during the 2nd and 3rd
  quarters following the program
• Median quarterly wage of 3,064

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Working Towards Self-Sufficiency

• CARC
• As of June 2005
• Served over 2,405 employed low income individuals
• Of the 2,405 enrolled, 1,575 received training
• Of the 1,575 trained,
• 229 received a position upgrade with same
  employer within 6 months of completion

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Working Towards Self-Sufficiency

• 193 received a position upgrade with a new
  employer within 6 months
• 516 received an earnings gain within 6 months

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Working Towards Self-Sufficiency

• Passport
• 1st quarter of Passport 03-04 PY, clients were
• Earning a median quarterly wage of 2,527
  (10,108 annual)
• 4th quarter of Passport 03-04 PY, these same
  clients were
• Earning a median quarterly wage of 3,087
  (12,348)
• 22 gain over the year

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Working Towards Self-Sufficiency

• Passport 03-04 Cohort
• 82 retained employment based on 4th quarter data
• 12,348 annual wage
• Control 03-04 Cohort
• 49 of the control group retained employment
  based on 4th quarter data
• 10,380 annual wage

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Working Towards Self-Sufficiency

• Passport
• 03-04 Year End Report
• 315 individuals were served
• Over 300 employment goals achieved
• 122 applied for and received EITC
• 593 self-sufficiency goals were achieved

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Working Towards Self-Sufficiency

• Passport
• 04-05 Year End Report
• 382 individuals were served
• 605 employment goals achieved
• 197 applied for and received EITC
• 1090 self-sufficiency goals were achieved
• 466 education goals were achieved

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Working Towards Self-Sufficiency

• Passport
• 05-06 Report (as of Sept 06)
• 376 individuals were served
• 250 applied for and received EITC
• 316 self-sufficiency goals were achieved
• 654 education goals were achieved
• Number of times
• Upgrade position, 54
• Retain employment for 30 days, 125
• Retain employment for 90 days, 176

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Important Programmatic Concepts

• Programs
• Maximize local creativity/innovation
• Those closest to the people know how to serve the
  people
• Program concept
• Employee engagement (Passport)
• Employer engagement (CARC)

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Important Programmatic Concepts

• Programs (employee)
• Should assist participants with creating
  attainable goals
• Immediate gratification
• Long term planning
• Should assist participants with creating a clear
  plan to achieve goals
• Deadlines
• Processes
• Should provide clear accountability for meeting
  steps and goals

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Important Programmatic Concepts

• Programs (employer)
• Engage employers and offer training to meet
  employers needs
• Identify employers
• Outreach to employers and employed families
• Connect training providers with employers
• Should provide clear accountability
• Performance based contracts for employers and/or
  training providers
• Should impact TANF eligible employees
• Career advancement
• Pay raises and/or benefits
• More hours

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Important Programmatic Concepts

• Programs (employee)
• Offered participants performance based incentives
• Gift cards
• Pre-paid cards
• Extended services
• Offered participants training
• Assessments
• Referrals
• Books, tuition, etc.
• Offered participants encouragement and
  accountability

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Important Programmatic Concepts

• Programs (employer)
• Offered employees training directly linked to
  employers needs
• Soft skills
• Skill specific (e.g. nurse training from LPN
  through RN over two years)
• On-site training
• Offered employers case management assistance

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Lessons Learned

• Parents need help balancing work, school and home
• Parents need help balancing their budget
• Clear and consistent schedule
• Applicant screening
• Mentoring and counseling
• Continued job coaching
• Retention
• Applying for advancement
• Job searching while employed

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Lessons Learned

• Communication with employer
• Ensure the employer is invested in the program
• Soft skills and customer service training
• Employee accountability