6 - Program Employment Navigator focus group protocol

DOL Transition Assistance Program (TAP) Employment Navigator and Partnership Pilot (ENPP)

Formative Study Design

Program Employment Navigator Focus Group Protocol

[MODERATOR: READ INFORMED CONSENT DOCUMENT. ALLOW EVERYONE TO RESPOND]

Thank you so much.

Mission/Goals

0. Our first question is about the mission and goals of the Employment Navigator program. In your own words, what is the program designed to accomplish?

   1. IF NEEDED: The entire program is called ENPP, Employment Navigator & Partnership Pilot.

Training

Thank you. Now we have some questions about the training you received.

1. What did you think of the training materials?

   1. How well did you understand your assignment(s) after completing the training?

   2. Which, if any, training module or course stood out to you?

2. Thinking about the tasks you perform for your job—conducting intake for a new TSM/spouse, performing assessments, setting up a warm handover or connection to a partner, using systems or forms to enter data or metrics—how prepared were you for your position as an Employment Navigator?

   1. What about now, after you’ve been working as an EN for a couple of months?

3. There were a few other things you were asked to know—one was knowing how to identify the industries and jobs that were in demand in a specific location; a second was active listening skills. How comfortable were you with these aspects of your job?

   1. What about now, after you’ve been working as an EN for a couple of months?

4. This pilot program is operating across military branches in the U.S. and overseas. How relevant was the training for you—thinking about your branch and where you’re located?

   1. IF NEEDED: Think about what knowledge you gained and what skills you learned.

5. [IF SERCO HAS PROVIDED UPDATED/REFRESHER TRAININGS] Since you took the initial training, Serco has offered additional and refresher trainings. What do you think about these training materials? How effective are they?

6. We are interested in the guidance and support you’ve received from Serco, VETS, and base staff. What type of guidance or direction did Serco provide? What about VETS? And base staff? Please be as honest as you can be—your personal experiences will help project staff improve the program after this pilot ends.

   1. What stood out to you about the guidance or support you received from [ ]?

Recruitment

Switching gears, we have some questions about the TSMs/spouses you’ve been working with.

7. What, in general, are the needs and concerns of TSMs and spouses when they meet with you? [KEEP FOCUS OFF DEMOGRAPHICS]

• Probe: Are most TSMs coming to meet with you because it was required by their commanding officer, or on their own?

• Probe: Are the TSMs/spouses coming to you well before their separation dates, or pretty close to their separation dates?

• Probe: How motivated are they (arrive on time or miss appointments, stay engaged, etc.)? How interested in the process have they been?

8. How effective are the assessments in uncovering TSMs/spouses’ needs? What has been most effective about these assessments? What could be improved?

• Probe: How, if at all, have they helped you determine the best approach to assisting them? How confident are you that you can help them find a career?

9. How and when are you notified that a TSM/spouse needs services?

• Probe: How “timely” is this notification?

1. Are there sufficient ENs at your site to handle demand from TSMs?

1. Are you seeing the level of interest in the ENPP from spouses that was expected at this base? Why or why not?

2. To your knowledge, what has the [military Service branch that operates the EN’s base] done to promote this program to TSMs/spouses? What about your specific base?

• Probe: Have they distributed materials (flyers, posters), sent emails, had webinars, etc.?

1. [IF AWARE] What do you think of their efforts? Have you seen anything? Have you had TSMs/spouses mention any of these communications?

1. Based on what you’ve heard from TSMs/spouses, how accurate is the information they’ve received about the Employment Navigator program? In your opinion, are they receiving enough information?

• Probe: Get specifics/story/anecdote, etc.

Assist, Explore, Plan model

13. Are you aware of the Assist, Explore, Plan, or AEP service delivery model?

    1. IF YES: What, if any, training did you receive about the AEP service delivery model? How would you describe this model to someone unfamiliar with it?

14. [REGARDLESS OF AWARENESS]: The AEP model includes self-assessments, interest and aptitude testing, career exploration, knowing the high demand occupations and what credentials are needed for these occupations, and understanding your local labor market information. In your opinion, what, if anything, is missing from this model that would help you meet the needs of TSMs/spouses?

• Probe: Where are there gaps in your knowledge? What additional resources would improve how you perform your job and help TSMs/spouses find employment after their military career ends?

Warm Handovers/Connections

Now we have a few questions about the partner agencies you work with—local agencies like American Job Centers as well as national partners like VeteransASCEND. You’ve been providing TSMs with a connection or “warm handover” to these agencies for additional services.

15. First, how has this process been working?

    1. How responsive have these partners been to the connection or handover you’ve made? How satisfied are you with your working relationship with them?

    2. What improvements, if any, should be made to streamline or strengthen this process?

16. Now please think about the services these partners provide. In your opinion, how well have they been meeting the needs of TSMs/spouses?

• Probe: How strong is the “match” between the needs of the TSM/spouse (identified during intake, assessment, ad-hoc conversations) and the services you can offer them via partners?

17. Are there enough partners to meet the needs of TSMs/spouses?

• Probe: Are you able to connect a TSM to an appropriate partner, no matter where they intend to live after separation?

Data

Lastly, we have a few questions about the data systems you use to track your activities. We’re referring to the TAP4ME system and Salesforce.

18. After your training, how prepared did you feel to use these data systems?

1. What challenges, if any, did you encounter?

2. What, if anything, worked well?

19. We’re aware of the delay in getting Salesforce up and running and you’ve had to make do with alternate systems. So, please think about the data systems you use now. How well are they working to give you the information you need to do your job well?

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