How Do Holistic Wrap-Around Anti-Poverty Programs Affect Employment and Individualized Outcomes?

Javier Espinosa, William Evans, David Phillips and Tim Spilde

No 32911, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: A new wave of social service programs aims to build a pathway out of poverty by helping clients define their own goals and then supporting them flexibly and intensively over multiple years to meet those goals. We conduct a randomized controlled trial of one such program. Participants randomly assigned to intensive, holistic, wrap-around services have 10 percentage points higher employment rates after one year compared with a control group offered only help with an immediate need. Most of this effect appears to persist after programming ends. However, we find limited evidence that intensive, holistic services affect areas beyond employment, even when other areas of life are participants’ primary goals. We find some evidence that the program works by increasing hopefulness and agency among participants, which may be more useful in supporting labor force participation than in meeting other goals.

JEL-codes: D91 I38 J22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp, nep-ipr and nep-lma
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