Supporting the Pathways to Work Evidence Clearinghouse

Highlights

The Pathways to Work Evidence Clearinghouse reviews evidence on employment and training programs to improve outcomes for individuals with low-incomes.
Abt operates the second generation of the Pathways to Work Clearinghouse.
We will produce a range of research syntheses and evidence-to-practice guides.

The Challenge

Improving outcomes for job seekers with low incomes remains a critical task for U.S. social policy. Over the past three decades, significant strides have been made to build evidence on programs to improve the economic stability of those with low incomes or barriers to employment, and the efforts have resulted in a rich literature to inform policy and practice. The Pathways to Work Evidence Clearinghouse (Pathways to Work), spearheaded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), systematically reviews existing evidence on employment and training programs to provide policymakers, program providers, and researchers with a curated repository of knowledge on interventions that help to support self-sufficiency and improve employment outcomes.

The Approach

Abt operates the second generation of Pathways to Work. Our work includes a major website upgrade, development of new product lines (including evidence-to-practice guides), and the curation and updating of existing product lines, which include evidence gap maps, evidence synthesis reports, and a tool to help users pinpoint the evidence that aligns to their needs. We are also engaging field-based practitioners who advise the team and ensure that the perspectives of users are embedded in our approach and represented on the leadership team.

Along with our partners—the American Institutes for Research and Greene Street Communications—Abt will continuously improve the quality, speed, and insights in its reviews of existing research.

The Results

We will produce a comprehensive range of synthesis materials, comprising reports, briefs, videos, and evidence gap maps. Additionally, we will create a series of evidence-to-practice guides containing actionable recommendations specifically tailored for providers of employment and training services. Abt is also launching a large-scale active engagement effort to help draw audiences to the clearinghouse, sense their needs, and continuously improve the clearinghouse’s offerings based on those needs.