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Evaluation of a Job-Finding Club for TANF Recipients: Psychosocial Impacts

Objective: The impacts of a job-finding club for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients required to work were investigated. Dependent measures included welfare recipients’ self-esteem, assertive job-hunting behavior, and perceived barriers to employment. Method: Pretest and posttest data were collected from four 2-week job-finding clubs sponsored by a welfare agency in a suburban county in Georgia. Results: Twenty-five of 40 participants (62.5%) found work during the job-finding club. For those who did not find work, no significant differences were found between pre- and posttest scores on any dependent measure. Conclusion: The only evident difference between the two groups was that unsuccessful job seekers were more than twice as likely (as successful job seekers) to perceive transportation (54% compared to 24%) as their biggest barrier to employment. Policy implications of these results include orienting job clubs to specifically address clients’ perceived barriers to employment.