Demonstrating the Economic Value of Career Services Bryan Hiebert Vice-president, IAEVG Professor Emeritus, University of Calgary Adjunct Professor, Educational Psychology, University of Victoria Docent of Education (Research), University of Jyväskyla Member, Canadian Research Working Group on Evidence-based Practice in Career Development 1

What Counts: 2

Background and Rationale A challenge by Canadian Policy Makers: “You haven’t made the case for the impact and value of career development services” A research team formed in 2004 to follow-up The Canadian Research Working Group for Evidence- Based Practice in Career Development 10 researchers from 7 universities & 1 foundation 3

State of Practice: Measuring Outcomes 84% of agencies report collecting data Frequency counts, e.g., number of clients served/month, number of clients who found employment, number of client action plans created, number of clients who completed programs Employment status 4

2005 Study: Agencies & practitioners What are the 3 most important outcomes you report? 1.Change in employment or educational status of the client and marginally 2.Skill development; financial independence, connectedness, self-confidence 3.Number of clients served 4.Client satisfaction 5.Programs completion 6.Service delivery 7.Cost-benefit 5

What outcomes are you achieving that are going unreported or unmeasured? (From 2005 CRWG State of Practice study) Client empowerment Client skill development personal self-management skills Client increased self-esteem Client changes in attitudes about their future about the nature of the workforce Client knowledge gains Financial independence Creation of support networks More opportunities for clients These are legitimate areas for intervention 6

Outcomes of Counselling 1.Client learning outcomes Knowledge Skills 2.Impact on client’s life Client presenting problem Economic factors Third party factors + Precursors Attitude Motivation Self-esteem Stress Internal locus of control Belief that change is possible Personal Attributes Intervene between learning outcomes & impact outcomes 7

Evidence-Based Outcome-Focused Practice Input  Process  Outcome Need to link process with outcome 8

Definitions Outcome: Specific result or product of an intervention including changes in client competence, client situation and/or broader changes for the client and/or community Input: Resources available for achieving outcomes Process: Activities engaged in to achieve outcomes Intervention: Intentional activity implemented in the hopes of fostering client change Output: Products produced during the intervention, e.g., resume, sample cover letter, action plan 9

Outcome-Focused Evidence-Based Practice Input  Process  Outcome Indicators of client change 1. Learning outcomes Knowledge and skills linked to intervention 2. Personal attribute outcomes Changes in attitudes Intrapersonal variables (self-esteem, motivation, independence) 3. Impact outcomes Impact of #1 & #2 on client’s life, e.g., employment status, enrolled in training Societal, economic, relational impact 10

Outcome-Focused Evidence-Based Practice Input  Process  Outcome Activities that link to outputs or deliverables Generic interventions Working alliance, microskills, etc. Specific interventions 1. Interventions used by service providers Skills used by service providers Home practice completed by students 2. Programs offered by school 3. Involvement by 3 rd parties 4. Quality of service indicators Stakeholder satisfaction, including students 11

Outcome-Focused Evidence-Based Practice Input  Process  Outcome Specific interventions 1.Career decision making 2.Work-specific skills enhancement 3.Work search 4.Job maintenance 5.Career-related personal development 6.Other 12

Outcome-Focused Evidence-Based Practice Input  Process  Outcome Resources available 1. Staff Number of staff, level of training, type of training 2. Funding Budget 3. Service guidelines Agency mandate 4. Facilities 5. Infrastructure 6. Community resources 13

Intervention-Evaluation-Service Delivery: Merged Framework Client Outcomes Knowledge Skills Attributes Impact Context: Client Needs Client Goals Counsellor Actions Client Actions    Outcomes Processes Inputs (Resources) Service Delivery Client flow Accessibility System factors Client satisfaction 14

Quality Service Delivery 1.Accessibility Regular hours Extended hours Physical accessibility Resources in alternate format Ease of access, who can access 2.Timeliness % calls answered by 3rd ring Wait time for appointment Wait time in waiting room 3.System requirements Adherence to mandate Completion of paper work 4.Service standards Staff credentials, competencies, resources 5.Service delivery Client volumes Client presenting problems Number of sessions 6.Responsiveness Respect from staff Courteous service Clear communication 7.Overall satisfaction % rating service good or excellent % referrals from other clients 15

Quality Service Standards Are all components equally important? Performance Management System (Ontario) Three broad dimensions of service delivery success 1.Effectiveness (50%) a.Participant Suitability (15%) b.Service Impact (35%). 2.Customer Satisfaction (40%) a.Customer Satisfaction (15%) b.Service Coordination (25%) 3.Efficiency (10%) a.Assisted Services Intake (5%) b.Information Session/Workshop Activity (5%) 16

Outcome Focused Evidence-Based Practice Quality Improvement ResourcesClient change Knowledge Skill Attribute impact Counsellor Skills Interventions Programs 17

Outcome Focused Evidence-Based Practice Dynamic and Interactive Inputs (Resources) Process Outcome Intervention, Linking process to outcome Context: Client Needs Client Goals Counsellor Actions Client Actions Knowledge Skills Attributes Impact 18

Outcome-Focused Evidence-Based Practice Input  Process  Outcome Intervention = Process + Outcome What will I do? + How is it working? Professional Practitioner 19

Professional Practitioner (Local Clinical Scientist) Intervening in a systematic manner Documenting what you did Paying attention to what happened Tracking the effects Looking for associations between what you did & the effects that happened Across time and across clients Acquire ability to make predictions linking interventions & outcomes Each client is a n = 1 experiment (investigation, exploration) Multiple replications provides predictability 20

Professional Practitioner (Local Clinical Scientist) Approach your practice in a scientific manner Be clear about the nature of the change clients desire Be clear about what you will do to meet client goals Document what you do Document how well it works Your own practice becomes your data source for predicting client outcomes This is a viable, perhaps even preferable, alternative to RCTs 21

Outcome-Focused Evidence-Based Practice Input  Process  Outcome Need to link process with outcome 1.What will I do? 2.What are the expected client changes?  What do I expect clients to learn?  What sorts of personal attributes do I want my clients to acquire?  What will be the impact on their lives? 3.How will I tell? 22

Evidence Policy makers can relate to Concepts under development Return on investment Employment Equivalence (Career Self-Sufficiency Index) Food for thought and discussion 23

Return on investment: Community Agency A community agency Career development services for welfare recipients to help them integrate into the labour market Government investment was about $1,300 per client Return on investment came from two sources clients who found employment and were no longer on welfare, earned higher income, paid income tax service providers employed to deliver the program Clients provided a copy of their pay stubs before and after the program Return on investment was between $1.14 and $1.46 for each $1.00 spent (times number of years employed) 24

Return on Investment for High School Career Education Programs School funding is based on student enrolment (person-courses) 2 years after implementing career education program Completion rates increased by 15% number of students in their Registered Apprenticeship Program increased Increased funding provided 1.5 additional staff (1 counsellor +.5 support staff) more preparation time for teachers perceived more positive work climate 25

Career Self-Sufficiency Index ( Employment Equivalence) Consider a client who receives careers guidance and Decides to return to school so he can Find a better job that pays more money and less likelihood of unemployment Employment status does not change Considered a failure 26

Career Self-Sufficiency Index ( Employment Equivalence) Consider instead In Canada, men 30 years old are 34% more likely to be employed if they have high school education (compared to men with no high school diploma) Employment Equivalence (CSSI) for taking training is.34 Consider also, men 30 years old who have high school education, earn on average $6,000 more money per year Return on investment = $6,000 times years worked, perhaps 30 years = $180,000 This is evidence of success 27

Return on Investment for Post Secondary Student Services Post secondary leavers vs. completers 50% more likely to have difficulty keeping up with the work load CSSI = 0.50, for completing a study skills program leavers reported being unsure of what they wanted to do, #1 reason for leaving school was “lack of fit.” Completers were 45% more likely to report having a career plan that was a good match for their program CSSI = 0.45 for completing a program that helps increase fit between career plans and program of study 28

Return on Investment for Post Secondary Student Services Post secondary leavers vs. completers (continued…) PSE graduates earn on average $5,512 more than those who do not graduate Return on investment for completing study skills programs would be.50 x 5,512 = $2,756 per person per year Return on investment for completing programs that promote congruence between students’ career plans and their course of study would be.45 x 5,512 = $2,480 per person per year 29

Applied Career Transitions Program (on-line program for unemployed university grads) For Module 1 All together there were 10 (items) x 29 (participants) = 290 ratings Pre: 144 Unacceptable Ratings – Post: 3 Unacceptable Ratings Unacceptable Ratings decreased from 50% to 14% Pre: 6 Exceptional Ratings – Post: 130 Exceptional Ratings Exceptional Ratings increased from 2 to 44% of the participants 30

Results: Impact Outcomes Employment status 27 out of 29 were employed 90% employment rate Quality of job 13 of the jobs lined up well with career vision 48% of jobs were a good fit with career vision 31

Attribution for Change To what extent would you say that any changes in the ratings on the previous pages are a result of your participation in this research project, and to what extent were they a function of other factors in your life? mostly other factors somewhat other factors uncertain somewhat this program mostly this program  ACT LMI-Assisted LMI -Independent Program 32

Building cause and effect cases We have data on the process used Counsellor adherence to program Client engagement in program We have data on the outcomes KSAs: Knowledge, Skills, Personal Attributes We have data on the impact Employment status We have economic data Career Self-Sufficiency Index (Employment Equivalence) We have a clear link between process and outcome 33

Possible Career Self-Sufficiency Index ( Employment Equivalence) Element Employment equivalent Take further training in institution with student counsellors on staff 0.34 for each year Take further training in institution with no counsellors on staff 0.25 Complete career guidance program0.45 Complete Job Finding Club0.80 Complete ACT

Future Possible Directions 35

Possible Career Self-Sufficiency Index ( Employment Equivalence) Element Employment equivalent Completes career program with modest self-confidence 0.60 Completes career program with good self-confidence 0.70 Completes ACT

Question to ponder Is it logical that a Career Self-Sufficiency Index Employment Equivalence could be greater than 1? If the goal is employment, job = 1 A good job with prospects for permanency and advancement should contain a bonus Consult tables of labour turnover for various occupations. Turnover for labourer might happen every 6 months For other categories it might be, say, 12 months People getting low level jobs would get an equivalent value of 1 and the latter an equivalent level of 2. What do you think of this idea? 37

Possible Career Self-Sufficiency Index ( Employment Equivalence) Element Employment equivalent Obtains job in firm with fewer than 20 workers 1.0 Obtains job in firm with more than 500 workers 1.25 Job obtained in unionized firmAdd

The Problem Agency managers and counsellors agree that evaluation of services is important BUT Counsellors do not evaluate their work with clients in a way that permits making a connection between what counsellors do and the client changes that take place. Perhaps these ideas will help integrate evaluation into service delivery 39

Professional Identity: What we do defines who we are Most practitioners define their job as delivering services So … they do not evaluate the impact of their services on clients What is career development all about? The answer needs to include BOTH process and outcome What will I do to facilitate client change? + How well is it working? Answers need to be a negotiated consensus between practitioners and clients 40

What have we learned? From Practitioners Structure and checklists are foreign at first But later help them to be more focused Service providers are willing research partners Most said they would do it again if given the opportunity Service providers are happy to follow procedures that result in meaningful evidence of client change From Clients Structure and timelines motivate action and a sense of progress Giving clients hands-on tools is motivating 41

42 Demonstrating Value It is really, really unfortunate when … There is an excellent program That everyone knows is working Which is filling an important need but The program is cancelled because there is no evidence to support the positive claims

To demonstrate value, we need to develop Culture of evaluation: We need to reach the state where Identification of outcomes is an integrated part of providing services  Without efficacy data, career services are vulnerable  It is in our best interest to gather evidence attesting to the value of the services we provide Measuring and reporting processes and outcomes is integrated into practice Outcome assessment is a prominent part of counsellor education Reporting processes and outcomes is a policy (and funding) priority This needs to be a priority in all sectors 43

Don’t worry about getting it right, just start and improve it as you use it 1.Small steps are OK 2.Several small steps = one BIG STEP 3.Share your success stories with the people who need to hear them, in language they can understand 4.Be persistent 5.Build support for yourself 44

45 Give Up Don’t Ever

Discussion 1.What do you think of this idea? 2.Would general evaluation model work for you? 3.How could you use employment equivalence in your work? 4.Other … questions, comments, suggestions? 46

Demonstrating the Economic Value of Career Services What Counts: Accountability, Evaluation, and Service Delivery Intertwined Bryan Hiebert Vice-president, IAEVG Professor Emeritus, University of Calgary Adjunct Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Victoria Docent of Education (Research), University of Jyvaskyla 47