Pathways To Reward

In Chicago, their is a program called Project Match which helps low income people obtain jobs and manage their affairs. A branch of this program is called Pathways to Rewards. The city has adopted this particular program in some public housing areas in 2004. So far the results have been good. Project Match is not a government program but a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.

“Central to Pathways to Rewards is the new incentive component. As individuals meet their goals, they earn points toward rewards such as DVD players, assistance with utility bills, and health club memberships. As with a “frequent flyer” program, people can redeem points for a small reward or accrue points over time for a larger reward. The rewards are announced at catered community events, held every three months, to which all the families participating in the pilot are invited.”

The State Of . . . Assistance. How would you feel if someone rewarded you for getting up and going to work? Or someone gave you $10 every time you were on time for your rent? Should we be treating people like children and rewarding them for things they should be doing anyway? Despite my initial reaction, this is a god program. For some reason, these people may not have received that positivreinforcementnt many of us got for getting straight A’s or perfect attendance. I guess it’s better late than never.