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Soap & Hope:

A Social Enterprise and Career Preparation Program for Alternatives for Girls

Haddi Cham

Yitzu “Autumn” Chin

Lauren Johnson

Caroline Kusi

Alexandra Turner

ABSTRACT

A lack of financial stability due to limited work experience and educational attainment leads to poor mental health outcomes. This is especially true of the current and former sex workers served by Alternatives for Girls (AFG) in Detroit. A two-year pilot program was designed to reach an overall goal of increasing positive mental health outcomes of former sex workers through career preparation within a social enterprise business. The program, Soap & Hope, will provide self-esteem enhancing activities and a network of social support to participants. Soap & Hope will be held once a week for two hours and is comprised of twelve sessions (3 months). A project manager will be responsible for delegating tasks and overseeing a Career Services Coordinator and a Soap and Lotion Crafter. In addition, a steering committee will be established to inform curriculum development. Profits from this program will be used as incentive for participants, as well as to establish a Soap & Hope scholarship fund. Evaluations will be conducted during multiple stages of the intervention to determine if changes are necessary and to measure the success of the intervention. Alternatives for Girls is requesting $86,297.75 per year in funds to implement and evaluate a two-year Soap & Hope pilot program.

PROBLEM ANALYSIS

Prevalence of Sex Work

Sex work is a persistent public health problem all over the world that has victimized many people (UNAIDS, 2002). A sex worker is defined as someone who exchanges sex or sexual favors for money, drugs, or other desirable commodities (Overall, 1992). Sex work is being practiced in urban centers, towns, and rural areas in both developed and developing countries. It is evident that sex work is becoming more widespread and increasing. This increase has been attributed to various factors, including changes in political, civil and socioeconomic conditions and increased population mobility. Sex work requires a demand for sexual services in a favorable setting. These settings usually have a high ratio of males to females, sufficient anonymity, and most importantly a built environment that facilitates socioeconomic inequalities that makes sex work appealing to the client and worker (UNAIDS, 2002).

In 1992, the United States (U.S.) had the tenth highest number of arrests globally for sex work with more than 55,000 women arrested (McClanahan, McClelland, Abram, & Teplin, 1999). Sex work is more prevalent in urban areas in the U.S. New York City (NYC), a large urban center, had 5,809 arrests related to sex work out of a total of 839,365 arrests in 2001. Of those arrested for sex work, approximately 85% were females. Blacks had the most arrests for sex work than any other racial/ethnic group in 2001 (Thukral, Ditmore, & Murphy, 2005). This data suggests that sex work is a major issue that affects women and Blacks.

Like NYC, sex work in Detroit, Michigan is a problem, especially given the economic downturn that has left many women without secure employment. According to the Michigan State Police, in 2006 a total of 667 arrests were made for sex work with 172 of these in Wayne County. Of these arrests in Wayne County, Detroit accounted for 87%. Moreover, 68% of the arrested sex workers in Detroit for 2006 were Black women (Michigan State Police, 2010).

The disproportionately high numbers of Black women arrested for sex work demonstrate that this population engages in sex work and is arrested more than any other ethnic group in the U.S. African American women and girls are heavily represented among women involved in street-based sex work, sex work related homicide, and are more likely to be controlled by a pimp (Valandra, 2007). Black female sex workers are more likely to be arrested, charged with higher fines, and receive longer jail sentences than their White counterparts (Nelson, 1993). It is likely that certain factors such as low income and low educational attainment are risk factors for engaging in sex work. Hence, within the U.S, Black women of low socioeconomic status, living in inner cities are more likely to engage in transactional sex.

Risk Factors Associated With Sex Work

Poverty and gender inequalities are the underlying factors driving women’s engagement in sex work. Women are more likely to engage in sex work if they do not have a reliable and stable source of income. In a study of sex workers in NYC, 67% of interviewed sex workers reported not making enough money in their prior jobs (Thukral et al., 2005). Many women report the need to engage in sex work to meet economic, parental, and familial obligations. This is especially apparent when they do not have husbands or stable partners. In addition, female-headed households are likely to be more poor than two parent households (Ajrouch, Reisine, Lim, Sohn, & Ismail, 2010; Dunkle, Wingood, Camp, & DiClemente, 2010; Loza et al., 2010; Mayer & Jencks, 1989; Rose, 1999; Ross & Huber, 1985). Monroe (2005) articulates that in the U.S. racial discrimination has contributed to an unequal distribution of wealth, which has lead to high poverty rates among ethnic minorities and women. Poverty persists due to unequal salaries between the sexes and racial groups.

In addition, economic and public policies that do not benefit African-Americans are other factors that continue to drive the existing racial inequalities and unequal access to resources (Sugrue, 1996). According to Nelson,

“Racism makes Black women and girls especially vulnerable to sexual exploitation and keeps them trapped in the sex industry. It does this by limited educational and career opportunities for African Americans in this country [and] it does this through a welfare system that has divided the poor Black family. If a mother works, or her children's father contributes to their support, her check and food stamps are cut by that amount. Thus, poor Black women are left alone to find for themselves and their children on inadequate Aid to Families with Children grants” (1993: 85).

Consequently, the poverty in urban environments combined with low-earnings or unemployment from limited educational attainment, job opportunities, and lack of social support programs increases the likelihood that Black women will resort to sex work to secure money for themselves and their families (Greif, 2011).

Childhood risk factors and limited access to economic and educational resources increases the likelihood that African American women will engage in sex work at earlier ages as a means of survival (Kramer & Berg, 2003). Research has shown that precursors to sex work include childhood sexual victimization, homelessness, and drug use (McClanahan et al., 1999; Thukral et al., 2005), with the latter being the most commonly cited (Gossop, Powes, Griffiths, & Strang, 1994; Kuhns, Heide, & Silverman, 1994; Weeks, Grier, Romero-Daza, Puglisi-Vasquez & Singer, 1998).  Many drug-abusing women often lack education and life skills and sex work may be the only means by which they are able to afford drugs (Gossop et al., 1994). Sex workers may cope with the negative aspects of their job by using drugs which perpetuates the cycle of sex work and drug addiction, creating a barrier for them to exit this situation (Young, Boyd, & Hubbell, 2000). Thus, a woman’s entry into sex work can significantly be attributed to economic disadvantage and lack of access to material benefits.

Economic disadvantages are even more pronounced in Detroit given the recent economic downturn in U.S. The amount of well paying, secure, and unionized jobs has decreased. Black workers have been greatly impacted by the movement of jobs out of the city (Sugrue, 1996).  As of February 2012, Michigan’s unemployment rate was 8.8 per 100, the 13th highest in the U.S. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012). There is also a scarcity of supportive programs that might aid women who have below a high school education and who are interested in enrolling in educational and job training programs. For example, to participate in further education and workforce training, women require support services such as transportation, child-care, food, shelter, and disability services. Furthermore, the lack of collaboration between existing social assistance organizations creates a barrier to providing training services to Detroit residents. Current programs in Detroit also neglect individuals’ occupational interests such as postsecondary education, or employment in growing industries (Detroit Regional Workforce Fund, 2012).

Health Consequences of Sex Work

The issue of gender inequality significantly impacts the health outcomes of female sex workers. Female sex workers are often stigmatized in ways that propel them to live in economically disadvantaged conditions which makes continued sex work necessary in order to maintain household income (Thukral et al., 2005). With no other way of earning income, sex workers are less likely to refuse clients who do not want to use condoms, thus placing both parties at risk for contracting a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (Zierler & Krieger, 1997; Elmore-Meegan, Conory, & Agala, 2004). A South African study found that female sex workers would not insist on condom use for fear of ‘‘decrease in earnings, loss of clients, and physical abuse’’ (Karim, Karim, Soldan, & Zondi, 1995:1521).  Therefore, a woman’s position in sex work increases her vulnerability and susceptibility to HIV infection (Logan, Cole, & Leukefeld, 2002).

Other health consequences of sex work that often go unnoticed are mental health outcomes. Research indicates that female sex workers have high rates of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder and require mental health attention (Farley & Barkan, 1998). A study in Zurich, Switzerland found high rates of mental disorders among female sex workers. This could be attributed to victimization, stigma associated with sex work, as well as poor working conditions and a lack of social support (Rossler et al., 2010).  Also, the nature of sex work puts women at risk for physical violence, but this is secondary to their desire to make money (Sanders, 2004).  Therefore, female sex workers are endlessly faced with stressful situations that contribute to various negative mental health outcomes.

Detroit Demographics

According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2011), the population of Detroit, Michigan in 2010 was 713,777, with 82.7% of the residents being African American. This is the greatest concentration of Blacks in any urban area in the U.S. The female population in Detroit is 52.7% with the greatest percentage of women between the ages of 5-9 (4.9%). In comparison to the state of Michigan, Detroit residents have a significantly lower per capita income, $15,062 versus Michigan’s $25,135; and 34.5% of Detroit residents were classified as living below poverty. Disparities in educational attainment are also apparent the high school graduation rate for Detroit was 76.8% in 2010, 11% below the state average. When compared by race, only 58% of African American Detroit residents have at least a high school diploma (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011). This indicates that African Americans have lower educational attainment than their White and Hispanic counterparts. Women also face increased difficulties with 31.6% of households being run solely by women, placing a great deal of economic and social pressure on Detroit women (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011).

Alternative for Girls Existing Services

Alternatives for Girls (AFG), a non-profit organization, works to empower women to make positive choices and to provide lasting and meaningful change in their lives. This is achieved by providing resources to address the immediate and long-term needs of the women they serve. Alternatives for Girls has three key branches to serve their population of homeless and high-risk girls and women, including AFG Prevention, the AFG Shelter and Transition to Independent Living (TIL) Program, and AFG Outreach (Alternatives for Girls, 2010).

 In the prevention program, AFG serves girls (ages 14-20) who are at risk of teen pregnancy, gang involvement, and school truancy. Their intervention efforts are accomplished by building girls’ self-esteem, strengthening families, providing mentors, developing decision-making and leadership skills, and nurturing a commitment to education. Beyond prevention is the AFG Shelter, which was built in 2002 to address the growing number of homeless young women in metro Detroit. Within the shelter is the TIL program, which requires women residing in the shelter long-term to participate in educational, job and workforce preparation, and counseling programs. Finally, the AFG Outreach Department offers programs to provide girls with life, work and skill-based resources. In addition, trained staff and volunteers are dispatched to high-risk areas in Detroit to offer information, food, harm reduction kits, and transportation or shelter to women engaging in substance abuse and street-based prostitution (Alternative for Girls, 2010).

Former female sex workers enrolled in AFG’s Safe Choices, which is a program within Outreach, are the target population of the proposed program. The Safe Choices program aims to reduce high-risk activity among women (e.g. sex work) by “educating on safe alternatives to life-threatening behaviors, enhancing employability, and ensuring access to resources and opportunities” (Alternatives for Girls, 2010). According to Safe Choices Project Manager, Alana Gracey, participants in this program are primarily African American, aged 30-60. All the women have a history of drug addiction and most have attended a substance treatment program (e.g. detox, outpatient, counseling).  They have experienced severe grief or trauma (e.g. death of a child or parent, rape, etc.) and have lived on the street or in a shelter at some point in their lives. Many have been sexually assaulted at least once, sexually abused in their childhood and/or experienced some form of domestic violence. Women in this program have varying education levels and socioeconomic status, with the majority lacking skills to secure stable employment (Alana Gracey, personal communication, January 18, 2012).

Unmet Need

Many of the female sex workers who enter the Safe Choices program do not have the necessary skills, knowledge, or experience to secure employment. Therefore, they often face difficulties finding employment with a stable income to support themselves and their families. At this time, AFG is unable to provide a comprehensive program that addresses job training, work experience and mental health needs. This is largely due to limited staff with career service expertise and a significant lack of funding to start new programs.

Limitations

Several limitations were encountered in compiling literature leading to the understanding of the magnitude of sex work, particularly in Detroit. A comprehensive literature review revealed risk factors and health consequences, but poor data on the prevalence of sex work. This may be attributed to the fact that most individuals who are engaged in sex work do not readily and openly report that they are sex workers (UNAIDS, 2002).  Furthermore, sex work and prostitution were interchangeable terms within the literature, which created interpretation difficulties. As a growing non-profit organization, AFG lacks the resources to compile accurate demographic and health data on the women involved in their programs.

PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The Goal of Soap & Hope

• To improve the mental health outcomes of former sex workers participating in Alternatives for Girls programs in Detroit.

Outcome Objectives

• By one year following each cycle completion, 50% of participants will self report decreased stress and anxiety.

• By one year following each cycle completion, 50% of participants will self report increased life satisfaction.

Program Objectives

• By the end of each 3-month program cycle, 75% of participants will have developed a resume and cover letter.

• By the end of each 3-month program cycle, 70% of participants will have the knowledge and skills to create organic soaps and lotions.

• By the end of each 3-month program cycle, 60% of participants will report an increase in self-efficacy to pursue alternative employment options or further education.

• By the end of each 3-month program cycle, 60% of participants will self-report an improvement in professional conduct.

• By the end of each 3-month program cycle, 50% of participants will self-report increased self-esteem.

• By one year following each cycle completion, 25% of participants will have secured employment outside of sex work or be pursuing educational opportunities.

• By the end of each 3-month program cycle, 15% of participants will have plans to begin an internship with a local partner or organization.

Process Objectives

• By August 2012, hire program administrators including a career services coordinator and a soap and lotion crafter.

• By August 2012, establish a steering committee to inform the development of the social enterprise and professional development curricula.

• By September 2012, program manager will secure supplies and equipment needed for program.

• By November 2012, soap and lotion crafter will finalize product line and development process.

• By November 2012 steering committee will finalize the professional development and social enterprise curricula.

• By December 2012, develop a minimum of three partnerships with local businesses that can sell Soap & Hope products and host program participants.

• Recruit and enroll a maximum of 15 participants, one month prior to the start of each program cycle.

• By the end of each program cycle, Program administrators will conduct 12 sessions.

• By the end of each program cycle, 60% of program participants will have attended 10 out of 12 sessions.

• By the end of one year, Alternatives for Girls will achieve a working social enterprise business.

• Edit the professional and social enterprise curricula based on findings from the focus groups.

PROGRAM APPROACH AND METHODS

 Rationale for Approach of Soap & Hope

The women AFG serves are at an increased risk of returning to sex work, because they face high stress and anxiety levels from lack of stable income. Former sex workers have limited employment skills and low educational attainment and social support (Vanwesenbeeck, 2001). Furthermore, the poor economic situation in Detroit has contributed to difficulty in obtaining stable employment (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012). Our target population requires a program that decreases stress and anxiety by reducing barriers to employment. Previous studies have shown that women in low-income populations may improve their economic well being through social enterprise initiatives, which provide supplemental income. This in turn can decrease transactional sex and risky sexual behaviors (Schuler, Hashemi, & Riley, 1997; Sebstad & Chen, 1996). Social enterprise interventions that focus on building the skills and self-efficacy of former sex workers have achieved measurable success (Sherman, German, Cheng, Marks, & Baily-Kloche, 2006). This approach could provide participants not only with vocational training and skills, but also mentorship, which may yield improved health and mental health (Ferguson, 2007; Tsai, Witte, Aira, Alantsetseg, & Riedel, 2011; Odek et al., 2009). In order to improve mental health outcomes of former sex workers at AFG, an innovative approach of social enterprise and career building is recommended to improve the professional skills and confidence of these women as they prepare to enter the workforce.

The AFG social enterprise and career development program, Soap & Hope, will be guided by the Jewelry Education for Women Empowering their Lives (JEWEL) project. The JEWEL project was a successful evidence-based economic intervention for drug-using women involved in sex work in Baltimore, Maryland (Sherman et al., 2006). The JEWEL program contained six sessions over the course of three months that taught HIV prevention and jewelry making and selling. The aim of this intervention was to increase participants’ self-efficacy to pursue alternative employment by providing them with marketable skills to enter the workforce. Outcomes of the intervention included a reduction in drug use, a reduction in self-reporting of transactional sex, and increased self-efficacy (Sherman et al., 2006).

Based on the design and success of the JEWEL program, Soap & Hope will offer a three-month social enterprise and career-building program. Soap and lotion creation was selected as the economic empowerment activity because of its relatively low start-up costs, ease of learning, and its broad market appeal. The Soap & Hope program will comprise of three major components: product making, mental health promotion, and career preparation. Unique aspects of this intervention will include volunteering experience and an optional internship. This program will assist participants with pursuing higher education or securing employment by increasing their self-efficacy and skills to perform in these settings.

Alternative Approaches and Methods

Due to the violence and stigma associated with sex work, female sex workers experience high amounts of depression and anxiety. Previous attempts to address mental health have drawn upon therapeutic approaches (Antoni et al., 2001; Stevenson & Petrak, 2007). However, limited research and interventions targeting sex workers have addressed mental health (Rossler et al., 2009). In one stress management intervention, HIV positive participants received either cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or peer support/counseling (PSC) therapy. Both groups contained three to six members and meetings lasted for two hours per week over the course of three months. A qualified nurse, who was trained by health psychologists, conducted these sessions. Patients experienced significant improvements in mood and quality of life from CBT therapy (Molassiotis et al., 2002).

Based on the lack of data to support a clinical psychology service, AFG should not use a therapy-based approach. In addition, clinical therapy approaches have a limited reach (Sherman et al., 2006). This approach is not feasible for AFG due to the need for intensive and constant care from health professionals. High costs paired with AFG’s limited budget would not be able to support the resources needed to carry out a therapeutic intervention.

Theoretical Framework for Soap & Hope

To address the mental health issues of our target population, our intervention draws upon and integrates multiple theoretical frameworks including the Health Belief Model (HBM), Integrated Behavioral Model (IBM) and Social Networks and Social Support (SNSS). The HBM posits that individuals are more likely to engage in behavior change, such as seeking stable employment, if they perceive the benefits to outweigh the barriers. Perceived barriers, a measured construct of the HBM, addresses structural and emotional elements that inhibit behavior change (Rosenstock, 1974). Multiple barriers exist that affect one’s ability to seek employment, including a lack of professional skills and confidence. These barriers will be addressed by providing participants with professional skills and activities that validate the benefits of seeking alternative employment. Removal of these barriers can tip the decisional balance of participants towards the desired outcome of improved mental health.

The IBM combines aspects of the Theory of Planned Behavior and The Theory of Reasoned action to address the interaction of attitudes, perceived norms, and personal agency. Intention is the greatest predictor of behavior change in the IBM. Behavior change is more likely to occur when an individual’s intention to perform a behavior is high and they posses the ability and skills to perform the behavior (Ajzen, 1991). Certain intervention elements will offer ways to increase intention through personal agency components like self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is a construct that refers to an individual’s belief in their ability to perform a specific behavior (Bandura, 1997). Alternatives for Girls’ Soap & Hope will increase self-efficacy by teaching participants about professional and business skills through soap and lotion making and related activities. As the participants’ skills and knowledge develop, they will experience benefits such as increased self-efficacy to obtain employment. Long-term benefits such as improved financial stability, and ultimately, positive mental health outcomes will result from this program.

Due to the difficulties of achieving behavior change, the program will also draw upon SNSS, which examines the influence of relationships on an individual to aid in behavior change (Berkman, Glass, Brissette, & Seeman, 2000). Social support serves as a key component of relationships, where individuals provide aid and assistance through interpersonal transactions. Emotional social support (e.g. trust, caring and empathy) as well as informational support (e.g. advice and suggestions) will serve as means to stimulate behavior change (Heaney & Israel, 2008). Through group discussions at the beginning of each training session and by sharing future aspirations, participants will experience emotional support from one another as well as the program administrators. Appendix A demonstrates how these theories will be integrated to improve the mental health outcomes of Soap & Hope participants.

Description of Soap & Hope Program Logistics

Program Development

Prior to implementation of Soap & Hope, there will be a six-month planning phase during which key personnel will be hired and program curricula will be developed. Two part-time employees will be hired to serve as the Program Administrators, including a Career Services Coordinator (CSC) and a Soap and Lotion Crafter (SLC). It is preferred that both positions be filled by females who have ties to the Detroit community so they are able to relate to the program participants. The CSC should have a Bachelor's degree and experience in career counseling and or social work. In addition, they should have strong communication and organizational skills. The SLC should have experience with craft projects, in particular soap and lotion creation. A current employee of AFG will be appointed as the Soap & Hope Program Manager, who will oversee both part time positions. In addition, a steering committee will be established which will consist of the Soap & Hope Program Manager, Soap & Hope Program Administrators, AFG Outreach Director, and two highly involved AFG program participants.

The steering committee will develop a curriculum that combines career preparation with the Soap & Hope social enterprise business. A layout of anticipated lessons and objectives (Appendix B) will guide the steering committee during the curriculum development process. The steering committee will also work to develop partnerships with local organizations and businesses in Detroit that can sell the soap and lotion products and host volunteers from the Soap & Hope program. Finally, the steering committee will develop a competition for AFG participants to develop product labels with poetry and artwork. This competition will also raise awareness and assist with recruitment efforts for the upcoming program.

             In addition to steering committee responsibilities, the SLC will be primarily responsible for managing the social enterprise business. This position will involve ordering supplies, creating a line of at least two products, and keeping inventory of soap and lotion stock and supplies. The SLC will also work with the AFG web designer to advertise and sell the product line on the AFG website. The CSC will be responsible for preparing program participants for higher education and the workforce. Most importantly, the CSC will serve as a resource for program participants by providing potential job and educational opportunities as well as advice on professionalism as they begin to pursue alternative career paths. The CSC will work to have willing participants placed at internships. In addition, together the SLC and CSC will select one or two girls from each program cycle and ask them to serve as peer mentors for the following cycle.

Program structure

Due to the transient nature and circumstances of many of the girls and women who utilize AFG resources, the Soap & Hope program has been structured to be a short-term commitment. There will be a total of four cycles a year, with the first cycle starting in January 2013. Participants will be recruited through referrals from AFG staff, flyers at AFG, and through the AFG website. No more than 15 participants may enroll for each cycle due to space restrictions and the desire to give participants individualized attention. Each cycle will consist of twelve, two-hour sessions with most occurring in the computer lab, and the soap and lotion creation activities taking place in the kitchen. The CSC and peer mentors will be available to assist with composition and computer skills for sessions in which these skills are necessary. All of the sessions will begin with group discussions during which participants share difficulties and successes throughout their week.

Program Week 1: Program introduction Instructors: CSC & SLC

The intent of this session is to engage participants and generate excitement for the coming weeks by informing them of the skills that will be acquired throughout the program. Following a pretest evaluation, participants will be given an overview of the program activities and assignments and learn what will be expected of them. Participants will be encouraged to share barriers that they encounter in securing appropriate employment so that these barriers can be addressed by the program coordinators throughout the program.

All participants will be given a flash drive at this session to hold important documents that will be developed and received throughout the sessions. It is likely that many participants do not have a personal computer and may have to rely on public resources in order to edit documents. Hard copies of all handouts will be distributed as well.

Program Week 2: Soap and lotion training Instructor: SLC

In this session, participants will acquire the necessary knowledge to create soap and lotion products. A training handbook will be given to participants that they may refer back to if they wish to utilize this skill in the future. In addition to learning how to create soaps and lotions, participants will be encouraged to think of different scents, colors, shapes, and packaging methods for creating lotions and soaps. This critical thinking will help when considering customer satisfaction and how to develop products that differ from what is already on the market.

Program Week 3: Marketing and selling products Instructors: CSC & SLC

In this session, participants will learn how to advertise and sell their soap and lotion products by practicing interpersonal skills. Participants will also complete exercises on how to determine a sale price by calculating material and labor costs for their soap and lotion products. All participants will then be encouraged to sign up to work with the established community partners that sell the soap and lotion product line. The volunteering experience will allow participants to add skills to their resume.

Program Week 4: Creating soaps and lotions independently Instructor: SLC

During this session, participants will apply their knowledge of soap and lotion making to generate their own unique product. The SLC will be available for assistance, but participants will be encouraged to work independently. This session’s goal is to raise the self-esteem and self-efficacy of the participants. Following this session, participants can freely utilize the soap and lotion materials to practice their skills throughout the week.

Program Week 5: Resume building Instructor: CSC

In this session, participants will begin the process of developing a professional resume that highlights their individual strengths. They will be encouraged to determine areas for improvement in their resume and to begin thinking about specific experiences that would improve these areas. Women who do not already have an appropriate email addresses will create an email account at this session. Final resumes should be submitted to program coordinator at the following session for feedback.

Program Week 6: Cover letter writing Instructor: CSC

In this session, participants will learn how to write a cover letter using mock job postings. Participants will then develop their own cover letter to serve as a template when applying for future jobs. Final cover letter templates should be submitted at the following session in order to receive feedback from the CSC.

Program Week 7: Mental health Instructors: CSC & SLC

This session’s focus is to provide stress management techniques and to increase confidence levels of participants. Participants will identify stressors in their life and discuss positive and negative methods of coping. The session will teach healthy stress management techniques such as exercise, meditation, healthy eating, appropriately expressing emotions, and avoiding unnecessary stressors. The focus of this session will then shift to a discussion on self-esteem where participants can assess what increases and decreases their confidence and self-worth. Resumes from the previous week will be returned to program participants with comments.

Program Week 8: Professionalism and interview skills Instructor: CSC

In this session, topics covered will include image, respect, accountability, etiquette, and honesty in a professional environment. To stimulate discussion, women will be asked to work through a variety of workplace scenarios and debrief with the group. In addition, participants will work in partners to mock interview each other. Following the training, participants may sign up for practice interviews with the CSC. Furthermore, participants interested in finding an internship placement will make appointments to meet with the CSC so that the arranged internship fits their needs and goals. Cover letters will be returned to participants with feedback.

Week 9: Budgeting Instructor: CSC

In this session, women will be taught how to balance a checkbook, learn about credit card use and paying bills, and differentiate between wants and needs. The aim of this session is to help the women understand that proper management of finances can decrease stress and anxiety levels. During the last half hour of the session, the women will be assigned the responsibility of planning and budgeting their program celebration.

Week 10: Self-reflection Instructors: CSC & SLC

At this point in the program, participants have had an adequate amount of time to begin thinking about their future. Participants may reflect back to the start of the program and explore how their values and goals have changed. Program administrators will encourage participants to identify ways to achieve these goals that are relevant to the program such as pursuing education to increase employability or securing employment for financial stability.

Week 11: Job searching and higher education Instructors: CSC & SL

In this session, participants will be linked to different resources for finding jobs. In addition, women who are interested in pursuing higher education will be connected to GED programs or colleges. Funding resources for these programs will be introduced as well.  To demonstrate their ability to seek out alternative career paths, participants will be asked to bring two job or educational program applications to the last session. To prevent biased responses at the final celebration, posttest evaluation will occur at the end of this session.

Week 12: Celebration Instructors: CSC & SLC

This session will be completely run by the participants. It will allow for the women to share their goals with friends and family and ask for their support with future endeavors.

Post-test first cycle completion

At the completion of the first cycle, the Soap & Hope social enterprise business will be running. Women may continue to work with partner organizations to sell the products. The Soap & Hope program will be modified at the end of the two-year funding period for future implementation. At six months following each program cycle completion, participants may attend a booster session hosted by program administrators, which will first begin with the six month follow up questionnaire. The booster session will allow for participants to assess and share progress on their goals as well as their setbacks to achieving them. Program administrators will be available to offer advice and resources such as job or education opportunities.

After covering for the cost of supplies, profits from the first year of Soap & Hope will be divided with 50% to the participant who crafted the soap or lotion, 30% to the participant who worked the sale, and 20% to the Soap & Hope scholarship fund. The Soap & Hope scholarship fund will be established for higher education and awards will be given out through an application process. Management of program finances including distribution of profits and the scholarship fund will be the responsibility of the program manager. The logic model displayed in table one represents how our desired outcomes will be achieved.

Table One: Logic Model for Soap & Hope

MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Design & Methods

An evaluation specialist will be contracted as a consultant to oversee the data collection, analysis, and generate a report after each evaluation for AFG. To evaluate the effectiveness of the Soap & Hope program, both quantitative and qualitative research methods will be employed.  A mixed-methods evaluation will allow for a more comprehensive understanding of program effects and add insight that might otherwise be missed with mono-method approaches (Mckenzie, Neiger, & Thackeray, 2009). Process objectives will be evaluated using qualitative methods, which include program documentation review, focus group discussions with a sample of former program participants, and structured interviews with community partners (See table two).

Using a pretest-posttest design, a questionnaire will be administered at the beginning of the program to gather baseline data and at the end of each program cycle and six months post cycle completion to measure immediate effects. A third questionnaire will be administered at one-year post cycle completion to gauge the long-term effects of the program. Assuming that the first cycle begins in January 2013, the one year follow up evaluations will be conducted in March, June, September, and December of 2014 and subsequent years of the program. Prior to implementation, the questionnaire will be pilot-tested among a sample of Safe Choices program participants to ensure that the language is appropriate for the program participants and assess the validity and reliability of the measures (Mckenzie et al., 2009). Trained graduate students will administer the questionnaires as well as carry out data collection, data entry, and interviews. To prevent loss to follow up, financial incentives will be provided for completing the questionnaires and former participants will be contacted every three months for updated contact information. In the event that a participant cannot be reached, efforts will be made to contact a secondary person identified by the participants.

 Quantitative Data Collection

The questionnaires will measure the attainment of the outcome and program objectives. Some of the objectives will be assessed at different time points throughout the years of the project (See table two). The baseline questionnaire will contain items on demographics, transactional sex history, education and employment, experience in soap and lotion making, mental health status, and job exploration. The follow-up questionnaires will be identical to the baseline instrument with the exception that demographic information will not be collected.

Measures

To measure change in mental health status, the evaluation will assess participant’s anxiety, depression, stress, self-esteem and perceived social support. These measures were chosen to assess change in mental health status because depression and anxiety are the most common mental disorders affecting women (World Health Organization, n.d). In addition stress exposure is associated with depressive symptoms and higher anxiety levels whereas social support and high self-esteem has been shown to have a protective effects on mental health outcomes (World Health Organization, n.d). Depression and anxiety will be measured using the anxiety and depression subscales from the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) scale developed by Derogatis and Spencer (1982), stress will be measured using Cohen and colleagues (1983) 13 item Hassels scale, and self-esteem will be measured the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (Rosenberg, 1989). Perceived Social support will be measured using Procidano and Heller’s (1983) Peer Support Scale. Scale items will be modified to measure the perceived social support received from fellow Soap & Hope program participants and coordinators. Together, these scales will be used to measure the attainment of outcome objectives of participants reporting increased mental health outcomes (See Appendix C for a detailed description of these scales).

To assess the immediate effects of the program on the employment and career outcomes, AFG will measure participant’s self-efficacy to pursue alternative employment; self-reported improvements in interviewing skills and professional conduct; self-efficacy to pursue further education; and confidence to perform in a professional environment. The Career Search Self-Efficacy scale by Solberg and colleagues (1994) will be used to measure changes in self-efficacy to pursue alternative employment and improvement in interview skills. Confidence to perform in a professional environment, improvements in professional conduct, and life satisfaction will be measured using the Core Self-Evaluation Scale by Judge and colleagues (2003). Lastly, self-efficacy to pursue further education will be assessed using the Perceptions of Educational Barriers Scale (PEB) developed by McWhirter and colleagues (2000). This scale was originally developed to measure potential barriers to the pursuit of post-secondary education among high school students, thus revisions will be made to fit the barriers encountered by our target population (See Appendix C for a detailed description of scales).

Outcome objectives, securing employment and enrolling in an education program will be also be measured by asking participants whether they are employed or enrolled in GED program, college, technical school, or any other educational program. Those who are not employed at the time of data collection will be asked about their intention to pursue further education and the number of job interviews, job offers, and jobs held in the previous three months and in the past year as indicators of future employment.

Qualitative Data Collection

Qualitative methods that will be used in the evaluation of the Soap & Hope program include: document reviews, focus groups, and structured interviews. Using a protocol checklist, the extent to which the program was delivered as planned (fidelity) will be measured by comparing how the program was implemented to how it was meant to be implemented (McKenzie et al., 2009) (see table two).

Focus groups will also be conducted in March and December of the funding period with 6-12 participants from the first (January to March) and last (October to November) program cycles. The evaluator will be responsible for overseeing the focus group. The findings from the focus groups will not only enable AFG to understand the experience of participants in the program but to also identify program strengths, weaknesses, and modifications. Findings from the focus group will also help to add context to the quantitative findings and inform the development of new measures for the questionnaires. In preparation for future implementation, changes will be made to the curriculum and questionnaires based on focus group and quantitative findings at the end of the two-year pilot period. Given that AFG participants will be actively involved in developing the program curricula, major alterations are not anticipated. Structured interviews will also be conducted with community partners that are selling the soap and lotions and/or hosting AFG volunteers to identify mechanisms for strengthening partnerships and evaluating the performance of the volunteers.

Data Analysis

Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) data analysis software system will be used to analyze quantitative data. First, factor analysis and Cronbach Alpha tests will be conducted to assess the reliability of the scales during questionnaire pilot testing. Next, T-test analysis will be conducted to compare changes in outcomes between baseline and each post evaluation time points. After the one-year post cycle completion, a repeated measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) will be conducted to determine if mental health outcomes, frequency of transactional sex, and employment and education outcomes changed over time for all of the program participants. The grounded theory approach (Corbin & Strauss, 1990) will be used to analyze the qualitative data collected from the focus groups and interviews. The evaluation specialist will oversee the transcription and analysis of the data. Analysis will be conducted using the NVIVO qualitative data management system.

Table Two: Evaluation Plan for Soap & Hope

|Objective |Indicator |How Measured |When Measured |

|Outcome | | | |

|By one year following each cycle completion, 50% |b) % of participants who report |c) Measured using: |d) Baseline, immediately at the end |

|of participants will self report decreased stress|decreased anxiety levels, occurrence |Anxiety subscale Brief Symptom |of each program cycle, 3 months post |

|and anxiety. |of depressive symptoms, stress and |Inventory |cycle completion, 6 months post cycle|

|By one year following each cycle completion, 50% |increased perceived social support and|Depressive symptoms subscale Brief |completion, and one year post cycle |

|of participants will self report increased life |self-esteem |Symptom Inventory |completion |

|satisfaction. |b) % of participants who report |Cohen Hassels Scale |d) Baseline, immediately at the end |

| |increased life satisfaction |Pracidano’s Peer Support Scale |of each program cycle, 3 months post |

| | |Rosenberg Self-esteem scale |cycle completion, 6 months post cycle|

| | |c) Core-self evaluation scale. |completion, and one-year post cycle |

| | | |completion. |

| | | | |

|Program | | | |

|By the end of each 3-month program cycle, 75% of |b) % of participants who develop a |c) Program records |d) End of each program cycle |

|participants will have developed a resume and |resume and cover letter approved by |c) Questions assessing knowledge and |e) Baseline and at the end of each |

|cover letter. |career services coordinator |skills to make soaps and lotion and |program cycle |

|By the end of each 3-month program cycle, 70% of |b) % of participants reporting |sales made by each participant |d) Baseline, immediately at the end |

|participants will have the knowledge and skills |knowledge and skills to develop and |c) Job exploration and personal |of each program cycle, 3 months post |

|to create organic soaps and lotions. |organic soaps and lotion |exploration subscales of Career |cycle completion, 6 months post cycle|

|By the end of each program cycle, 60% of |b) % of participants reporting an |search self-efficacy scale and |completion, and one year post cycle |

|participants will report an increase in |increase in self-efficacy in job |Perceived Education Barriers Scale |completion |

|self-efficacy to pursue alternative employment |exploration and personal exploration, |c) Interview and networking subscale |d) Baseline, immediately at the end |

|options or further education. |and % of participants reporting a |of Career search self-efficacy scale;|of each program cycle, 3 months post |

|By one year following each cycle completion, 60% |decrease in perceived barriers to |job performance and job satisfaction |cycle completion, 6 months post cycle|

|of women will report increased confidence in |education to pursue further education.|subscales of Core-Self Evaluation |completion, and one year post cycle |

|professional conduct |b) % of participants who report |Scale |completion |

|By the end of each 3-month program cycle, 50% of |increased confidence in job |c) Rosenberg Self-esteem scale |d) Baseline, immediately at the end |

|participants will self-report increased self |performance; % of participants |c) Program records and |of each program cycle, 3 months post |

|esteem. |reporting an increase in interview and|semi-structured interviews with host |cycle completion, 6 months post cycle|

|By the end of each 3-month program cycle, 15% of |networking skills and professional |local partner organization |completion, and one year post cycle |

|participants will have plans to begin an |conduct |c) Employment and education questions|completion |

|internship with a local partner or organization. |b) % of participants reporting |in participant questionnaire |d) Immediately at the end of each |

|By one year following each cycle completion, 25% |increased self-esteem | |program cycle |

|of participants will have secured employment |b) % of participants who have plans to| |d) Baseline, 3 months post cycle |

|outside of sex work or be pursuing educational |start an internship | |completion, 6 months post cycle |

|opportunities. |b) % of participants who have secured | |completion, and one year post cycle |

| |employment or are self-employed; | |completion |

| |enrolled in an education program; # of| | |

| |job interviews per participant, # of| | |

| |job offers per person, and # of jobs | | |

| |held in previous 3 months (at end of | | |

| |each cycle and 3 months post-cycle | | |

| |follow up) and one year (at one year | | |

| |follow up) | | |

|Process | | | |

|By August 2012, hire program administrators |b) Coordinators hired |Payroll records and employee |d) August 2012 |

|including a career services coordinator and a |b) Selected individuals accepting to |contracts |d) September 2012 |

|soap and lotion crafter. |serve on the committee |c) Committee meeting minutes, signed |d) September 2012 |

|By September 2012, establish a Steering Committee|b) Supplies and equipment secured |statements of acceptance |d) November 2012 |

|to inform the development of the social |d) Product line finalized |c) Inventory list and purchase |d) November 2012 |

|enterprise and professional development |b) Curricula approved by committee |receipts |d) December 2012 |

|curriculum. |b) # of memorandum of understanding |d) Program records |d) One month before each cycle start |

|By September 2012, program manager will secure |secured (MOU) |d) Committee meeting minutes and |date |

|supplies and equipment needed for program |b) # of participants enrolled in the |program records |d) End of each program cycle |

|By November 2012 soap and lotion crafter will |program |d) Program records |d) End of each program cycle |

|finalize product line and development process. |b) # of sessions completed |c) Program records |d) December 2013 |

|By November 2012, steering committee will |b) % of participants who attend 10 out|c) Program records |d) July 2014 |

|finalize the professional development and social |of 12 sessions |c) Program records | |

|enterprise curricula. |b) Product sales; participant |c) Program records; structured | |

|By December 2012, develop a minimum of three |enrollment rates; number of MOU’s |interviews with partners | |

|partnerships with local businesses that can sell |secured; and business partners |c) Focus groups and program records | |

|Soap & Hope products and host program |satisfaction with partnership | | |

|participants |b) Curriculum approved and finalized | | |

|Recruit and enroll a maximum of 15 participants, |by Steering Committee | | |

|one month prior to the start of each program | | | |

|cycle | | | |

|By the end of each program cycle, Program | | | |

|administrators will conduct 12 sessions. | | | |

|By the end of program cycle, 60% of program | | | |

|participants will have attended 10 out of 12 | | | |

|sessions. | | | |

|By the end of four cycles (one year), | | | |

|Alternatives for Girls will achieve a working | | | |

|social enterprise business. | | | |

|Edit the professional and social enterprise | | | |

|curricula based on findings from the focus groups| | | |

CAPABILITY OF APPLICANT

Soap & Hope is an affiliated project of Alternative For Girls (AFG), a non-profit organization. AFG was established in 1985 by a group of Southwest Detroit residents. It was the first agency to exclusively serve girls and young women, who are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless in order to help them avoid violence, teen pregnancy and sexual exploitation. Over time AFG evolved into a multi-service agency with over 50 employees, offering prevention programs, outreach and peer mentoring, and a homeless shelter with beds for young women and their children. Throughout their twenty years of service, AFG has gained considerable knowledge and experience working with current and former sex workers through their Shelter and Street Outreach program, which received a three-year grant (totaling $900,000) last summer. In addition, over the last nine years, AFG’s Prevention Program has helped participating women with a high school diploma to go on to college. Soap & Hope, a branch of the Safe Choices Program, will empower at-risk women to pursue alternative employment and education, therefore contributing to financial stability and improved positive mental health outcomes.

PROGRAM WORKPLAN

Workplan – Year 1 (assumes start date of July 1, 2012)

|Program Objectives |Activities |Who Responsible |Target Completion Date |

| |Administrative | | |

| | | | |

| |1. Hire program administrators: soap and lotion|1. Hiring committee |1. Aug. 1, 2012 |

| |crafter and professional development | | |

| |coordinator | | |

| |2. Establish steering committee | | |

| | |2. Program manager and program |2. Aug. 15, 2012 |

| | |administrators | |

| |3. Order supplies and equipment |3. Program manager | |

| | | |3. Sept. 1, 2012 |

| |4. Develop product label competition for AFG |4. Steering committee | |

| |participants | |4. Oct. 1, 2012 |

| | | | |

| |5. Finalize product line and development |5. Soap and lotion crafter | |

| |process |6. Steering committee |5. Nov. 1, 2012 |

| |6. Develop program curriculum |7. Steering committee | |

| |7. Develop partnerships with local Detroit | |6. Nov. 20, 2012 |

| |businesses to sell products and host volunteers| |7. Nov. 1, 2012 |

| |8. Advertise program to AFG |8. Steering committee | |

| |9. Recruit and enroll participants |9. Program manager | |

| | | |8. Nov. 1, 2012 |

| | | |9. Dec 1, 2012; March 1, 2012; |

| |10. Develop online ordering feature for AFG |10. Information technology |June 1, 2012; Sept. 1, 2012 |

| |website |manager |10. Dec. 20, 2012 |

| |11. Appoint one or two peer leaders for each |11. Program administrators | |

| |program cycle | |11. Dec. 20, 2012; March 20, |

| | | |2013; June 20, 2013; Sept. 2013 |

| |Implementation | | |

| | | | |

|1. By the end of each 3-month program|1a. Conduct sessions on resume development and |1a. Career services coordinator |1. March 2013, June 2013, Sept. |

|cycle, 75% of participants will have |cover letter writing | |2013, Dec. 2013 |

|developed a resume and cover letter. |1b. Provide feedback on submitted documents |1b. Career services coordinator | |

|2. By the end of each 3-month program|2a. Hold soap and lotion training |2. Soap and lotion crafter | |

|cycle, 70% of participants will have | | |2. March 2013, June 2013, Sept. |

|the knowledge and skills to develop |2b. Hold session for independent soap and | |2013, Dec. 2013 |

|organic soaps and lotions. |lotion making | | |

|3. By the end of each 3-month program| | | |

|cycle, 60% of participants will | |3a. Program administrators | |

|report an increase in self-efficacy |3a. Conduct sessions on job searching, higher | |3. March 2013, June 2013, Sept. |

|to pursue alternative employment |education, professionalism, interview skills | |2013, Dec. 2013 |

|options or further education. |and cover letter and resume writing | | |

|4. By the end of each 3-month program| | | |

|cycle, 60% of participants will | | | |

|self-report improvement in | | | |

|professional conduct. | |4. Career services coordinator | |

|5. By the end of each 3-month program|4a. Provide training in image, respect, | | |

|cycle, 50% of participants will |accountability, etiquette, and honesty. | |4. March 2013, June 2013, Sept. |

|self-report increased self-esteem. |4b. Host mock interviews |5. Program administrators |2013, Dec. 2013 |

|6. By the end of each 3-month program|5a. Conduct mental health and self reflection | | |

|cycle, 15% of participants will have |session | |5. March 2013, June 2013, Sept. |

|plans to begin an internship with a |5b. Have participants set short and long term | |2013, Dec. 2013 |

|local partner or organization. |goals |6. Career services coordinator | |

|7. By one year following each cycle | | | |

|completion, 25% of participants will |6a. Hold job training and higher education | |6. March 2013, June 2013, Sept. |

|have secured employment outside of |session | |2013, Dec. 2013 |

|sex work or be pursuing educational | | | |

|opportunities. |6b. Allow interested participants to meet with |7. Career services coordinator | |

| |administrator to explore opportunities | | |

| |7a. Provide job search training | |7. March 2014, June 2014, Sept. |

| | | |2014, Dec. 2014 |

| |7b. Provide resources for higher education | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

| |Evaluation | | |

| | | | |

| |1. Administer pretest survey evaluation at |1. Evaluator & graduate students|1. Jan. 2013, April 2013, July |

| |session 1 (baseline data) | |2013, Oct. 2013 |

| |2. Administer posttest survey evaluation at |2. Evaluator & graduate students|2. March 2013, June 2013, Sept. |

| |session 11 | |2013, Dec. 2013 |

| | |3. Evaluator and program |3. March 2013 |

| |3. Focus groups |administrators | |

| | |4. Evaluator and graduate | |

| | |students |4. Sept. 2013, Dec. 2013, Feb. |

| |4. Six month post test & booster session | |2014, June 2014 |

| | |5. Evaluator and graduate |5. Jan 2014, April 2014, July |

| |5. One year post test |students |2014, Oct 2014 |

| | | | |

BUDGET & BUDGET JUSTIFICATION

Soap & Hope Budget Year One

1. Personnel- All personnel salaries are calculated on the base salary and at a 30% fringe benefit rate.

a. Soap & Hope Program Manager (Alana Gracey): A Project Manager from AFG Safe

Choices, Alana Gracey will fill this position. Her duties will be expanded to be in charge

of the Soap & Hope program.

b. Soap & Lotion Crafter (TBD): This individual will collaborate with the CSC. Their

responsibilities will include creating soap and lotion product line, managing the social

enterprise business, and supervising soap and lotion activities.

c. Career Services Coordinator (TBD): The CSC will work with the SLC and report to the

Soap & Hope Program Manager. Responsibilities will include designing and carrying out

the career centered aspects of the program, being available to program participants, and

assisting in internship placement for participants.

2. Non Personnel (Other Direct Costs)

a. Consultants (TBD): An experienced program evaluator will be hired by the Program

Manager to carry out the evaluation, analysis, and report. This task should take approximately 35 days over the course of year one. Other consultants for the program will include graduate students to assist in the data collection and transcription services. The program evaluator will be responsible for hiring these individuals.

b. Supplies: This category includes 1) office supplies including, paper, ink, flash drives;

2) copying costs, including paper and label printing; 3) activity equipment including,

soap and lotion ingredients, molds, fragrances, oils, colors, soap cutters, mixing bowls

and measuring cups; 4) packaging including, lotion bottles, wrapping materials such as

saran wrap and logo materials; 5) activity clothing including, 15-20 aprons with program

logo and goggles to uphold safety standards.

c. Travel: This category includes 1) reimbursement for travel expenses of participants to

volunteering through public transportation within Detroit.

d. Other: This category includes 1) celebration funds, each cycle of the intervention will

be given $200 dollars to plan a celebration to acknowledge their accomplishments and 2)

evaluation incentives including gift cards and food.

Appendix A: Conceptual Model for Soap & Hope

Appendix B – Program Lessons

|Program Week |Topic/Activity |Learning Objectives |Assignments |

|1 |Program introduction |Know the benefits of participating in program and requirements|At beginning of session, administer pre test |

| | |necessary for completion. | |

|2 |Soap and lotion training |Acquire necessary knowledge and skills to create soap and | |

| | |lotion products. | |

|3 |Marketing and selling products |Learn strategies to advertise and sell products |Sign up to sell with community partners. |

| | | | |

| | |Learn how to generate a profit. | |

|4 |Creating soaps and lotions |Demonstrate ability to create soap and lotion products without| |

| |independently |instruction. | |

|5 |Resume building |Learn how to write a resume. |Bring final resume to following session |

| | | | |

| | |Develop personal resume and assess strengths and areas for | |

| | |improvement | |

|6 |Cover letter writing |Learn how to write a cover letter. |Bring a final cover letter to following session. |

| | | | |

| | |Develop personal cover letter. | |

|7 |Mental health |Learn stress management techniques | |

| | |Increase confidence and self worth | |

|8 |Professionalism and interview |Know the importance of image, respect, accountability, |Sign up for mock interview slots |

| |skills |etiquette, and honesty in a professional setting. | |

| | | |Students interested in internship placement should |

| | |Learn skills to have successful and impressive interviews |make appointment with professional development |

| | | |expert. |

|9 |Budgeting |Demonstrate ability to balance a checkbook. |Begin process of planning and budgeting for program|

| | |Learn about credit card use and paying bills. |celebration. |

|10 |Self reflection |Set personal and professional goals | |

|11 |Job searching & higher education|Learn where to find job postings and opportunities for higher |All students should bring two jobs or educational |

| | |education |programs that they will submit an application to at|

| | | |the following session |

| | | |At end of session, administer post test. |

|12 |Celebration |Apply budgeting skills to real life situation. | |

| | |Share with friends and/or family future goals | |

Appendix C – Mental Health Measures

Brief Symptom Inventory Scale (BSI)- This scale will be used to measure depression and anxiety levels. Respondents will be asked to indicate, how often they experienced depressive symptoms such as “Feeling blue” and “Feelings of worthlessness” and anxiety symptoms “Feeling tense or keyed up” and “Spells of terror or panic,” in the last seven days (Derogatis & Spencer, 1982; Reppetto, Caldwell, & Zimmerman, 2004).  

Hassels Scale- Stress will be measured using Cohen and colleagues’13 item Hassels scale. Respondents will be asked to indicate from “Never” to “Very Often,” how often in the last month they for example, “felt nervous and stressed out” or “felt in control”  (Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelstein, 1983).

Peer Support Scale- Perceived Social support will be measured using Procidano and Hellers (1983) Peer Support Scale. Participants will indicate (“not at all” to “a great-deal”) how much they felt the career services coordinator “gave you useful information or good advice when you need it” (Repetto et al., 1983).

Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale- Change in participants’ self-esteem will be measured using the Rosenberg Self-esteem scale. “Self-esteem is a positive or negative orientation toward oneself; an overall evaluation of one's worth or value” (Rosenberg, 1989). This 10-item scale asks participants to indicate how much they agree with statements such as, “ I feel that I have a number of good qualities” and “I feel I do not have much to be proud of” (Rosenberg, 1989).

Employment and Education Measures

Career-Search Self-Efficacy Scale- Changes in self-efficacy to pursue alternative employment and improvement in interview skills will be assessed using this scale. This 35-item scale measures an individual’s self-efficacy to perform the following career search tasks: job exploration, interviewing, networking, and personal exploration. Example items include “How confident are you in your ability to conduct an informational interview” and “How confident are you in your ability to utilize your social networks to gain employment” (Solberg et al., 1994).

Core Self-Evaluation Scale- This scale consists of 12 items that measure self-evaluations of job performance, job satisfaction, and life satisfaction. The scale also measures participant’s self-efficacy, self-esteem, neuroticism, and locus of control in relation to job performance, all of which have been recognized as factors that influence job performance (Judge, Erez, Bono, & Thorensen, 2003). This scale will be used to measure the life satisfaction of the program participants and improvements in professional conduct.

Perceived Educational Barriers Scale- Participants will be asked to rate 28 potential education pursuit barriers with respect to the following three domains: (1) "How likely is it that this will be a barrier for you? (Past Barriers)," (2) "How big of a barrier would this be for you? (Future Barriers)," and (3) "If you, in fact, encounter this barrier, how difficult will it be for you to overcome it?” (Barrier difficulty). Sample items include "Not talented enough," and "Racial/ethnic discrimination" (McWhiter, Rasheed, & Crothers 2000; Chronister & McWhiter, 2006). This scale will be used to measures participants change in self-efficacy to pursue further education.

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