GST Michigan Works! contracted with The Prosperity Agenda to evaluate the effectiveness of Family-Centered Coaching and its impact on creating a holistic and robust TANF program that positively impacts the short and long-term well-being of participants and their families.

While the initial intent of the evaluation was to understand the strengths and challenges of utilizing the coaching strategy both from a case manager and participant perspective, much of the feedback focused on impact of implementing TuaPath on increasing engagement and retention and improving outcomes. This was a welcome surprise, but perhaps we should have expected such, as TuaPath was a new tool in their toolbox, as it had been fully rolled out only a few months prior to the start of the evaluation.

Findings from the evaluation are summarized in the report “Impact Findings from an Evaluation of Coaching and Use of Technology for Improving Engagement and Goal Achievement”.

If you are considering the value of using a coaching strategy for your program, this report is a must read! The report includes direct feedback from over fifty coaches and numerous participants and the report …

• Discusses the impact of using Family Centered Coaching skills, tools and mindset from the perspective of the coaches and program participants
• Presents a holistic assessment of the role of TuaPath in supporting participants in goal setting and goal achievement
• Offers lessons learned from COVID in delivering services virtually

Additional Resources

The Prosperity Agenda offers their Family Centered Coaching Toolkit for those looking to get started.

You can also learn more about The Prosperity Agenda’s partnership with GST Michigan Works! by reading the article “Emerging Research: Optimizing Coaching for Family Experience at GST Michigan Works”

The Office of Planning and Research Evaluation offers the report, “Implementation and Impact of a Goal-Oriented Coaching Program for Cash Assistance Recipients in Michigan” (August 2020), describing the implementation and impact study findings at GST Michigan Works and SE