S O CIAL P O L ICY R ESEAR C H A SSO CIATES • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Findings from a Study of One-Stop Self-Services: A Case-Study Approach Final Report December 2009 Prepared by: Ronald D’Amico Kate Dunham Annelies Goger Charles Lea Nicole Rigg Prepared for: Sheryl Ude Andrew Wiegand The U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration Office of Policy Development and Research 200 Constitution Ave., N.W. Washington, DC 20210 DOL Contract Nos. AF-11761-01-30 & GS10F0281S SPR Projects 1142 & 1383 1330 Broadway, Suite 1426 Oakland, CA 94612 Tel: (510) 763-1499 Fax: (510) 763-1599 www.spra.com This page intentionally left blank. Insert blank page here when making double-sided copies CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND ATTRIBUTIONS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................... ES-1 I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... I-1 Background ..................................................................................................................... I-2 Data Collection as Part of the Evaluation ........................................................................I-4 Limitations of the Data Collection and Analysis ..............................................................I-6 Overview of this Report ...................................................................................................I-9 II. WHAT ARE SELF-SERVICES? ........................................................................... II-1 Self-Services: Theory vs. Practice .................................................................................II-1 How Self-Services are Classified ...................................................................................II-3 The Client-Flow Process ................................................................................................II-4 Criteria for WIA Staff-Assisted Services ....................................................................II-7 Reconciling Competing Priorities .............................................................................II-10 The Integrated Service Delivery Model ........................................................................II-10 Conclusions..................................................................................................................II-12 III. RESULTS OF THE LOCAL-AREA SURVEY ..................................................... III-1 Survey Administration and Content ...............................................................................III-1 Physical Access Points .................................................................................................III-2 Customer Flow ..............................................................................................................III-4 Tracking Self-Service Usage.........................................................................................III-6 Available Self-Services .................................................................................................III-6 Local-Area Websites and their Features ..................................................................III-6 Services for Individuals.............................................................................................III-8 Services for Employers ...........................................................................................III-15 Strengths, Challenges, and Satisfaction with Services ...............................................III-16 Conclusions.................................................................................................................III-20 i IV. FACILITATING ACCESS TO SELF-SERVICES ................................................IV-1 Promoting Public Awareness of Services .................................................................... IV-1 General Marketing and Outreach ............................................................................ IV-1 Marketing and Outreach to Targeted Populations ................................................... IV-2 Methods of Recruitment........................................................................................... IV-3 Site Accessibility .......................................................................................................... IV-4 Locational Features that Facilitate Access .............................................................. IV-4 External Features that Deter Access ....................................................................... IV-8 Usability of Resources ................................................................................................. IV-8 Layout and Equipment............................................................................................. IV-9 Additional Features that Promote Access .............................................................. IV-11 Accessibility for Customers with Special Needs......................................................... IV-11 Accommodating Disabled Customers .................................................................... IV-12 Accommodating Customers with Literacy and Language Barriers ........................ IV-17 Accessibility for Customers with Limited Computer Skills ..................................... IV-18 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. IV-20 Promising Practices in Facilitating Access to Self-Services .................................. IV-21 Challenges in Facilitating Access to Self-Services ................................................ IV-21 V. CUSTOMER TRACKING SYSTEMS ...................................................................V-1 Types of Systems.......................................................................................................... V-1 Local Area Tracking Systems ................................................................................... V-1 Statewide Tracking Systems .................................................................................... V-6 Types of Information Tracked ..................................................................................... V-10 Customer Characteristics ....................................................................................... V-12 Services Used......................................................................................................... V-12 Outcomes and Customer Satisfaction .................................................................... V-13 Use of Information That is Tracked ............................................................................. V-14 Cost of Tracking Systems ........................................................................................... V-15 Conclusions................................................................................................................. V-16 VI. WHO USES SELF-SERVICES? .........................................................................VI-1 The Characteristics of Self-Services Users .................................................................. VI-1 Results from the Customer Survey .............................................................................. VI-6 Conclusions.................................................................................................................. VI-9 ii VII. SELF-SERVICE USAGE ....................................................................................VII-1 The Volume of Self-Service Customers ...................................................................... VII-1 Overall Numbers Being Served .............................................................................. VII-1 Annual Variations in Self-Service Customer Volume .............................................. VII-3 Frequency of Use........................................................................................................ VII-3 Patterns of Usage ....................................................................................................... VII-6 Types of Services Used .............................................................................................. VII-7 Results from the Tracking Systems ........................................................................ VII-7 Results from the Customer Survey ....................................................................... VII-11 Accessibility in Using Services .................................................................................. VII-13 General Accessibility Issues ................................................................................. VII-13 Accessibility for Customers with Disabilities ......................................................... VII-14 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ VII-16 VIII. STAFF ASSISTANCE WITH SELF SERVICES................................................VIII-1 Staffing the Resource Room ...................................................................................... VIII-2 Number of Staff Serving Self-Service Job Seeker Customers .............................. VIII-2 Funding of Resource Room Staff .......................................................................... VIII-3 Assisting