A Closer Look at Riverside's GAIN Program

During his analysis on smart practices, Bardach mentions Riverside's GAIN Program and labels it as a successful "high- expectations welfare-to-work program" (111-112). However, Bardach neglected to fully illustrate what this program actually entailed. Riverside GAIN was unique among the programs studied in the larger California GAIN initiative in that it placed much more emphasis on moving participants quickly into the workforce — and much less emphasis on providing basic education — even for those deemed to be in need of basic education. For instance, the program conveyed a strong message to all participants about the importance of employment, and encouraged participants to accept job offers even if they were low paying. Given that recipients of Riverside's GAIN Program were encouraged to aim low in order to attain a job, I found Bardach's use of "high-expectations" to be questionable.