Additional Program Information

Developer and contact

New Chance, developed and evaluated by MDRC, is no longer an active program, and no current developer or contact information is available. Additional information about the New Chance model and the implementation experience of the organizations that used it can be found in Quint, Fink, and Rowser (1991), listed in the “References” for this report.

Scope of use

New Chance operated in 16 communities (as part of the MDRC evaluation) in 10 states between 1989 and 1992. Local institutions, including schools, community colleges, and community service organizations, ran the New Chance programs using funding from both private and government sources.

Description of intervention

New Chance aims to improve the education, parenting, life skills, and employment prospects of young welfare mothers. Program services have two phases. In the first phase, participants receive adult basic education, GED preparation, and pre-employment skills training. They also receive life skills training, including health education, family planning, parenting education, and pediatric health services. In this phase, participants attend classes five days a week for six hours a day. After five months (or after they receive their GED certificates if this occurs first), participants enter the second phase of New Chance. During this phase, participants receive occupational skills training, participate in internships, and receive job placement assistance, services typically provided by an outside agency. Throughout their time in the program, they have access to free child care and a case manager who monitors and assists their progress. To create a personal environment, New Chance programs are small, serving no more than 40 participants at any time. New Chance services are available to participants for a period of up to 18 months. Participation in the program is voluntary. To be eligible young mothers must be 16 to 22 years old, have first given birth as a teenager, be economically disadvantaged (most often determined by their receipt of cash assistance), lack a high school diploma or GED certificate, and not be pregnant at program entry. Programs are also allowed to serve a small number of young mothers who have already completed high school if they have poor reading skills and would benefit from the program’s adult basic education classes.

Cost

According to study authors, the average cost of New Chance is just over $11,700 per participant.⁴ Child care and case management services represent more than half of the total cost of the program.