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learn$ave Project: Final ReportChapter 4Implementation and service delivery: Lessons learnedThe process of developing and delivering a demonstrationproject of the size of learn$ave can provide a rich sourceof information for policy-makers and practitionersinvolved in the implementation of similar programs.This chapter first discusses lessons learned regardingrecruitment, the delivery of ancillary services (casemanagement and financial management training) andthe process of claiming or “cashing out” earned matchedcredits. The last part of the chapter discusses the role ofcommunity organizations in the delivery of learn$avewithin the context of on-going policy discussions onthe relative merits of using the tax system versus communityorganizations for the delivery of such programs.The research findings are drawn from several lines ofevidence. They are listed below and described in greaterdetail in Appendix C of this report, Kingwell et al. (2005)and Ritch (2008):• focus groups with participants and non-participants at anumber of sites and with participants with regular savingpatterns and those with patterns of low or no savings;• interviews with representatives of all 10 project deliverysites, on-site observations, and exit interviews with 39participants at the early stages of the project;• a mini 10-month follow-up survey of participants;• a Market Research Survey (MRS) in the threeexperimental sites; and• interviews with approximately 45 representatives of allproject partner organization conducted during the laterstages of the project.RecruitmentRecruitment was conducted through a variety of means,each with varying degrees of success. Across the sites,word of mouth proved to be the most effective way toattract new participants to the project but it took time tofirst build awareness of the project, and second to enrol acritical mass of participants who could help disseminateinterest for the project within their community and socialnetworks.Within a short period of time, these sites found thismethod to be fairly time-consuming and relativelyineffective in attracting applicants to the project. Forany number of reasons, other agencies did not serveas a significant source of referrals for participants inthe experimental sites. In fact, just eight per cent of allparticipants who enrolled in the experimental sites hadlearned about the project through a referral from anotherlocal agency (see Figure 4.1).Initially, learn$ave achieved very low recruitmentresults (see Figure 4.2). This is not inconsistent withwhat happened in the ADD project in the U.S. (Sherraden,Johnson, Clancy, Beverly, Schreiner, Zhan and Curley,2000). It is also similar to initial patterns in uptake ofother savings instruments aimed at lower income populations,such as the Canada Learning Bond. Several monthsinto the recruitment period, and with coordinationfrom SEDI, the project offices at the experimental sitesbegan to conduct an outreach campaign for the projectaimed directly at target clients, rather than at third-partyagencies. Their second-wave efforts included advertizingon public transit, in local newspapers, distributingbrochures and posters and arranging interviews withlocal media to promote awareness of the project amongFigure 4.1 Primary Method by which Participants Heard aboutlearn$ave, Program Group Participants100%80%60%40%20%At the three experimental sites, outreach began inAugust 2001 and as early as May 2001 in the first of thenon-experimental sites. Early in the recruitment periodall three experimental sites (but especially Halifax andToronto), drawing from past experiences in recruitingparticipants to smaller scale programs, relied heavily onoutreach through networking with other local agencies.0%Word ofmouthSource:Notes:MediaPoster/BrochureHRSDCOfficeOther Other methodAgency or unknownParticipant Management Information System.For this figure, data for the experimental study includesonly participants in the learn$ave-only and learn$aveplusgroups.Total sample size is 2,383.Social Research and Demonstration Corporation Chapter 4 | 31