Building Futures Project: Relationships, Education, Advancement, and Development for Youth for Life (READY4Life) Study

This study was in response to Grant Number HHS-2020-ACF-OFA-ZD-1838 from the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Study enrollment began on May 2021, and continued through May 2024. The sample size for the study was 718. The goal of this descriptive evaluation was to assess the extent to which participation in the program was associated with improved partner relationships as well as sexual, financial, and employment attitudes and behaviors outcomes among program participants. The aim of the AVANCE-Houston Building Futures program was to facilitate successful transitions to adulthood for cohorts of at-risk and homeless youth. We believe this report can inform practitioners in the HMRF field and beyond on how to deliver healthy relationship education and financial readiness skills to vulnerable youth, both in person and virtually. Primary research questions for this study are as follows: a) Did participants report healthier partner relationship attitudes from program enrollment to program completion? b) Did participants report healthier sexual attitudes from program enrollment to program completion? c) Did participants report healthier partner relationship behavior from program enrollment to 1 year after enrollment? d) Did participants report healthier financial attitudes from program enrollment to program completion? e) Did participants report healthier employment attitudes from program enrollment to program completion? Secondary research questions for this study are as follows: f) How did participant outcomes above change from program enrollment to program completion or 1 year after enrollment when delivering the SSHF curriculum with a virtual format compared to in person format? Participants in the study resided in the greater Houston, TX area. The average age for participants was 15.75, and 57% of the participants were female. The majority (60%) of the participants received the program virtually. More than one third (35%) of the participants reported their race as Black or African American, followed by White (29%). At 63%, most participants reported their ethnicity as Hispanic or Latino. Paired t-tests were conducted on continuous constructs using timepoint 1 (nFORM Entrance, OLLE Pre) and timepoint 2 (nFORM Exit, OLLE Post, OLLE Follow-Up) data. For categorical variables—such as yes/no questions —McNemar’s chi-square tests were used to compare pre/post differences in proportions. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05, and no adjustments for multiple comparisons were made. Tests were reported in terms of p-values. The study’s results showed minimal changes (positive or negative) for partner relationship attitudes, partner relationship behaviors, and employment attitudes outcomes measured from baseline to post-test. Sexual attitudes remain unchanged. The only measure that approached statistical significance was financial attitudes. We found similar results when separately analyzing our in-person and virtual groups of students. Additionally, we found minimal significant differences in our subgroup for ethnicity and race, but not for gender.