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·	From Theory To Practice

• Introduction
• Project Description
• Evaluation Approach
• Key Findings
• Lessons Learned
• Conclusions

Introduction

This brief summarises the findings from an outcome evaluation study of the Integrated Training Centres for Youth (ITCY) pilot project, a Strategic Initiative funded by the governments of Canada and Alberta. The evaluation was jointly managed by a Federal-Provincial Committee with representation from the Alberta Departments of Advanced Education & Career Development and Family & Social Services, as well as representatives from HRDC, Alberta/Northwest Territories Region.

The Strategic Initiatives Program, announced in the Federal Budget of February 1994, is a five-year Federal-Provincial cost-shared program to test innovative ideas for social security reform. Pilot projects considered for funding are intended to improve job opportunities for Canadians and help individuals adjust to the demands of the labour market. The evaluation of these pilots will provide important information on what works and what doesn’t work for specific target groups.

The ITCY pilot project was funded under an agreement between the Minister of Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) and the Government of Alberta, represented by the Minister of Advanced Education & Career Development.

Project Description

It has long been known that youth who leave high school without attaining their diploma face significant barriers in finding quality jobs which offer scope for career advancement. Such individuals often are chronically under-employed, develop a poor work history, and are at risk of long-term dependence on social allowance. The ITCY Strategic Initiative was intended to test and demonstrate the value of customised counselling, training and work experience interventions for such individuals in order to assist them to make a successful transition to the world of work.

ITCYs were funded in Lethbridge, Red Deer and Edmonton. The three programs were operated by non-governmental organisations contracted to offer a range of services designed to integrate practical job skill training with life management.

Youth eligible for participation in the project were to be 16 to 20 years of age and out of the formal education system for at least 3 months, with no intention to return to complete their high school education. A 2-week assessment process was used to identify whether clients were motivated and able to deal with situational barriers (e.g., child care, transportation, housing, legal, etc.) before they were formally accepted into training. During the assessment phase (and while in training), they received a high level of support to address their barriers.

Each ITCY was expected to offer a comprehensive, integrated intervention tailored and sequenced to the needs of individual clients. Services included:

• Counselling, Coaching and Life Management Skills
• Career Work Exposure (Job Shadow)
• Work Experience
• Occupation-specific Skill Training and directly related Educational Upgrading
• Employment Preparation
• Job Placement and long-term Job Maintenance/Follow-up.

Training was to be long-term, intensive, hands-on, self-paced and competency-based. It was also expected that training would focus on jobs available in the local labour market, and be governed by an employer committee established to identify occupational areas and related competencies.

A unique adaptation for the pilot project was the inclusion of financial payments to participants (training allowances and bonuses) intended to remove disincentives or increase incentives for participants to complete their training.

The project was to provide funding of up to $8,500 per client: $4,000 for training costs; and $4,500 in financial incentives. A total of $2.67 million of the original $3.74 million budget was spent over a period of 22 months. The project assisted over 600 youth, at an average cost of $4,389 per participant.

Evaluation Approach

The evaluation measured impacts using two methodologies:

• Pre-post Design - to document program impacts on training participants;

• Comparison Group Design - to document incremental effects using a comparison group of non-participating program applicants.

Qualitative information was collected through interviews with clients, program staff and other government/community stakeholders. Quantitative data was collected from program and comparison group members over a period of nearly 2 years using a series of survey instruments delivered at different stages of the intervention (Baseline, Exit, Follow-up). The data was adjusted using covariate regression techniques to compensate for selection bias between the program and comparison groups.

Key Findings

• Participant Satisfaction - Clients were generally satisfied with the services and support they received. Employers were also generally satisfied with their role and with the clients they trained or hired.

• Impact of Incentives - Financial incentives attracted many clients to the training. The money was adequate for most participants; however, it was not needed in some cases, and in others was not enough to meet clients’ needs and encourage/enable them to finish their training.

• Preparation for Self-Sufficiency - The ITCYs had a positive impact on clients’ attitude, motivation and self-esteem. Most clients also gained useful work experience and occupational skills, as well as job finding and life skills. The programs were not as successful in providing academic skills or a career plan.

• Removal of Barriers - The longer clients trained, the better their employment outcomes tended to be; however, the ITCYs were not entirely successful in mitigating the effect of certain barriers to employment facing many clients (e.g., lack of transportation, low education, poor work history/lack of experience).

• Achievement of Self-Sufficiency - Although clients showed a steady increase over time in the proportion employed and in their weekly incomes, the ITCY programs appeared to have only a modest impact on clients’ self-sufficiency, as measured by incremental gains in employment and income relative to the comparison group.

• Cost Effectiveness - While program participants fared somewhat better than the comparison group, it is unlikely the incremental economic benefits would outweigh the higher costs associated with the training model. Findings call into question the “value added” by the relatively costly occupational skill training component of the programs.

Lessons Learned

• There is a need for employment-focused services for youth who have dropped out of school. Current services typically focus on adults, or provide “alternative schooling” for youth not coping well in the traditional educational system.

• Employers are not loath to become involved as trainers of youth at risk, and are prepared to take on a mentorship role that goes beyond the usual training-on-the-job function.

• Community stakeholders support the integrated training model. They view it as a more holistic, efficient and effective way to provide the range of services needed by youth at risk.

• Partnerships can be developed which enhance the services provided:

• The projects suffered no major jurisdictional obstacles. On the contrary, the partnership between the Federal and Provincial government resulted in more creative and comprehensive programming than either partner might have been mounted alone.
• The ITCYs were able to form partnerships with employers and other community service providers which reduced duplication and increased access to complementary services.

• The provision of financial incentives is problematic. It is difficult for agencies to implement a system based strictly on individual need. Also, projects that provide incentives can expect higher than normal dropout rates since the money will attract participants who are not really committed to pursuing a career.

• Integrated training is a relatively expensive employment intervention. Substantial economic benefits must be realised in order for the government to obtain payback over a reasonable time horizon. The pilot projects did not appear to result in the necessary level of incremental benefits.

Recommendations are provided in regard to the conditions under which the ITCY pilot projects could be expanded or replicated to address problems facing young people in other areas.

Conclusions

The pilot project was a unique initiative in Alberta, combining elements of integrated training with financial supports and incentives.

Each agency implemented a slightly different model of integrated training, targeting different jobs and using different methods of providing occupational skill training.

The agencies enjoyed some success in assisting clients to enter the work force, although the results were not able to show clear advantages for the integrated training model.

The pilot project was successful, however, in demonstrating that partnerships between government and employers can be forged which reduce duplication and result in more creative and comprehensive programming strategies.