Study Details | Pathways to Work

23407-Study of Young Adult

Study quality: High

High

Reason for the rating: This study received a high study quality rating because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition, suggesting that findings can be attributed to the program.

Program: Young Adult Internship Program (YAIP)

Characteristics of study participants:

Young adults (age 16-24)

Services provided:

Case management, Job readiness, Job search assistance, Peer mentoring, Stipends, Subsidized employment/transitional jobs

Setting: Urban only

Methods and Standards Protocol version used for impact review: Version 2.0

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Cost: This study includes cost information reviewed by Pathways to Work (under the cost standards in Methods and Standards Protocol Version 2.0).

Study design

Design:

Randomized controlled trial

Study group formation:

Young Adult Internship Program (YAIP) providers in New York City recruited youth independently for the evaluation, focusing on young people from high-need areas in their communities. Participants ages 16 to 24, who were neither in school nor working, and who had been out of school for at least one semester, were enrolled into the YAIP evaluation in three cohorts. The first cohort was enrolled in July 2013, the second in November 2013, and the third in March 2014. The program excluded youth with reading skills below the sixth-grade level, and those with a postsecondary degree. After completing program applications and assessments, youth were randomly assigned to the program group, which was offered the chance to participate in YAIP, or the comparison group, which was not offered YAIP services. A total of 2,678 participants were randomly assigned, with 1,638 participants assigned to the program group and 1,040 participants assigned to the comparison group.

Time period of study:

The study ran from July 2013 to July 2022. Study enrollment ran from July 2013 to March 2014. Data collection occurred from July 2013 to July 2022, with outcomes measured using survey data at 12-month and 30-month follow-ups and using administrative data over an eight-year follow-up period.

Primary outcome domains examined:

Increase short-term earnings, Increase long-term earnings, Increase very long-term earnings, Increase short-term employment, Increase long-term employment, Increase education and training

Other outcome domains examined:

Service use, postsecondary enrollment, economic well-being, personal well-being

Study funded by:

This study was funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (Contract Number HHSP 233-2010-0029YC).

Results

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Outcome domain	Measure	Timing	Study quality by finding	Comparison group mean	Program group mean	Impact	Units	Sample size
Increase short-term earnings	Annual earnings, NDNH data	Year 1	High	3,252.00	6,685.00	3,433.00	2015 dollars	2,678
Increase short-term earnings	Current hourly wage more than $8.00, survey data	Month 12	High	37.00	40.10	3.10	percentage points	2,127
Increase long-term earnings	Annual earnings, NDNH data	Year 4	High	10,779.00	11,320.00	541.00	2018 dollars	2,678
Increase long-term earnings	Current hourly wage more than $8.00, survey data	Month 30	High	49.90	55.70	5.80	percentage points	2,031
Increase very long-term earnings	Annual earnings, NDNH data	Year 8	High			301.00	2022 dollars	2,678
Increase short-term employment	Currently employed, survey data	Month 12	High	51.50	53.90	2.40	percentage points	2,127
Increase short-term employment	Ever employed, quarterly, NDNH data	Quarter 4	High	52.30	54.10	1.80	percentage points	2,678
Increase short-term employment	Number of quarters employed, annual, NDNH data	Year 1	High	1.60	2.60	1.00	quarters	2,678
Increase long-term employment	Currently employed, survey data	Month 30	High	60.50	65.00	4.50	percentage points	2,031
Increase long-term employment	Ever employed, annual, NDNH data	Year 4	High	78.90	78.80	-0.10	percentage points	2,678
Increase long-term employment	Number of quarters employed, annual, NDNH data	Year 4	High	2.50	2.50	0.00	quarters	2,678
Increase education and training	Earned a postsecondary degree, National Student Clearinghouse data	Month 30	High	2.00	2.70	0.70	percentage points	2,678
Increase education and training	Earned a professional license or certification, survey data	Month 30	High	31.00	31.70	0.70	percentage points	2,031
Increase education and training	Received high school diploma or GED, survey data	Month 30	High	21.70	22.00	0.30	percentage points	2,031

Short-term outcomes are those measured 18 months or fewer after participants are first offered services. Long-term outcomes are those measured between 18 months and 5 years after participants are first offered services. Very long-term outcomes are those measured 5 years or more after participants are first offered services.

Means are not displayed when not reported or not aligned with the impact estimates. For example, if the impact estimate is regression-adjusted but only unadjusted means are reported in the study, the unadjusted means are not displayed as they are not aligned with the adjusted impact estimate.

Impact estimates are not shown when the estimate units cannot be converted to natural units.

Findings quality key:

High
Moderate

Study quality terms?

The findings quality describe our confidence that a given study’s finding is because of the program. We do not display findings that rate low.

Findings key:

A moderate-to-large favorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance
A moderate-to-large favorable finding that might to be due to chance
A small favorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance
A small favorable finding that might be due to chance
A favorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size
A favorable finding that might be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size
A moderate-to-large unfavorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance
A moderate-to-large unfavorable finding that might to be due to chance
A small unfavorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance
A small unfavorable finding that might be due to chance
An unfavorable finding that is unlikely to be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size
An unfavorable finding that might be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size
A finding that is unlikely to be due to chance, but we cannot determine the standardized effect size or direction
A finding of no effect that might be due to chance

Favorable findings are impacts in a direction that is socially desirable. Statistical significance indicates the likelihood that a study finding is due to the program, rather than due to chance. Findings are described as moderate-to-large if the program produced a sufficiently large change in the outcome. An impact receives this designation if the standardized effect size is equal to or greater than 0.25 or equal to or less than -0.25.

Sample characteristics

The study sample was composed of young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who were eligible to work in the United States, were not currently in school or working and had not been enrolled in school in the previous semester, and were residents of New York City. The majority of participants had at least a high school diploma or equivalent (62 percent), were Black (58 percent), and were female (51 percent).

Characteristics may sum to greater than 100 percent due to rounding.

Age

Mean age	21 years
Young adults (age 16-24)	100%

Sex

Female	51%
Male	49%

Race and ethnicity

Black or African American	58%
Hispanic or Latino of any race	36%
Unknown, not reported, or other	6%

The race and ethnicity categories may sum to more than 100 percent if the authors reported race and ethnicity separately; in these cases, we report the category White, rather than White, not Hispanic.

Family status

Parents

20%

Employment and public benefit status

Public benefits recipients

26%

Education

Had some postsecondary education	22%
Had a high school diploma or GED	62%
Did not have a high school diploma or GED	38%

Specific employment barriers

Had a disability

Program implementation

Implementing organization:

The Mayor's Office for Economic Opportunity and the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development oversaw the program. During the study, services were provided by 12 organizations, including nonprofits, community-based organizations, a faith-based organization, a construction company, community centers, and a community college.

Program history:

The Young Adult Internship Program (YAIP) program began in 2007, several years before the evaluation.

Program services:

YAIP was delivered by 12 independent providers that each served cohorts of about 30 youth in three phases. During the first phase, youth attended work-readiness workshops for about five hours per day, five days per week, for two to four weeks, during which time they were paid minimum wage. After this, youth were placed in internships for about 20 hours per week for 10 to 12 weeks, during which their earnings were fully subsidized and they earned minimum wage. During this second phase, youth also continued to attend educational workshops (covering work, financial literacy, and life skills) for five hours per week. After the internships, individuals could receive follow-up services for nine months, including assistance finding and keeping a work, educational, or military placement. During each phase, youth could also receive case management and supportive services.

Mandatory services:

None

Comparison services:

Individuals in the comparison group were not offered services provided by the YAIP but could access other services in the community, including some non-YAIP services offered by YAIP provider agencies.

Service receipt duration:

The program took place in three phases over about one year. The first phase included two to four weeks of orientation and job-readiness workshops; the second phase included 10 to 12 weeks of subsidized employment and continued learning; and the third phase included nine months of follow-up support.

Program funding:

This program was funded by The Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity and the New York City Young Men’s Initiative.

Study publications

Cummings, Danielle (2023). Effects of the subsidized and transitional employment demonstration on earnings after eight years, OPRE Report 2023-204, Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Available at https://acf.gov/opre/report/effects-subsidized-and-transitional-employment-demonstration-earnings-after-eight-years

Cummings, Danielle, and Dan Bloom (2020). Can subsidized employment programs help disadvantaged job seekers? A synthesis of findings from evaluations of 13 programs. OPRE Report 2020-23. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Available at https://acf.gov/sites/default/files/documents/opre/sted_final_synthesis_report_feb_2020.pdf

Cummings, Danielle, Mary Farrell, and Melanie Skemer (2018). Forging a path: Final impacts and costs of New York City's Young Adult Internship Program, OPRE Report #2018-75, Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Available at https://eric.ed.gov/?q=%22%22&ff1=subProgram+Costs&ff2=pubReports+-+Research&id=ED588364

Skemer, Melanie, Arielle Sherman, Sonya Williams, and Danielle Cummings (2017). Reengaging New York City's disconnected youth through work: Implementation and early impacts of the Young Adult Internship Program, OPRE Report #2017-22, Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Available at https://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/STED_YAIP_Final_FR-Web.pdf

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Study of Young Adult Internship Program (YAIP)