Evaluating the COMPASS Pilot Programme

Mike Rochford

COMPASS is a voluntary programme designed to encourage sole-parent beneficiaries into the labour force, either directly or through education or training. It is a facilitative approach which aims to help sole parents identify and overcome the barriers to self-sufficiency. The COMPASS programme is part of a general move by the Department of Social Welfare towards a “one-on-one” case management approach to beneficiaries.

A fundamental element of the original proposal was formal evaluation of the pilot programme being run in four districts after its first year of operation, and this paper describes that evaluation. The key result was that the programme was effective in assisting sole-parent beneficiaries to take up training and to go off the benefit. Given certain assumptions about ongoing running costs and people staying off the benefit, the programme would also appear to be cost effective.

In conclusion, given that many of the positive outcomes might be expected to show up in the longer term, the results of the COMPASS evaluation are very promising. As a result, a decision has been made to extend the COMPASS programme to 41 districts, which will allow a further evaluation of its long-term effectiveness.