OUP - Abstract

Paths to Employment: The Role of Social Networks and Space for Women on Welfare in San Francisco

Dissertation School: University of California, Berkeley

Pages: 368

Publication Date: April 2000

Availability:
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Access Number: 10714

Descriptors:
Welfare. Low-income households. Inner cities. Women.

Abstract:
This doctoral dissertation argues that social networks serve several special functions in the job search for women on welfare, based on in-depth interviews with 92 women currently or recently on welfare. They help protect welfare mothers from pervasive discrimination and help them transition into relatively well-paying, satisfying jobs. The findings of this dissertation indicate that the two policy fixes for the lack of job accessibility for women on welfare-"work first" job search programs and programs transporting women to suburban jobs- address the needs of only a small segment of this population. Only a more comprehensive, integrated approach, focusing on improving education and training, augmenting low wages, and building connections-and trust-between employers and jobseekers can offer hope to the women who experience difficulty in entering the workforce after child-rearing interruptions. [AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED]

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