Self-Employment Training (SET) Pilot Program Evaluation: In Their Own Words: Voices of Study Participants in the Self-Employment Training Program Issue Brief

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Release Date: July 01, 2019

Self-Employment Training (SET) Pilot Program Evaluation: In Their Own Words: Voices of Study Participants in the Self-Employment Training Program Issue Brief

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About the Brief

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The Self-Employment Training (SET) pilot program served unemployed and underemployed workers who proposed businesses in their fields of expertise. Participants had access to 12 months of case management services, customized training and technical assistance, and seed capital microgrants of up to $1,000. In two sites, SET participants who received unemployment insurance (UI) benefits could also get waivers exempting them from work search requirements.

A key dimension of any program’s effectiveness is its usefulness to participants. The brief explores the experiences of those who received SET program services. Researchers interviewed participants on why they applied, how SET benefited them, why some left the program, and how SET can improve.

The brief is based on case study interviews with 24 people who received SET services between July 2013 and October 2015. Among those interviewed, 13 participants were highly engaged and 11 were less engaged. These participants represent a small, purposively selected sample, and their experiences may not represent those of everyone who participated in SET. However, their opinions—positive and negative— provide insight into the experiences that different participants had with the program.

Key Takeaways

  • Participants had a variety of motivations for applying to SET, with the access to one-on-one assistance and classes most often reported as the primary reason.
  • All 24 participants found at least one aspect of the program helpful, with many citing multiple beneficial components.
  • Some participants said they disengaged from SET because self-employment did not work for them, the classes were unsatisfying, or they had not established satisfying levels of communication with their SET advisors.
  • Most participants recommended more investment in programs like SET.

Citation

Brown, E., Perez-Johnson, I., Anderson, M. A., Amin, S. (2016). Mathematica. In Their Own Words: Voices of Study Participants in the Self-Employment Training Program. Chief Evaluation Office, U.S. Department of Labor.

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This study was sponsored by the Employment and Training Administration, Office of Policy Development and Research, Division of Research and Evaluation, and was produced outside of CEO’s standard research development process.