A study of client perceptions of the St. John's Work Activity Project and the perceived benefits of program participation

Barbour, Roy E. (1989) A study of client perceptions of the St. John's Work Activity Project and the perceived benefits of program participation. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

One of the greatest social problems in Canada today is unemployment. It is particularly difficult for young persons who may be considered socially disadvantaged to find employment. Various programs in this country and others have been developed to help the unemployed upgrade their academic skills and/or learn new skills which will enhance their ability to find work and become independent members of society. -- This study describes such a program, The St. John's Work Activity project, and how it was perceived by social assistance recipients who participated in it. There were two purposes to the study: -- (1) to obtain the perceptions of participants about the program and their experiences in it and -- (2) to ascertain the perceived benefits of the program. -- A random sample of 50 persons was selected from a population of 150 clients who attended The St. John's Work Activity Project. Data was collected from questionnaires administered to persons in their homes. In addition to the clients' perception and experiences of the program and how it benefitted them, the study instrument also provided a demographic profile of participants and a measure of their self-esteem and life satisfaction. The results of the study showed that the St. John's Work Activity Project was perceived quite positively by the participants as 72 percent reported they were very satisfied with the program. Eighty-four percent said they benefitted from the project and that their expectations were met. Among other things the data also showed that while these persons may be considered to be socially and economically disadvantaged, they appear to be reasonably happy, have high self-esteem and enjoy significant social contact and support from family and friends.

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