Middle Class Express

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2011

The Middle Class Express is an innovative program that became operational in wake County in August, 2008. This program assists traditional users of social services programs in moving out of poverty and into the middle class. Using life coaching as a strategy, it helps participants develop life plans aiming at upper socioeconomic mobility. The program requires at least 40 hours a week of sweat equity in the form of work, studying, or training. Working progressively on either developmental tracks, it helps participants connect with opportunities to move forward. Over 100 clients have benefited, with different degrees of participation and commitment. This outcome based and data-driven program collects baseline information and provides tracking mechanisms for up to five years and produces bi-annual data reports. The latest comprehensive follow-up survey showed progress in specific socioeconomic indicators in almost all of the 40 most engaged participants that were available for this study. This program has enlisted dozens of enthusiastic volunteer workers, has served as a morale booster and has provided new staff development opportunities. This is a financially viable project, implemented within existing resources. The MCE is now being used as a state-wide model by the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners.