HRDC - Evaluation Reports Summative Evaluation of Youth Service Canada

The following pages contain the list of variables used in the instrumental-variables regression models. The models were run in three groups to accommodate the patterns of missing values that occurred in the data.

The list below provides brief descriptions of the variable names. For more complete explanations, refer to the text of the questionnaires used for the baseline and follow-up surveys.

Variable	Description
YSC	=1 if YSC participant, 0 if non-participant
COMPLETE	=1 if completed project, 0 otherwise
POSTMT	Total months since project
	Pre-project measures (explanatory variables)
MALE	=1 if male, 0 if female
AGE	Age at start date
AGE2021	=1 if age at start date was 20 or 21, 0 otherwise
AGE2223	=1 if age at start date was 22 or 23, 0 otherwise
AGEOV24	=1 if age at start date was 24 or more, 0 otherwise
ATLANTIC	=1 if resided in Atlantic provinces, 0 otherwise
QUEBEC	=1 if resided in Québec, 0 otherwise
PRAIRIES	=1 if resided in Prairie provinces or Northwest Territories, 0 otherwise
PACIFIC	=1 if resided in British Columbia or Yukon Territory, 0 otherwise
ENGLISH	=1 if interviewed in English, 0 otherwise
SINGLE	=1 if marital status was single at start date, 0 otherwise
LIVEWPAR	=1 if lived with parents at start date, 0 otherwise
Q.3	Highest level of education at start date
SOMEPS	=1 if had some post-secondary education at start date, but had not graduated, 0 otherwise
PSGRAD	=1 if was a Post-Secondary Graduate at start date, 0 otherwise
DEPCHILD	=1 if had dependent children at start date, 0 otherwise
VISMIN	=1 if member of visible minority, 0 otherwise
DISAB	=1 if had a disability at start date, 0 otherwise
Q.5	=1 if participated in extra-curricular activities at school, 0 otherwise
Q.6	=1 if did volunteer work in year before start date, 0 otherwise
Q.18.1	Importance, to interest in participating in YSC, of getting skills that will be useful on a job (scale, 1 to 7, not important to very important)
Q.18.2	Importance, to interest in participating in YSC, of having something useful to do (scale, 1 to 7, not important to very important)
Q.18.3	Importance, to interest in participating in YSC, of making a contribution to my community (scale, 1 to 7, not important to very important)
Q.18.4	Importance, to interest in participating in YSC, of having an income (scale, 1 to 7, not important to very important)
Q.18.5	Importance, to interest in participating in YSC, of qualifying for the completion bonus (scale, 1 to 7, not important to very important)
Q.18.6	Importance, to interest in participating in YSC, of gaining confidence in myself and my abilities (scale, 1 to 7, not important to very important)
Q.18.7	Importance, to interest in participating in YSC, of getting a full-time job after the project (scale, 1 to 7, not important to very important)
Q.18.8	Importance, to interest in participating in YSC, of getting work experience (scale, 1 to 7, not important to very important)
Q.20.3	=1 if future plans include wanting to find a job, 0 otherwise
Q.20.5	=1 if future plans include wanting to return to school, 0 otherwise
Q.21.01	Have as much to contribute as anyone, pre-project (scale, 1 to 7, of how well the description fits)
Q.21.02	Would not want to admit to people that I was not working, pre-project (scale, 1 to 7, of how well the description fits)
Q.21.03	Being unemployed is one of the worst things I can think of, pre-project (scale, 1 to 7, of how well the description fits)
Q.21.04	Am able to do things as well as anyone, pre-project (scale, 1 to 7, of how well the description fits)
Q.21.05	Don't expect to get what I really want out of life, pre-project (scale, 1 to 7, of how well the description fits)
Q.21.06	Would take better paying job even if it meant spending less time with family, pre-project (scale, 1 to 7, of how well the description fits)
Q.21.07	Would be better off on social assistance than if working, pre-project (scale, 1 to 7, of how well the description fits)
Q.21.08	Would turn down better paying job if had to move from community, pre-project (scale, 1 to 7, of how well the description fits)
Q.21.09	Have a number of good qualities, pre-project (scale, 1 to 7, of how well the description fits)
Q.21.10	Know how to find a job, pre-project (scale, 1 to 7, of how well the description fits)
Q.21.11	Don't want to have to depend on government support in the future, pre-project (scale, 1 to 7, of how well the description fits)
Q.21.12	Have a positive attitude about myself, pre-project (scale, 1 to 7, of how well the description fits)
Q.21.13	Getting good job depends on being in right place at right time, pre-project (scale, 1 to 7, of how well the description fits)
Q.21.14	More than most people, I rely on myself to solve my problems, pre-project (scale, 1 to 7, of how well the description fits)
Q.24	Reads newspapers or magazines, pre-project (scale, 1 to 4, daily to never)
Q.25	Rating of ability to read newspapers or magazines, pre-project (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q.31	Rating of ability to make others understand meaning of writing (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q.33	Rating of ability to do simple arithmetic (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q.34	Likes working with numbers, pre-project (1= very much, 2=somewhat, 3=not at all)
Q.37	Rating of ability to lead discussions (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q.39	Rating of ability to use various types of equipment, pre-project (scale, 1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q.40	Uses personal computer, pre-project (scale, 1 to 4, daily to never)
Q.41	Rating of ability to use personal computers (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q.43	Participates in team or group activities, pre-project (scale, 1 to 4, daily to never)
Q.44	Rating of ability to work as member of a group (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
PREEARN1	Annual earnings, one year before project
PREPTL	Proportion of time in labour force, year before project
PREPTE	Proportion of time employed, year before project
PREPTS	Proportion of time in school or training, year before project
PREIBEN	Annual UI/EI benefits, year before project
PREWELF	Annual welfare benefits in year before project
PREWAGE	Weekly wage in main job, year before project
PREHWPW	Hours worked per week in main job, year before project
	Post-project measures (dependent variables)
POSTEARN	Annualized earnings since project
POSTPTL	Proportion of time in labour force since project
POSTPTE	Proportion of time employed since project
POSTPTS	Proportion of time in school or training since project
POSTIBEN	Annual EI benefits, 1997
POSTWELF	Annual welfare benefits since project
POSTWAGE	Weekly wage, most recent job to do (scale, 1 to 7, not important to very important)
POSTHWPW	Hours worked per week, most recent job
Q12A	Reads newspapers or magazines, post-project (scale, 1 to 4, daily to never)
Q12B	Uses a personal computer, post-project (scale, 1 to 4, daily to never)
Q12C	Participates in team activities, post-project (scale, 1 to 4, daily to never)
Q13A	Ability to read newspapers or magazines, post-project (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q13B	Ability to make others understand written meaning, post-project (scale, 1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q13C	Ability to do simple arithmetic, post-project (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q13D	Ability to lead discussion groups or meetings, post-project (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q13E	Ability to use a personal computer, post-project (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q13F	Ability to work as a member of a team, post-project (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q14A	Has as much to contribute as anyone, post-project (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q14B	Would not want to admit was not working, post-project (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q14C	Being unemployed is one of the worst things, post-project (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q14D	Able to do things as well as anyone, post-project (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q14E	Doesn't expect to get what really wants of life, post-project (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q14F	Would take better job if less time with family, post-project (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q14G	Better off on social assistance than working, post-project (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q14H	Would turn down better job if had to move, post-project (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q14I	Has a number of good qualities, post-project (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q14J	Knows how to find a job, post-project (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q14K	Doesn't want to depend on government support
Q14L	Has a positive attitude about self, post-project (scale,1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q14M	Getting job depends on right place at right time, post-project (scale, 1 to 5, poor to excellent)
Q14N	More than most relies on self to solve problems, post-project (scale, 1 to 5, poor to excellent