Washington Service Corps: Program Evaluation

The Washington Service Corps (WSC) developed an augmented training and technical assistance program to build the capacity of WSC AmeriCorps members. The intervention aimed to prepare members to transition from service to career, feel more connected to each other, advance their leadership, and inspire them to be civically engaged beyond their service year. The evaluation report (Illuminate Evaluation Services, 2023) used a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design to evaluate the impact of the Washington Service Corps (WSC) training and technical assistance program on WSC AmeriCorps members’ capacity in leadership, civic engagement, and job readiness. 

Research Questions

1. Do WSC members who receive the augmented training experience demonstrate greater positive changes in their knowledge, attitudes, and skills related to each of the key topics of interest (i.e., leadership skills, civic engagement, and job readiness), compared to members who did not receive the training?
2. Are WSC members who receive the new training more likely to be connected to new career or education opportunities related to their service, compared with members who did not receive the training? 

Findings

• Feedback on the training was mixed. A slightly smaller portion of the treatment group found trainings to be useful on the pre- and post-survey (23% and 20% respectively) than the control group (36% and 45% respectively).
• The treatment group (i.e., those who participated in the augmented training program) demonstrated positive changes in their skills, attitudes, and knowledge around the three areas.
• The treatment group made more improvement pre- to post-survey on skills, attitudes, and knowledge compared to the control group, although the differences were not always statistically significant.
• WSC members who receive the augmented training were equally likely to be connected to new career or education opportunities related to their service, as the members who did not receive the training.
• Overall, WSC members were satisfied with their AmeriCorps service experience.