ATTACHMENT
C
GOALS Site Visit participant Interview Guide
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Introduction for the Respondents (Discussions with Program Participants)
Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. is conducting the Goal-Oriented Adult Learning in Self-Sufficiency (GOALS) Study on behalf of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This study will document how programs like [Name of the program] use new approaches to provide employment and training services to families.
As part of the GOALS study, we are talking with program participants to better understand how programs help participants to improve the skills that help them achieve their goals, or what we’re calling “goal oriented skills.” For the purposes of this study, we broadly define “goal-oriented skills” as a set of skills that involve managing oneself and one’s resources in order to identify, work towards, and achieve a given goal. We are interviewing program participants at [name of program] to understand the types of services you received and your overall experience with the program. The small group discussion will take approximately 75 minutes. Your participation in this study is important and will help us understand more about the services provided to families such as yours.
Your responses will be kept private and used only for research purposes. No individual names will be reported. Information you provide will not be shared with your case manager or any program administrators or staff. Only the GOALS study team will have access to the information you provide during the interview.
Participation in the study is voluntary. You can choose not to answer a question and may stop or leave the discussion at any time. At the end of the discussion, you will be given a $25 token of appreciation for your time.
Do you have any questions before we begin?
What do you hope to achieve at [Name of the program]?
What do you expect to be different in your life 6 months from now as a result of this program? What would you hope will be different a year from now?
What services that you have received so far will help you achieve your goals? What else might you need?
What is the main message you have received from staff regarding the program goals?
How would you describe the program environment? What’s the general feeling like here?
Given what you were told about the program, do staff act in a way that seems consistent with what you were expecting? What about staff matches your expectations? What is different?
How many different case managers have you had? If you have had multiple case managers, what is the reason the staff have given you for the change?
What is your understanding of who is eligible for the program?
How were you recruited to the program?
Does the program meet your needs? If so, how? If not, why not?
In terms of finding a job or completing an education or training program, what are some of your strengths?
What are some of your challenges?
In general, how ready were you to make a change? What motivates and inspires you to participate and accomplish your goals?
How are the program’s services tailored to your individual needs, abilities, and interests?
What aspects of the program are the same for all participants?
As mentioned earlier, we are defining ‘goal-oriented skills’ as a set of skills that involve managing oneself and one’s resources in order to identify, work towards, and achieve a given goal. What does ‘goal-oriented skills’ mean to you? What skills are included under ‘goal-oriented skills’? What are some examples?
What services have you received in the program? To what extent and how have they helped you build your goal-oriented skills?
Assessment
Case planning
Case management
Coaching
Peer mentoring
Incentives
Group activities
Mental health counseling
Vocational education
Job retention services
Other
How long have you participated in the program? In each of these activities?
How often do you participate in activities (for example, daily, weekly, monthly)? For how many hours?
How did you and your worker decide which activities you would participate in?
How have you moved through the different services the program provided? What did you do first (for example, orientation, assessment)? Then what happened?
How successful is the program with encouraging you to participate in the program and make progress towards your goals?
What has helped you most? What has been least helpful?
How has the program motivated and inspired you?
How does the program let you know you’re making progress? What kind of feedback do they give you? How often? Is the feedback written or verbal? What do you like about this feedback process? What might improve it?
How does the program use incentives to [encourage your progress?]?
What types of work (for example, clothing, bus passes, uniforms/tools) and personal supports (for example, mental health services) have you received in the program?
What have you used most often?
What additional services do you need?
What services, resources, and supports have you received through other organizations in the community that are connected with [Name of the program]?
What is the best thing about participating in the program?
What have been the primary challenges?
What recommendations do you have for program administrators or staff to improve the program?
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Mathematica Staff |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-24 |