learning outcomes report.seminar re veterans.hals

Outcomes of Pilot Online Interactive Course:

SSVF Housing Resource Navigation

FY 2013 Annual Report

Produced by the SSVF Technical

Assistance Team

For the U.S. Department of

Veterans Affairs

SSVF Interactive Course Pre and Post Test Outcome Report, Option Year 2 ▌pg. 1

Introduction

The report presents outcomes for the pilot implementation of an interactive, distance learning course

created for case managers employed by Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) grantee

organizations. The pilot training enrolled 20 students representing 20 different, pre-selected SSVF

grantees. Participants were chosen, based on their training needs, by the VA’s SSVF Regional

Coordinators.

Course Overview

The pilot course, titled SSVF Housing Resource Navigation, taught students to identify and navigate

affordable housing resources in their own communities so they could better meets the needs of

homeless SSVF participants seeking rapid re-housing assistance. Specifically, it surveyed housing

resource categories, locators, and information clearinghouses. Furthermore, the course helped

students organize resource information into reference materials for their own use and built key related

competencies needed to capitalize on their new resource knowledge and capacity.

All students in the pilot first met individually with the course facilitator for a pre-course orientation.

Throughout November and December of 2013, the course was implemented with students organized

into two cohorts of ten. Each group met weekly in four, two-hour sessions. In the final session,

students presented their own detailed maps of housing resources identified in their own communities

that best fit SSVF needs. In between sessions, students debriefed and collaborated on homework with

assigned peer partners.

Goals and Objectives

The pilot course had a broad learning goal of increasing students’ competence in navigating their

community’s housing resources. This goal included two objectives: (1) increase each student’s

knowledge of housing resources and (2) heighten each student’s confidence in navigating this arena.

These course objectives were developed to align with VA’s SSVF Practice Standards and,

specifically, a subset of standards within the Services: Non-financial practice area.


Evaluation Methodology

The pilot course was developed with the intent of evaluating outcomes of students’ participation

before bringing it to a fuller scale.

Instrument

Course facilitators developed a Pre and Post Test Survey (Appendix A) to evaluate outcomes. The

survey was distributed twice to each student - within one week before the course began and within

one week after the course was completed. On both surveys, students responded to the same eight

questions. Prior to the survey’s implementation, potential answers to each question were pre-scored

and associated with a maximum number of points to provide a standard reference for scoring

completed surveys. This method measured changes in students’ knowledge and confidence resulting

from course participation.

Survey Design

The Pre and Post Test Survey was designed, and results analyzed, in consultation with an expert in

program evaluation practice, Professor Suzanne Piening, PhD, who is on the faculty of Boston

College Graduate School of Social Work.

In addition, a Post-participation Survey (Appendix B) was carried out by graduate students at the

School of Social Work in conjunction with a research methodology course. This follow up survey

measured application of course knowledge, course satisfaction, and efficacy of course activities.


Results of Pre and Post Test

Results of the Pre and Post Test Survey indicated positive changes in both of the two objectives of the

SSVF Housing Resource Navigation Course: increases to knowledge and confidence.

Changes in Knowledge

Students demonstrated increases in knowledge in response to all of the first five questions in the

survey. As shown in Table I, the most marked increases were in students’ improved grasp of all of

the categories of housing resources as well as better insight as to where to readily find rental listing

sources for available units.

Table I. Pre and Post Test Knowledge Increases

Question 1: Knowledge of Categories of Housing Resources Question 2: Knowledge of Housing Locators and Information Clearinghouses Question 3: Knowledge of Listing Sources for Available Units Question 4: Knowledge of Fair Housing and Discrimination Resources Question 5: Knowledge of Approaches to Housing Search

Changes in Confidence

Students demonstrated increases in confidence in response to all three of the latter questions in the

survey. As shown in Table II, the most marked increase was in students’ sense of personal confidence

that they could successfully navigate all the various categories of housing resources.

Table II. Pre and Post Test Confidence Increases

Question 1: Confidence to Navigate All Local Housing Resources Question 2: Breadth of Resource Materials Available to Help Question 3: Sense of Preparedness to Conduct Housing Searches

0

20

40

60

80

1 2 3 4 5

Pre-test Post-test

0

20

40

60

1 2 3 Pre-test Post-test


Results of Follow-Up

A Three Month Follow-Up Survey indicated that students were utilizing course resources,

demonstrating confidence and preparedness, and expressing satisfaction with the course.

Application of Knowledge

Student responses indicated that they regularly utilized the concrete information gleaned from the

course, pursued new housing options, and had improved relationships with SSVF participants as a

result.

Table I. Application of Course Knowledge

Course Satisfaction

Student responses indicated that information learned in the course was useful, the facilitator is

knowledgeable, and that they would recommend such a learning modality to others.

Table II. Satisfaction

Confidence and Preparedness

Student responses indicated that they continued to feel an increase in confidence when working with

SSVF participants and were more prepared to navigate housing options three months after the course.

Table III. Confidence and Preparedness

0

5

10

T F

Pursue new housing options

Improved relationship

0

2

4

6

8

Strongly agree

Agree Somewhat agree

Disagree Strongly disagree

Useful

Faciliator is knowledgeable

Recommend webinar

0

2

4

6

1 2 3 4 5

Confidence

Preparedness


Discussion

This outcome report indicates that students in the two pilot cohorts for the SSVF Housing Resource

Navigation course made gains in both knowledge and confidence. Furthermore, three months after

course completion, students effectively used the knowledge gleaned in the course at a significant rate.

Implications

The outcomes outlined in this report confirm that, for this cohort, the intensive, interactive course

format was an effective approach to increasing knowledge and confidence of the SSVF workforce. In

the realm of knowledge, this format proved to be effective both in areas where students know

relatively little as well as areas where students have some prior background. In the realm of

confidence, the same pattern is observed.

Recommendations

Despite its merits, this interactive course format was ultimately deemed impractical, given its small

scale, for ongoing replication. Nevertheless, it is recommended that the general interactive approach

of this course continue to be replicated in various new forms in SSVF regional meetings planned to

meet the ongoing training needs of the SSVF workforce.


Appendix A Pre and Post Test Instrument

Pre and Post Test Instrument: Pilot of SSVF Housing Resource Navigation Course

Questions Score

1. Name some broad categories of housing resources and housing arrangements that could be ideal housing solutions for your SSVF rapid re-housing participants?

1 point for each correct answer out of possible 5 points

2. What are some local information clearinghouses, directories, web based search engines etc. that can help you identify landlords, management companies, and subsidized housing (with or without Veteran or homeless preferences)?

1 point for each named resource named out of possible 4 points

3. What are some local resources in your SSVF target area that can help you find actual listings of specific available market rate and/or subsidized housing units?

1 point for each named resource named out of possible 4 points

4. What community-based organization(s) will you OR do you partner with to support SSVF participants for whom "fair housing" issues arise?

1 point for each named organization out of possible

5. What are some approaches you can use for establishing an effective partnership with your SSVF participants in the task of housing search?

1 point for each correct answer named out of possible 4 points

6. How confident are you in navigating all local affordable housing resources on behalf of your SSVF rapid re-housing participants?

Scale of 1-3 points

7. Breadth of resource materials material that is available to you now to help with serving SSVF rapid re-housing participants?

Scale of 1-4 points

8. How well prepared do you feel to survey an array of affordable housing options on behalf of your SSVF rapid re-housing participants?

Scale of 1-4 points

Possible Answers 1. (a) Private market rate housing; (b) housing set aside for persons exiting homelessness; (c) housing set aside

for Veterans, (d) mainstream affordable housing categories, (e) special population housing categories 2. Social Serve; State Housing Locators; HFA Agency Locators; CoC Housing Inventory Chart, 10K Homes; Local

Homeless Coalition Housing Directories; Affordable Housing Clearinghouses; Rent-o-Meter; Other 3. Craigs List, Zillow, Reator.com; Real Estate Agents; GoSection8; Other Search Engines; Classified Listings; 4. Non-profit Legal Service Organization; Local Government Fair Housing; Tenants Rights Organizations; Other 5. (a) Contracting via Service Agreements, (b) encouraging shadowing, (c) debriefing/discussing (c) co-writing

To Do Lists (d) modeling; (e) questioning; Other

Note on Methodology The Pre and Post Test Instrument was designed to measure knowledge acquisition and confidence

levels of SSVF case managers in the arenas of Housing Resource Navigation both before and after

participation in the pilot course. The instrument was administered to each participant individually

via an electronic survey instrument. The same instrument was administered to each individual

participant who completed the training.


Appendix B Three Month Follow-Up Survey

Three Month Follow-Up Survey: Pilot of SSVF Housing Resource Navigation Course

Questions Response Options

I would describe the target geographic area of our program as primarily: Urban; Rural; Both

I currently use the reference information developed during the course: Daily; Several times a week; Once a month; Rarely

I currently use the information on my own Housing Resource Map: Daily; Several times a week; Once a month; Rarely

I now pursue housing resources and approaches that I may not have otherwise pursued prior to participating in the course:

True; False; I’m not sure

My relationships with Veterans served through SSVF have improved since participating in the webinar:

True; False; Not sure

This GoToMeeting interactive feature used during the course that helped me learn best was:

Webcam; Passing the Screen; Chatbox: Video Play; Audio Play; Other

This method of delivery in the course that helped me learn best was:: Interacting with my peers; Participating in activities; Translating content to my local context; Meeting with my assigned partner; Creating my own housing map for peer review

The information acquired during the course is useful to me in my work with SSVF participants:

Strongly agree; Agree; Somewhat agree; Disagree; Strongly disagree

The course facilitator appeared knowledgeable in the given subject: Strongly agree; Agree; Somewhat agree; Disagree; Strongly disagree

I would recommend this course as a learning modality for others in the SSVF workforce:

Strongly agree; Agree; Somewhat agree; Disagree; Strongly disagree

I feel in my abilities to assist SSVF participants in navigating the housing market after completion of the webinar.

More confident; Somewhat confident; The same confidence level; Less confident; Not at all confident

I now feel___________ to survey an array of affordable housing options on behalf of your SSVF rapid re-housing participants?

Very well prepared; Prepared; Somewhat prepared; More unprepared than prepared; Unprepared

Note on Methodology The Three Month Follow Up Survey was developed by Boston College School of Social Work students

in conjunction with a research methodology course. The instrument was administered to each

participant individually via an electronic survey instrument.

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