Getting Ahead Survey Results
Participants will be surveyed at the end of each Getting Ahead class, 6 months later, and 1 year later.
The Getting Ahead Class started with 25 participants and finished with 16. 6 people attended on and off, but they did not attend enough to graduate. 3 participants dropped out, one because of illness, one because of a job, and one stayed home with the kids so that the spouse could attend.
Initial results include:
13% of participants improved their employment status (from no job to part-time or from part-time to full-time).
33% of participants set a goal and took steps to achieve it.
Goals set by participants include:
- “To get out of poverty” (2)
- “To get a better paying job and know the hidden rules”
- “To get my GED”
- “To become more financially stable and invest in my children’s future before they need it”
- “To look for better ways to make extra money”
- “To get my driver’s license”
- “To get a job” (2)
- “To be more motivated”
Steps that participants took toward goals set in Getting Ahead:
- set a budget
- got a full-time job
- put applications in for jobs
- began working on GED, researching nursing programs
27% of participants reported an increase in their monthly income as a result of GA
40% of participants started their GED or began Higher Education while doing GA
90% report feeling that their support network is stronger as a result of GA
When asked, “What is the most important thing learned from this class?” :
- self- motivation
- more places to help
- finances
- making friends
- the way I think and do things
- to be my biggest motivator and always ask questions
- budgeting money and better decision making
- that there is help out there but you have to network and communicate
- how to build resources in my life
- networking, knowing the hidden rules
- to speak up
- to investigate resources
- how to use resources
What can we do to improve?
- learn something new each week
- offer job openings
- have speakers who have benefitted from the class come and speak to their success
- no more kids allowed in class; be more respectful to teachers
- need to learn about money management (2)
- a little faster pace