Financial Stability Partnership

Making Connections Des Moines agreed to fund a series of focus groups as a way to get resident feedback and input for the Region 11 Workforce Investment Act – Two Year Plan. State Public Policy Group conducted the focus groups in September 2007 and included 52 youth, adult and dislocated workers who received services funded by the Workforce Investment Act between January 1, 2006 and June 30, 2007.

Five focus groups were facilitated using a script that was designed to elicit the desired information without leading the responses of participants. The script was comprised of a series of five premises, each followed by several questions. The five premises consisted of the following:
• Workforce center process
• Iowa Employment Solutions (IES) services
• Job preparedness and on the-job supports
• Employer and community knowledge and recognition
• Round robin – identifying a single priority

The focus group findings resulted in the following implications for planning:
• Individualized and one-on-one supports
- Goal setting
• Professional Development
- Personalized approach
- Resource knowledge
• Follow-up
- Post-placement
• Seamless process
• Public education and outreach

The links below include:
Scripts for the focus groups - youth
Scripts for the focus groups - adult and dislocated workers
Final report titled: “Iowa Employment Solutions Final Focus Group Summary Report” – dated Oct 11 2007

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