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A Bottom-up Definition of Self-sufficiencyVoices from Low-income JobseekersLoyola University Chicago, USA, phong{at}luc.edu
Better Family Life Inc./Metropolitan Education and Training (MET) Center, USA, asheriff{at}metcenterstl.com
Safe Connections, USA, naegersr{at}yahoo.com Self-sufficiency (SS) is the epitome of America’s ‘reluctant’ welfare state. It is generally accepted in social welfare policy circles as a concept related to independence and financial stability. Nevertheless, SS is not a term agreed upon in practice by policymakers, researchers, or service providers and is frequently used without a clear common definition. In this sense, the purpose of this study is to explore the extent to which the top-down definition of ‘economic’ SS as the social policy goal is consistent with how the clients of job training programs perceive the term. Using a grounded theory approach, a bottom-up definition of SS was derived from a focus group of low-income jobseekers. The focus group was transcribed for a content analysis from which a client-centered definition of SS was drawn. Findings suggest that SS is a process of developing psychological strength properties and a goal-oriented progression toward realistic financial outcomes. Implications for evidence-based community interventions for client empowerment and workforce development are suggested.
Key Words: empowerment • focus groups • grounded theory • hope • poverty • self-sufficiency • workforce development
Qualitative Social Work, Vol. 8, No. 3,
357-376 (2009) |
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