Danziger, Sandra K. 1981. "Postprogram Changes in the Lives of AFDC Supported Work Participants: A Qualitative Assessment." Journal of Human Resources 16(4):637-648.

This paper reports a qualitative study of what difference it makes to the participants themselves to have completed the Supported Work program. Thirty-four AFDC recipients from two sites were interviewed one to two years after leaving the program. For the majority, Supported Work brought steadier jobs, higher wages and fringe benefits, increased self-confidence, and independence. Although the program provided only a few with specialized job skills, it brought about contact with regular market employers and gave many a record of employment experience. Participation resulted in important psychological as well as economic gains for one-third to one-half of the interview sample. Job programs targeted to this group should be designed to counter the dependency effects of welfare recipiency.

The author is Research Associate, Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin.
* The research reported here was funded by the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation, New York, and by the Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin, with funds provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

© 2003 by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System

US ISSN 0022-166X

Return to JHR Home Page