Round 2 Focus Group Discussion Guide

Appendix D: Focus Group Discussion Guide Round 2

This focus group guide includes questions that ask program participants to assess the various services offered to residents and their early outcomes, particularly as they relate to different segments of the development’s population.

The Jobs Plus Program has offered services available to all residents in [SITE] in the past 3 years. You may have accessed some of these services or know of people in the development who did. I would like to hear your thoughts about these services, the extent to which you think residents in the development accessed these services, and whether you think there was something about the Jobs Plus program that was different or not from other programs you’ve seen implemented in [SITE].

Fists, let’s start with your take on the services that the Jobs Plus program offered in [SITE]

1. Do you think the array of services offered something to people in different circumstances? Probe as necessary: For instance, did it offer something for

   1. Those who are unemployed?

   2. Those who are employed?

   3. Those with young children?

   4. Those with higher levels of education?

   5. Young people?

2. Which of these services do you think was most popular among residents in [SITE]?

   1. Why that may be the case?

3. Were some services more popular among certain residents than among other residents? Were some services equally popular among all residents?

   1. Which do you think were more appealing to those who have a job? Why?

   2. Which do you think were more appealing to those who don’t have a job? Why?

   3. Which do you think were more appealing to those with young children? Why?

   4. Which do you think were more appealing to those who are young?

   5. Which do you think were more appealing to those with higher levels of education? Why?

I would like to hear your thoughts about whether the Jobs Plus Program reached out to most residents in [SITE] in one way or another.

4. In general, do you think the program was known or not known by residents in [SITE]?

   1. What makes you think that it was known (or not known)?

      1. Do people talk about the program with each other or see it as a resource?

The program offered some services to help residents advance in their careers such as [adjust based on knowledge of site]. Many/few residents at [SITE] accessed these services. I would like to hear your thoughts about why that might be the case.

5. What might be some reasons why the number of people in [SITE] accessed these services at the levels that they did

   1. Ease of access?

   2. Affordability?

   3. Time commitment required?

   4. Other supports offered?

6. What might have prevented or discouraged some people from accessing these services?

   1. Costs?

   2. Time that it takes to complete?

   3. Family circumstances?

Now, I would like to spend some time talking about JPEID. As you may know, JPEID is a policy that allows the PHA to ignore increases in earnings due to employment in its determination of rent. That is, if everything else stays the same, those enrolled in the program should not see their rent increase while in the program even if they start earning a higher income due to employment. The idea is that residents who start employment or start earning a higher wage can keep that extra income without worrying about their rent going up, at least for the duration of the program. In [SITE] most//many/few [interviewer adjusts conversation depending on take up of JPEID at the development] residents applied for JPEID. I would like for you talk about some of the reasons why this might be the case.

7. Why do you think most/many/few residents applied for JPEID?

Probe

1. Do you think it was related to how it was explained to them?

2. Do you think it was related to extensive/limited information available to residents on the policy?

3. Do you think it was related to who presented the information?

4. Do you think it was related to specific circumstances of residents in the development?

   1. Having employment? Why?

   2. Not having employment? Why?

   3. Having young children? Why?

   4. Being young? Why?

   5. Having higher levels of education? Why?

As part of the Jobs-Plus program, there are a number of activities that sites may implement to spread the word about the program and support the employment efforts of residents. Some sites organize community events like job fairs, workshops or social gatherings around holidays. Others work with existing community groups like tenant associations or hire community residents, sometimes called community coaches. Yet others help organize activities like car pools or job clubs (facilitator to describe based on knowledge of site.) We would like to hear your thoughts about some of the activities that the Jobs Plus program has implemented in [SITE] and how those might help residents accomplish certain goals.

8. What are the kinds of activities that you have seen the Jobs Plus program organize in [SITE]?

9. Which of these activities do you think are more effective in accomplishing the following? What’s least effective in….

1. Helping spread the word about the program

   1. How do you think X activity accomplishes that? How might it not make a difference?

2. Helping residents to get to know each other.

   1. How do you think X activity accomplishes that? How might it not make a difference/

3. Helping residents help each other get or keep jobs.

   1. How do you think X activity accomplishes that? How might it not make a difference?

4. Helping change the way people think about getting a job, in terms of setting expectations for the development?

   1. How do you think X activity accomplishes that? How might it not make a difference?

Finally, I would like to conclude with your thoughts about how you see Jobs Plus in relation to other programs offered to residents in [SITE].

10. To what extent do you think the Jobs Plus program stands out from other employment, work-related, or self-sufficiency programs offered to residents?

    1. Are services offered similar or different to other programs?

    2. Is the approach to service delivery similar or different from other programs?