Introduction
Research Questions
- How was LIFT implemented?
- What is the design?
- What factors appear to impede or facilitate implementation of LIFT as designed?
- What were participants’ experiences with coaching and what services did they receive?
This report summarizes the design and implementation of LIFT, a coaching intervention in four cities that aims to help participants identify and attain goals related to self-sufficiency. Over two years, volunteer coaches, who are unpaid Masters of Social Work student interns, work with participants on short- and long-term goals specific to finances, education, and/or employment. The program also provides financial incentives to encourage ongoing participation in coaching sessions, and workshops and social events to build participants’ skills and social networks. To be eligible for the program, potential participants must be a parent or caregiver of a child under age 8 and demonstrate a level of stability necessary to work on long- and short-term goals. LIFT is one of four coaching interventions included in the Evaluation of Employment Coaching for TANF and Related Populations. Sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the evaluation aims to learn more about the potential of different coaching approaches in helping low-income adults become more economically secure. The evaluation includes an implementation study and an impact study.
A future report will describe the effect of LIFT on participants’ self-regulation skills, employment, earnings, receipt of public assistance, and other measures of personal and family well-being.
Purpose
This report describes LIFT’s design and goals, the target population and program participants, the implementation of coaching, and other services available to program participants. The findings are of interest to practitioners and policymakers considering implementing or supporting coaching interventions and will provide important context for understanding and interpreting the findings from the impact study. The findings will also support future replication of employment coaching interventions.
Key Findings and Highlights
Overall, LIFT was implemented as designed. Key findings from the implementation study are:
- Coaching began immediately with intake staff who assessed the participants’ priorities and satisfaction with different areas of their lives. Thus, all participants received at least one coaching session. The assigned coach met with the participant shortly thereafter to begin the coaching relationship.
- Most coaching sessions followed a standard format focused on goals and action steps, but coaches deviated from that format if participants had immediate needs.
- Coaches were typically unpaid graduate student interns, a cost-effective approach but with implications for continuity of the coaching relationship.
- Coaches generally succeeded in providing collaborative and nondirective coaching and developed trusting relationships with participants.
- On average, participants had 6.5 coaching sessions over the first nine months; by month nine, more than half of participants remained in contact with LIFT.
- LIFT offered incentives for participating in coaching sessions, but about 40 percent of participants did not receive one.
- Non-coaching services aimed to strengthen participants’ skills and peer networks.
Methods
The report is based on the following data sources:
- In-person interviews with LIFT staff and coaching observations (spring 2019);
- A staff survey (winter 2019);
- Participant demographic, economic, and educational information collected in a baseline survey when participants enrolled in the study (between June 2018 and November 2019);
- In-depth, in-person interviews with nine LIFT participants (spring 2019);
- Video recordings of 15 coaching sessions (between April and June 2019);
- Service receipt data from LIFT’s management information system (from June 2018 through November 2020); and
- Discussions with LIFT staff as part of technical assistance in implementing the evaluation (ongoing).
Citation
Karen Gardiner, Kristen Joyce, and Sheena McConnell (2021). LIFT: Implementation Findings from the Evaluation of Employment Coaching. OPRE Report #2021-223. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.