To effectively serve many youth and adults, a multi-generational or two-generational approach may needed to ensure employment retention and self-sufficiency for a family.
Top Ten for 2Gen
Researchers at the Aspen Institute identified principles that differentiate two-generation policies from other policies that serve parents or children separately.
The Aspen Institute's "Top Ten for 2Gen: Policies and Principles to Advance Two-Generation Efforts" outlines six principles and ten specific policies to guide the design and implementation of effective two-generation strategies.
- Measure and account for outcomes for both children and their parents
- Engage and listen to the voices of families
- Foster innovation and evidence together
- Align and link systems and funding streams
- Prioritize intentional implementation
- Ensure equity.
Strategies for Two-Generation Approaches
In many cases, counselors and case managers will need to assess whether a two-generation approach may work better to break the cycle of poverty, ensure first generation college attendance, reduce recidivism, or remedy a number of other issues that can persist from generation to generation.
