CAP Tulsa 2Gen ECE + Workforce Readiness

What are the Effects of a Two-Generation Human Capital Program on Low-Income Parents’ Education, Employment and Psychological Well-Being? Authors: P. Lindsay Chase-Lansdale, Teresa Eckrich Sommer, Terri J. Sabol, Elise Chor, Northwestern University; Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, Columbia University; Hirokazu Yoshikawa, New York University; Christopher King, The University of Texas at Austin; and Amanda Morris, Oklahoma State University - Tulsa Two- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ■■ The current brief explores the effects of a model two-generation human capital intervention, CareerAdvance®, on parent outcomes. ■■ CareerAdvance®, developed and run by the Community Action Project of Tulsa County (CAP Tulsa), is a healthcare training program designed for parents of children enrolled in CAP’s Head Start programs. ■■ After one year, CareerAdvance® parents demonstrated higher rates of certification and employment in the healthcare sector (but not employment in general) than did matched comparison parents whose children were also in Head Start. The study did not find effects on parent income or average employment across all sectors in the short-term. ■■ Parents in CareerAdvance® also reported higher levels of optimism, self-efficacy, and career identity in contrast to the matched comparison group. ■■ In sum, we find that CareerAdvance® promoted parent education, employment and overall well-being even as parents juggled the demands of school, family and employment. CAREERADVANCE® ■■ CareerAdvance®, developed and run by the Community Action Project of Tulsa County (CAP Tulsa), is a model two-generation intervention that pairs early childhood education for children with career pathway training in the health care sector for parents. ■■ CareerAdvance® recruits parents from high quality Head Start centers and offers career certification programs in the healthcare field at no cost to families. Additional program elements include career coaching, weekly peer learning groups, financial incentives/in-kind assistance and wraparound child care.