In 2011, Foster Forward and its partners – The Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families, Rhode Island College and the Workplace Center at Columbia School of Social Work, and The Voice Youth Leadership Board – were awarded a five year grant from the Children’s Bureau to help youth impacted by foster care develop skills to strengthen and manage relationships. Using evidence based research from the field and expertise feedback and guidance from the youth we serve, Works Wonders® was built and tested and then went live in April 2013. Between April 2013 – March 2016 Foster Forward engaged 180 youth between the ages of 14 and 21 years old to participate in the intervention.
WORKS WONDERS® RESEARCH PROJECT: 2011-2016
The Works Wonders® Initiative used a formative evaluation with pre-determined benchmarks to evaluate feasibility and impact. Benchmarks were derived from the conceptual framework, the current evidence base, and practice experience. The evaluation of Works Wonders® assessed the impact of a career readiness preparation program as a strategy to support youth in foster care gain economic self-sufficiency.
The results demonstrated that Works Wonders® was effective in enhancing youths’ career preparation, connecting them with jobs, and supporting a sense of self-determination. It did so through its mitigating influence on challenging life circumstances that had the potential to undermine work, developing the skills to secure work, and on the relational competencies important to getting and keeping jobs. Highlights of the evaluation findings were:
Participants increased their engagement in career exploration, work readiness activities, job search activities, and job retention activities during the program and these increases persisted through a one year follow-up.
The proportion of youth employed following program participation increased by 35.7% (from 38.3% to 52%). Further there were significant increases in the proportion of those who both worked and stayed connected to school/training important to progressing in their careers
INDEPENDENT EVALUATION RESULTS
Click the image to read the evaluation findings
WORKS WONDERS® Project Timeline
Wondering how Works Wonders® started? Wondering what we’ve accomplished since the project ended? Or what we’ve been up to recently? Check out this timeline of milestones and accomplishments!
*The Works Wonders® Research Project was funded through the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau, Grant #90CW1141
Works Wonders® Project Briefs
To conclude the research project, Foster Forward and its partners developed a series of research briefs to support ongoing community learning. Click each image to read the project briefs.
