The document summarizes a study that evaluated the effectiveness of the Casey Life Skills curriculum for homeless young adults living in a transitional living program. The study involved 13 participants ages 18-21 who received six 1-hour life skills workshops over 6 weeks. Participants completed an anonymous post-workshop evaluation using a Likert scale. Results showed that 78% of participants strongly agreed the workshops helped them gain skills for independent living and master tasks taught. The study provides initial evidence that the Casey Life Skills curriculum can help homeless young adults but has limitations such as small sample size.

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Background
Casey Life Skills areas of concentration:
• Work and study habits
• Planning and goal-setting
• Using community resources
• Daily living activities
• Budgeting and paying bills
• Computer literacy
• Their permanent connections to caring
adults
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Casey Life Skills
curriculum when used with homeless young adults living in a transitional living program
•
Limitations
• Time limited research
• Small sample size not representative of
general homeless population
• Experience of Facilitators
• Length of Workshop
• External conflict with case manager or
other housemates
• Non Standardized measure
All Grown Up: Working With Homeless Young Adults to Become Independent
Andrea K. Alisauski, Texas Christian University
Linda Goodman, LMSW, Program Director, Transitional Living Program
James Petrovich, LMSW, PhD Texas Christian University
Sample
• Homeless
• Sheltered Residential Clients
• Ages 18-21
• 6 Males and 7 Females
• 8 African Americans, 3 Hispanic, 2
Caucasian
Methods
• Data collected from 2/19/15 – 4/1/15
• Non- experimental post test design
• Anonymous agency created evaluation
• Six 1 hour life skills workshops evaluated
• Data evaluated on Likert scale
* Strongly Disagree and Disagree were also given as options, however,
participants never indicated that they strongly disagreed or disagreed with any of
the questions. As a result, those columns were eliminated from the table
Neither Agree or
Disagree Agree
Strongly
Agree
Total
Evaluations
The workshop was suited to meeting your goals of
living independently 1 (3%) 5 (17%) 23 (79%) 29
The information discussed in the workshop was
important for living independently 2 (7%) 5 (17%) 22 (76%) 29
You could Master the task taught in workshop on
your own 1 (3%) 5 (17%) 23 (79%) 29
You learned something during this work shop that
will help you live independently 2 (7%) 5 (17%) 22 (76%) 29
You have a better understanding of your personal
talents, skills or gifts after this workshop 2 (7%) 4 (14%) 23 (79%) 29
You feel more empowered to make positive life
choices to assist you in living independently after
this workshop 3 (10%) 3 (10%) 23 (79%) 29
Neither Agree
or
Disagree
6%
Agree
16%
Strongly
Agree
78%
Overall Effectiveness
Objectives
• Assist homeless aged 18-21 to learn life skills
necessary to live independently without
community resources
• Add to the understanding of working with
homeless young adults in transitional living
programs to improve outcomes
Findings
Discussion
• Overall, participants feel they are gaining the
life skills necessary to live independently.
• Participants feel confident they have mastered
tasks taught
Future Research
• Application of program should be further
examined using trained facilitators
• Evaluation of actual application of skills
taught in real life – more hands on
• Amount of time spent on education
workshops- is 1 hr. enough?
• Depth of subject being taught
References
House, C. (2015, 04 10). Annual Report. Retrieved from City House :
http://www.cityhouse.org/2014AnnualReport.pdf
Programs, C. F. (2014, 10 15). Casey Life Skills. Retrieved from Casey Family Programs:
http://www.casey.org/casey-life-skills-resources
Ken Hodge, S. D. (2012). Developing a Conceptual Framework For Life Skills Intervention. The
Counseling Psychologist, 1-28.