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WOW provided general employability preparation and basic skills and technical training courses to help non-white single parents with low incomes find nontraditional, high-paying occupations.

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WOW provided general employability preparation and basic skills and technical training courses to help non-white single parents with low incomes find nontraditional, high-paying occupations.

WOW placed participants in specific training courses, based on standardized testing, that either provided basic education and skills training or specific technical training. Participants who scored at the sixth- or seventh-grade level on standardized testing enrolled in an 11-week basic educational skills and employability development course, followed by three weeks of unpaid work. Participants who scored at the eighth-grade level or above on standardized testing enrolled in a 22-week course covering basic elements of electromechanics, followed by an 11-week course on employability topics. Counselors helped participants set specific employment and training goals and helped them overcome life crises. WOW also helped participants find and pay for child care. Length of services varied depending on the participant’s specific training course, but most participants stopped receiving services after 12 months. WOW services were available to non-white single mothers who had low incomes. The intervention was implemented in a community-based organization in Washington, DC.

Year evaluation began: 1984
Implementing organization(s): Wider Opportunities for Women 
Populations and employment barriers: Female, Parents, Single parents
Intervention services: Case management, Academic instruction, Supportive services, Training, Occupational or sectoral training, Unpaid work experience, Work experience, Job search assistance
Setting(s): Urban only

Effectiveness rating and effect by outcome domain

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Outcome domain Term Effectiveness rating Effect in 2018 dollars and percentages Effect in standard deviations Sample size
Increase earnings Short-term No evidence to assess support
Long-term Little evidence to assess support $0 per year 0.000 0
Very long-term No evidence to assess support
Increase employment Short-term Little evidence to assess support unfavorable 0% (in percentage points) -0.006 1272
Long-term Little evidence to assess support favorable 4% (in percentage points) 0.104 1225
Very long-term No evidence to assess support
Decrease benefit receipt Short-term No evidence to assess support
Long-term No evidence to assess support
Very long-term No evidence to assess support
Increase education and training All measurement periods No evidence to assess support
* This intervention was assessed as supported for this domain, meaning it achieved one or more statistically significant, favorable effects. However, the intervention has an average effect size that is unfavorable because the average includes all effects in this domain - both statistically significant and favorable effects and statistically insignificant but unfavorable effects.

Effectiveness rating key:

  • Well-supported Well-supported   
  • Supported  Supported   
  • Not supported  Not supported   
  • Mixed support  Mixed support   
  • Insufficient evidence  Insufficient evidence   
  • No evidence  No evidence
Effectiveness rating terms?

Sample characteristics

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State or region:
AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY Canada

Participant race and ethnicity
Black or African American
96%
Hispanic or Latino of any race
4%

Studies of this intervention

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Study quality rating Study counts per rating
High High 1