The principles of Success Technologies have been involved since 1994 in outcome-based approaches to self-sufficiency. We have been involved both as staff of not-for-profit agencies and as consultants. During that time, they have developed strategies for working with Temporary Aid to Needy Families and other poverty populations which consistently produce job placement and retentions at a rate much higher than the State average. This has been fueled partially by a payment schedule in which achievement of recruitment, placement, three-month, six-month, and year-long retentions were required in order to receive payment. Initial two-year success rates had 80% of clients employed at two years. In the final four years of the project, the program averaged over 70% of its customers being employed six months or more at the end of the year.  In the final year, it was 81%.

While there are obviously other factors involved, the skills and approaches included in this training have been used in these programs and have proven track records. In addition, we have worked and are working with United Way agencies in Indianapolis in improving outcomes in both self-sufficiency and youth development programs.

The goal of the program is to increase the number of customers who make a transition from welfare to earning a livable wage for their family.

Key Benefits

As a result of the completion of the Success Skills Training, workers will

• Increase their ability to match clients to jobs which reflect their working style which will increase long term job stability.
• Experience improved rapport with their customer
• Develop self-sufficiency plans which are strength based and customer driven
• Increase the percentage of their customers who are achieving their self sufficiency goals.
• Self report that they are more able to help customers negotiate barriers to self sufficiency.

Training Description

Introduction to Job Placement and Retention Strategies

If workforce development customers are going to remain employed, they must first be placed in an appropriate job.  This doesn't mean their ideal job.  It means a job that they can comfortably do and which links to their larger goals.  This one day introductory training provides an overview of successful job placement and retention processes.

Identifying Client's Work Style and Coaching for Success

This module teaches participants how to interview customers to determine customers' natural work strengths and style and understand how to help customers find a position that best matches their style and which they will enjoy and keep. This increases job retention.

The trainees learn to interview both with a Work Style Inventory sheet and with practice cards to give them maximum flexibility in profiling customers.

Maintaining Positive Attitude and Developing Rapid Rapport

This module will develop improved ability to develop rapport with and understand customers. In this training program and manual, participants will receive an overview of "presuppositions" about customers which help to develop rapport and develop successful working relationships with customers.

Interviewing for Commitment & Exploring Customers' Sabotaging Stories, Beliefs and Metaphors

This module teaches participants how to establish customer commitment through developing achievable outcomes which are consistent with the customers' values and culture. 

Trainees will also be able to identify and address sabotaging beliefs or life metaphors, such as "Life is a struggle", "Life is a roller-coaster", and "Life is hell" which prevent customers from succeeding.

Advanced Rapport and Information Gathering

In this module, trainees will learn how to recognize and match others' visual, auditory and kinesthetic "predicates" and match those predicates in order to develop even better rapport. 

They will also learn how to question customers when they need more information in order to better identify blocks and issues, while maintaining rapport.

Influential Language and Conversational Change

This module teaches how to use influential language to motivate customers and maintain customer optimism. This training and manual includes several language patterns which can successfully be used to motivate people towards their outcomes. 

In addition, there are specific models of dealing with change as transition and how to talk to people in ways that they naturally move through transitions. The manual includes several practice assignments, including practice cards that trainees can use for transfer of learning on a daily basis

Nurturing Strategic Competence

In this module, participants will learn to identify and solve problems with decision making, learning, motivation, and other "strategies" . One unsurprising discovery we have had with TANF populations is that they often have difficulties with making decisions, staying motivated, knowing who to trust, and other "strategic" issues. It will also teach workers how to model and teach successful strategies.

Identifying Goal Incongruence and Reframing

In this module, participants will learn to work with customers to identify and resolve goal incongruence, or mixed feelings about success. Often TANF populations have incongruence about success. This module teaches coaching customers with these issues

There is also an introduction to negotiation skills, with trainees practicing dealing with resistances which previous trainings haven't addressed.

Supervisory Overview and Transfer of Learning

During this one day training, supervisors will receive an orientation to each of the seven modules and methods of using the program instructional manuals for staff training and transfer of learning. For optimal results, supervisors are encouraged to attend the seven modules in addition to the overview.