Program Staff Implementation Questionnaire

Appendix F

Program Staff Questionnaire

OMB #: 0970-XXXX

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

^{Appendix F}

Program Staff Questionnaire

Updated 10.3.12

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Labor have contracted with MDRC to evaluate innovative subsidized and transitional employment models targeting TANF recipients, noncustodial parents, former prisoners, and other low-income parents. The goal is to better understand what kinds of employment programs are most effective at helping people with these kinds of disadvantages gain and hold regular employment.

As part of our research, we are speaking with program staff members to learn about their experiences with the program and how they are serving or interacting with program participants. The document we have attached here is a short questionnaire. It should take about 10 minutes to complete. All of your responses on this questionnaire will be kept private; the research staff has been trained in protecting private information and your name will not appear in any written reports we produce. Your responses to these questions are also completely voluntary; you are not required to answer any questions you do not wish to answer. All of the study results will be reported for groups of individuals; no results will be analyzed or reported for individuals.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is 0970-XXXX and it expires XX/XX/XXXX.

Thanks in advance for your time helping us with this valuable research. If you have any questions or would like any more information about the project, please contact Dan Bloom, the project director, at 212-340-8611 or at dan.bloom@mdrc.org.

Program Staff Questionnaire

Subsidized and Transitional Employment Demonstration (STED)/Enhanced Transitional Jobs Demonstration (ETJD)

The first set of questions is background questions on your organization and role.

1. What is your job title:

___________________________________________________

2. What is the name of the organization you work for:

____________________________________________________

The next set of questions is about job development and job placement in transitional or subsidized jobs.

If this is not part of your responsibilities or if all participants work at the same employer, please skip to question #5.

3. How important are the following factors in your decisions about placing participants in transitional or subsidized jobs?

• a. Participant’s job-specific skills.

₁Not at all important

₂Slightly important

₃Fairly important

₄Quite important

₅Very important

• b. Participant’s interpersonal skills.

₁Not at all important

₂Slightly important

₃Fairly important

₄Quite important

₅Very important

• c. Participant’s prior work or volunteer experience.

₁Not at all important

₂Slightly important

₃Fairly important

₄Quite important

₅Very important

• d. Participant’s interests and career goals.

₁Not at all important

₂Slightly important

₃Fairly important

₄Quite important

₅Very important

• e. Supports offered by an employer that would benefit the participant.

₁Not at all important

₂Slightly important

₃Fairly important

₄Quite important

₅Very important

4. How important are the following employer characteristics when recruiting employers to work with the program and provide transitional or subsidized jobs?

• a. Number of placements offered.

₁Not at all important

₂Slightly important

₃Fairly important

₄Quite important

₅Very important

• b. Level of support offered to participants by the employer.

₁Not at all important

₂Slightly important

₃Fairly important

₄Quite important

₅Very important

• c. Interest in hiring participants when placements end.

₁Not at all important

₂Slightly important

₃Fairly important

₄Quite important

₅Very important

• d. Opportunities for career advancement at employer’s firm.

₁Not at all important

₂Slightly important

₃Fairly important

₄Quite important

₅Very important

• e. Employer’s involvement in growth industry.

₁Not at all important

₂Slightly important

₃Fairly important

₄Quite important

₅Very important

• f. Your prior experience with employer.

₁Not at all important

₂Slightly important

₃Fairly important

₄Quite important

₅Very important

The next set of questions is about worksite visits and communication with employers during the transitional or subsidized job.

If you do not perform these functions, please skip to question #8.

5. On average, how many visits per worksite do you conduct each month? __________________________

None

6. On average, how often do you communicate with the worksite supervisors who are responsible for [PROGRAM NAME] participants during the transitional or subsidized job?

₁More than once a week

₂Once a week

₃Once every two weeks

₄Once a month or less frequently

₅Not applicable

7. When you communicate with the worksite supervisor during the transitional or subsidized job, what are the three most frequently discussed issues? (Select up to three responses.)

₁Workers’ ability to fulfill job duties and meet performance expectations

₂Workers’ ability to get along with supervisors and coworkers

₃Challenges or problems at work and how to deal with them

₄Challenges or problems away from work and how to deal with them

₅ Adequacy of supportive services or need for additional supportive services

₆ Other issues with [PROGRAM NAME]

₇ Other (please describe): _______________________________________

₈Not applicable

The next set of questions is about unsubsidized job placement.

If you do not perform this function, please skip to question #11.

8. When working to place participants in unsubsidized jobs, how often do you do the following?

a. Schedule interviews for participants.

₁Never

₂Seldom

₃Sometimes

₄Often

₅All of the time

b. Discuss specific participants’ resumes with a potential employer.

₁Never

₂Seldom

₃Sometimes

₄Often

₅All of the time

c. Help participants prepare for an interview.

₁Never

₂Seldom

₃Sometimes

₄Often

₅All of the time

d. Take participants to fill out a job application or to an interview.

₁Never

₂Seldom

₃Sometimes

₄Often

₅All of the time

e. Hold group job search meetings with participants.

₁Never

₂Seldom

₃Sometimes

₄Often

₅All of the time

f. Discuss the participant’s transitional job experience with employers.

₁Never

₂Seldom

₃Sometimes

₄Often

₅All of the time

g. Follow-up with employers after a participant’s interview.

₁Never

₂Seldom

₃Sometimes

₄Often

₅All of the time

9. How many participants are you currently working with to find an unsubsidized job?

________________________

10. During the last week, how many of your participants did you refer to a specific job opening?

________________________

The next set of questions is about your work environment and organizational issues. Your responses will be kept strictly confidential and will not be shared with other program staff. Please circle your answer.

Do you agree or disagree that:

11. Your organization allows you to make the kinds of professional judgments that you should be making on your job?

1 2 3 4 5

Strongly Strongly

Disagree Agree

12. You have the information/tools/resources you need to do your job well?

1 2 3 4 5

Strongly Strongly

Disagree Agree

13. You have the skills and experience you need to do your job well?

1 2 3 4 5

Strongly Strongly

Disagree Agree

14. You understand the policies and rules of your organization?

1 2 3 4 5

Strongly Strongly

Disagree Agree

15. You can relate to your participants?

1 2 3 4 5

Strongly Strongly

Disagree Agree

16. For the most part, you work with clients on your caseload independently, without consulting other staff members?

1 2 3 4 5

Strongly Strongly

Disagree Agree

17. In general, the staff at [PROGRAM NAME] works well together as a team?

1 2 3 4 5

Strongly Strongly

Disagree Agree

18. You get the support or guidance that you need from your supervisor?

1 2 3 4 5

Strongly Strongly

Disagree Agree

19. You are satisfied with your current job?

1 2 3 4 5

Strongly Strongly

Disagree Agree

20. How would you describe worker satisfaction and morale among the staff at your organization?

₁Very low

₂Below average

₃Average

₄Above average

₅Very high

The next set of questions asks about you. Your responses will be kept strictly confidential.

21. What is your age? _____________ years old

22. Are you: ₁Male ₂Female

23. How long have you been employed by [PROGRAM NAME]?

______ months or _____years

24. How long have you been in your current position?

______ months or _____years

25. Do you work: ₁Full-time ₂Part-time

1. If part-time, how many hour per week? __________ hours/week

26. Is your position with [PROGRAM NAME]:

₁Permanent ₂Temporary

1. If your position is temporary, when will your position end?

____________ Month ______________Year

27. Are you Hispanic, Latino/a, or Spanish origin? (Select one or more.)

₁No, not of Hispanic, Latino/a, or Spanish origin

₂Yes, Mexican, Mexican American, Chicano/a

₃Yes, Puerto Rican

₄Yes, Cuban

₅Yes, another Hispanic, Latino/a, or Spanish origin

28. What is your race? (Select one or more.)

₁White

₂Black or African American

₃American Indian or Alaska Native

₄Asian Indian

₅Chinese

₆Filipino

₇Japanese

₈Korean

₉Vietnamese

₁₀Other Asian

₁₁Native Hawaiian

₁₂Guamanian or Chamorro

₁₃Samoan

₁₄Other Pacific Islander

29. What is your educational background? (Select one.)

₁Did not finish high school

₂GED

₃High school diploma

₄Associate’s degree

₅Some college

₆Bachelor’s degree

₇Some graduate work

₈Master of Social Work

₉Other Master’s Degree

₁₀Other Graduate Degree

Thank you for completing this questionnaire!