Transitional Employment as a Developmental Experience: Using the Stages of Change

Roca’s Target PopulationRoca seeks out the most difficult, challenging individuals for whom other programming has failed, and systematically works to establish positive, consistent relationships built on trust and respect. Roca’s target population has become more focused over the past year.

Through this business plan, Roca proposes to continue to focus the delivery of its Intervention Model to address the needs of 17-24 year old young men who demonstrate a strong propensity for violence, crime and/or adult incarceration, who are either:

1.aging out of the juvenile justice or juvenile probation systems; 2.connected with the adult justice system; or,3.are high risk youth from the community being served.

Note: Roca will continue to serve high risk young women and young parents through its site in Chelsea as a secondary target population.

Additional Characteristics of Target Population

• Primary Target Population:– Little or no work history– Gang, Street or Court Involved (in Springfield must have a

Felony Charge)– Dropped out of School, No GED– Limited Employment History (history with no more than 6

months of employment retention)

• Not ready, willing or able to participate in traditional programming

• In contemplation or pre-contemplation based on the stages of change

CHANGE…• IS A PROCESS OCCURRING OVER TIME AND IN

STAGES.• IS AN EXPERIENCE OF THINKING, FEELING AND

DOING SOMETHING(S) DIFFERENTLY ...of transforming, modifying, re-doing attitudes, beliefs and behaviors.

• OCCURS IN RELATIONSHIP - with ourselves and with others.

• PEOPLE CHANGE WHEN THEY ARE READY, WILLING, AND ABLE

A Framework for ChangeChange is a process that happens over time and in stages. Theses Stages of Change include:

• Pre-Contemplation = NO• Contemplation = MAYBE• Planning = GETTING READY• Action = ACTING DIFFERENTLY• Sustaining = MORE THAN 51%

As change is often difficult for any of us, Relapse is often part of the process and can happen at any point in the stages of change.

Worker’s “Use of Self” in Support of Behavior Change

Pre-Contemplation--Not thinking, not ready, refusing to consider change• Focus on the pros of making a change• Consciousness Raising—provide information• Social liberation-- exposure to other alternatives• Helping Relationships-support, guidance, feedback

Contemplation--Recognizes problem behavior, explores pros and cons• All techniques in pre-contemplation +• Making the pros outweigh the cons• Emotional Arousal—intense consequences of problem behavior• Self Re-Evaluation—discrepancy

“Use of Self” continued…Planning--Decides to change, creates a plan and strategies• All techniques in pre-contemplation, contemplation+• Help young person develop and invest in effective change strategy• Countering—finding alternatives• Environmental Control—removing triggers Action--Takes action, invests time, energy and focus on change• All techniques in pre-contemplation, contemplation, planning +• Help and support young person in behavior change• Commitment-making a public statement about change

Goal of Employment Programming• Work with very high risk young people, helping them to move over the

starting line to economic self-sufficiency, so that they can effectively help themselves by getting and keeping employment.

• Roca has created a series of critical pathways that allow young people to move towards economic self-sufficiency. Each of these pathways includes:

1. Job readiness programming that includes stage-based prevocational training;

2. Employment Programming with a focus on transitional employment3. Employer partnerships; and, 4. Job development, job placement and job retention.

• Industry Focuses: Hospitality, Construction Trades, Culinary, Retail

Flow of Employment Programming

Tiered Approach to Employment Services

1st Tier 2nd Tier 3rd TierJob

Placement

Stage Based Programming and Transitional Employment

• Basic Transitional Employment– Work Crews, 7 young people and a working supervisor– Revenue from Work Crew Contracts with local government,

businesses, etc.– Line of Sight Supervision– 26 hours per week work, Paid $8.00 per hour for work hours only– Required training day

• Unpaid• Includes both hard and soft skills

– Designed to teach soft skills and positive work habits– Maximum 18 months including time in “rehire”– Job Readiness Benchmark: 60 consecutive days of employment

Stage Based Programming and Transitional Employment

• Advanced Transitional Employment– Individual placements or work crews of 2 to 3 young people– Indirect Supervision– Allows for more hard skill development combined with extended

supports from Roca Youth Workers to address non-work related issues– Roca remains employer of record– Required training/development component customized to young

person’s individual needs– Revenue: Work site contracts for more advanced property maintenance,

painting, contracts for individual placements, etc.– Participants eligible when they’ve completed 60 consecutive days of

basic transitional employment– Maximum Engagement of Participant: 3 to 4 months

FY’11 Trans. Employ. OutcomesOverall HR

Basic Transitional Employment Programming# of participants enrolled 156 146

# of participants still actively enrolled 98 97# in an active slot 30 30# in a bench slot 26 26# in a re-hire process 42 41

# of participants who completed 31 30# of completers placed in jobs and/or re-engaged in education 27 26% placed who are retaining employment and/or training/education 63% 62%

Advanced Transitional Employment Programming# of participants enrolled 59 43

# of participants still actively enrolled 45 34# in an advanced slot 12 10# in advanced replacement 33 24

# of participants who completed 14 9# of completers placed in jobs and/or re-engaged in education 14 9

% placed who are retaining employment and/or training/education 64% 67%AmeriCorps Advanced Transitional Employment Programming# of participants enrolled 25 12Job Development and Placement# of participants placed in unsubsidized employment 88 68% of participants placed retaining employment 77% 76%Average # of days retained 193 196

FY’11 Graduate OutcomesRoca randomly surveyed graduates of the Intervention Model. Of the 225 graduates who were supported in FY11, Roca collected information on 50% of the participants within a two week period.