The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the experiences of Jobs for America’s Graduate (JAG) instructors and high school graduates who participated in the 12-month follow-up phase after graduation. The follow-up phase allowed JAG graduates and JAG instructors to remain connected by monthly contact for a year after graduation. JAG instructors provided ongoing support out of the school walls to JAG graduates by offering guidance counseling, providing employment assistance, and being a support system for the students. The researcher recruited 10 JAG instructors for the study who had conducted follow-up services for JAG graduates. Participants answered questions in individual interviews pertaining to the impact of follow-up services for JAG graduates and concerns regarding the 12-month follow-up phase. The results indicate that JAG instructors believed conducting follow-up had a positive impact on the trajectory of a high school graduate’s life as a young adult. Study findings also revealed the limited access of JAG graduates and JAG instructors, along with the concern of the length of time to conduct follow-up. This research study highlighted the areas of improvement for JAG to gain a more indepth and beneficial way to conduct follow-up. Based on the shared lived experiences of the JAG instructors it is recommended to include the JAG instructors in the modification of conducting follow-up. Additionally, it is important to implement best practices that are relevant to today’s JAG graduates so they can be successful while participating in the ongoing support.
| Date of Award | Jan 1 2025 |
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| Original language | English |
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| Supervisor | Gloria Kieley (Supervisor), Sherilyn Poole (Advisor) & Kimberly Durham (Advisor) |
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