Report
In January 2023, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) launched the MetLife Foundation Pathways project at three locations – Oakland, New Jersey, and New York. This initiative employs a bundled services approach to deliver workforce development, financial capability services, and connection to public benefits. Inspired by the Annie E. Casey Foundations Center for Working Families framework, this initiative utilized a bundled services approach that combined three essential service areas – workforce development, financial capability, and connection to public benefits – to address the needs of vulnerable immigrant populations. The program design is built on the principle that these services are most effective in improving economic stability when offered together. Although this approach has shown success with various low-income populations, there is a notable gap in research demonstrating its effectiveness for refugee, asylee, and other immigrant populations.
To assess the efficacy of this approach, the IRC collaborated with Social Policy Research Associates (SPR) to evaluate the project's implementation and outcomes. The IRC is pleased to share both the interim implementation and outcomes study and the final outcomes and impact study reports. These reports draw on an analysis of project participant data, comparison data, and interviews with clients and staff to address the evaluation’s guiding research questions.
Key findings indicate that the project successfully improved employment and financial outcomes for participants, suggesting that the bundled approach is a promising strategy to support refugee, asylee, and other immigrant populations. The impact study results demonstrate that the integrated service approach positively affected participants’ self-sufficiency. Additionally, a surprising finding was the lack of a gender gap in employment rates among participants.
