5 - TSM (post-Partner) participant focus group protocol

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

Formative Study Design

TSM (post-Partner) Participant Focus Group Protocol

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

Thank you so much.

Recruitment

Thank you. Our first question is about how you became aware of the Employment Navigator program.

1. So, how did you become aware of the Employment Navigator program?

1. IF NEEDED: Did you see materials (flyers, posters), receive an email, attend a webinar, or hear it from someone?

2. IF NEEDED: What did your branch do to advertise/promote this program to TSMs/spouses? What about your base?

2. What do you think of these efforts?

   1. What was most compelling to you? Or most helpful?

3. In your own words, how would you describe the program?

• PROBE: As a result of what you read, saw, heard, or have now experienced, how familiar are you with the program?

Assist, Explore, Plan model/CRS verification

As we begin, we have some questions about how satisfied you were with different aspects of this program. Your candid responses will help DOL and VETS improve this program as it rolls out to other bases. And remember, we will not use your names in any of our reporting.

I’ll first ask how satisfied you were, but we’re really looking for as much detail as you can provide about your experiences—what worked well, what didn’t work, what you wish would have been different.

Before we begin, I’d like to know what information and services you received from the Employment Navigator you worked with.

4. Can each of you describe what information and services you received from the EN?

Ok, let’s get started. [MODERATOR: PROBE AS NEEDED TO GET DETAILS]

5. How satisfied were you with the self-assessment – how the EN helped you understand your career interests and strengths?

6. How satisfied were you with the assistance you received to explore careers?

   1. IF NEEDED: This includes help identifying high-demand occupations, necessary credentials, and getting labor market information for where you’ll go after you separate.

7. How well did the services match what you were expecting to receive? Or wanted to receive?

   1. What, if anything is missing? How can this program be improved?

Warm Handovers/Connections

Now we have a few questions about the partner agency or agencies you may be working with—local agencies like American Job Centers as well as national partners like VeteransASCEND.

8. How has this process worked so far?

9. Who were you connected to?

   1. Did you receive everything you needed, both information and support, to connect with [this agency/ these agencies]?

   2. Did the partner reach out to you promptly after the connection was made?

10. Can [each of you] describe the information and services you received from the partners/agencies?

    1. How well did the services match what you need?

    2. How individualized were the guidance and services you received? How, if at all, were they tailored to your needs and aspirations post-separation? 

11. What did you hope the partner agency would do for you? What needs did you hope they could meet?

• PROBE: Did the services match what you expected?

12. Thinking ahead to after you’re separated, how likely are you to meet with this partner again?

    1. What would prompt you to meet with them? Or, what are the reasons you probably won’t?

Recommendation

13. Would you recommend this program to other TSMs? Why or why not?

The OMB control number for this collection is 1290-xxxx and expires on [month/day/year]. 

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no person is required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number.  Collection of this information is authorized by 29 U.S.C. 3224a (1). The obligation to respond to this collection is voluntary.   We estimate it takes about 90 minutes to complete this collection of information, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing the collection of information.  Please send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information to the U.S. Department of Labor, Chief Evaluation Office, 200 Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20210, or email [email protected] and reference OMB control number 1290-xxxx.

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