Multi-Generational Programs – An Innovative Approach to Helping Low-Income Populations Overcome Employment Barriers
When families face employment barriers, the challenges rarely affect just one person. A parent’s job loss can ripple through the entire household — impacting income, stability, children’s education, and long-term opportunity.
That’s why EDSI’s Multi-Generational (Multi-Gen) program takes a different approach. Instead of serving individuals in isolation, Multi-Gen supports the whole family at once — helping adults build career pathways while ensuring their children receive academic and social-emotional support at the same time.
Multi-generational strategies are increasingly recognized as an effective workforce solution, strengthening employment outcomes, building skills across generations, and improving long-term economic stability for families and communities alike, according to research from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
What began as an innovative pilot has evolved into a proven, scalable model that continues to grow — helping families move toward sustainable employment and brighter futures together.
A Model Built for the Whole Family
Multi-Gen first launched in 2019 through an innovation grant in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, with a simple but powerful goal: address workforce barriers holistically by supporting both parents and children at the same time
Since then, the program has served 193 adults and recently launched its 23rd cohort (with only one cancellation during COVID-19).
Each eight-week cohort is intentionally designed so families can learn, grow, and succeed together — not separately.
To explore the foundational philosophy behind the program, you can learn more about EDSI’s Multi-Generational programs, which highlights how service integration supports multiple generations simultaneously.
How Adults Are Supported
At the heart of Multi-Gen is an employer-driven Customer Service Boot Camp that prepares adults with the skills, confidence, and credentials needed to enter or re-enter the workforce.
Participants attend structured classes focused on:
- Professional communication
- Workplace expectations
- Customer service competencies
- Job readiness and soft skills
- Career exploration and employment pathways
But the experience goes far beyond classroom instruction.
Adults build peer support networks, practice real-world scenarios, and receive consistent encouragement from facilitators who understand the barriers they may be facing. The environment is designed to be interactive, engaging, and confidence-building — helping participants rediscover their strengths and see new possibilities for themselves and their families.
To reduce common participation barriers, the program also offers family-centered supports and incentives tied to consistent engagement.
At the end of the eight weeks, graduates:
- Earn a Customer Service Boot Camp certificate
- Receive their certificate framed at a formal graduation ceremony
- Celebrate their achievement alongside their children and peers
That ceremony isn’t just symbolic — it reinforces pride, accomplishment, and momentum toward employment.
A Participant’s Perspective
The heart of Multi-Gen is best described by the people who experience it.
One recent graduate shared:
“Eight weeks didn’t seem so bad after all, so I decided to give it a shot. Once I started, I quickly realized I wasn’t alone — everyone here had that same motivation. We all wanted to improve ourselves, and that shared goal created such a positive environment.
The games, the applause, the words of affirmation, and the encouragement made this program stand out from anything I had experienced before.
Multi-Gen had become more than just a class — it was my time to connect with my Multi-Gen family. Through Multi-Gen, I gained a new perspective and a solid understanding of the core competencies that make great customer service possible.
This journey has been incredible, and I am so grateful to have been a part of it. Thank you, Multi-Gen, for an experience I will never forget.”
Stories like this are echoed at every graduation.
Dedicated Support for Children — Not Just Childcare
Multi-Gen stands out because children aren’t simply supervised while parents attend class — they receive structured, individualized academic support delivered by a dedicated education team.
Led by education partner Chrissy Murrin and a team of experienced teachers, the youth component runs alongside the adult training so the entire family benefits.
Each child meets with a teacher twice per week virtually for personalized sessions that may include homework help, tutoring, skill-building, or project assistance. Families share their child’s strengths, challenges, and goals through an intake survey, allowing support to be fully customized.
The approach is flexible and family-driven. Sessions can be rescheduled around sports, school events, or device access to meet each household’s needs.
A licensed clinical social worker also serves as a trusted resource, connecting families to food supports, school advocacy, or additional services when needed. Materials and books are even shipped home so students and teachers can work side-by-side in real time.
This intentional design ensures that when parents are learning, their children are learning too.
Real Results That Matter
Workforce research shows that programs integrating wraparound services — such as childcare, transportation assistance, and individualized support — can significantly improve training completion rates and employment outcomes compared with traditional models that focus solely on job training.
The impact of Multi-Gen is measurable — and growing.
In 2025 alone:
20 adults graduated across two cohorts
14 secured employment, resulting in a 70% employment placement rate
Across cohorts, families consistently report increased confidence, stronger communication at home, and improved academic outcomes for their children.
Multi-Gen doesn’t just help someone get a job — it strengthens the foundation of the entire household.
Why It Works
Multi-Gen removes competing priorities.
Parents don’t have to choose between advancing their careers and supporting their children’s education — they can do both at the same time.
Workforce research shows that programs that combine training with supportive services are more effective at driving completion and placement than those that do not, underscoring the value of Multi-Gen’s holistic design.
The Multi-Gen Program:
- Builds employability skills
- Strengthens family bonds
- Improves academic outcomes
- Reduces logistical and emotional barriers
- Creates a peer community of encouragement
And because the framework — curriculum, timelines, staffing structure, and best practices — is already developed, new regions can launch quickly without building a program from scratch.
Interested in Bringing Multi-Gen to Your Community?
Communities across the country are looking for workforce solutions that create lasting, generational impact — not just short-term outcomes. Multi-Gen offers a ready-to-implement, family-centered model that has already proven effective.
If you’re exploring ways to better support families in your region, we’d love to connect and share what we’ve learned.
Ready to learn more about EDSI’s Multi-Generational programs and how this evidence-based approach can be adapted in your community?
Complete the form below and our team will follow up with additional information.