Home

  • About Owra / Practice Sites

    The Practice Sites allow users to familiarize themselves with the functions of the OWRA Tool, which helps social service agencies determine a customer’s readiness to successfully secure employment.

  • Video / Resource Library

    Instructional videos about the OWRA Tool explain its modules, reporting function, and its integration into assessment activities.

  • Implementation Checklist

    The checklist helps users identify the critical steps necessary to deploy and use the OWRA Tool.

  • Success Stories

    Read about organizations that currently use the OWRA Tool and their successes with motivational interviewing, case creation, and linkage with intake systems.

OWRA is a web-based tool that offers an innovative approach to creating a plan for clients that summarizes their strengths and barriers, and makes recommendations on placement into work activities and work supports. Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance, the OWRA Tool offers social service agency caseworkers and staff services for clients through five modules, including a detailed, comprehensive assessment of client’s strengths, barriers, and work readiness.

OWRA Modules

The OWRA Tool is organized into five related Modules that allow caseworkers:

  • To identify participants’ barriers to work;
  • To determine participants’ work skills and work readiness;
  • To link participants to pertinent development and work activities;
  • To use employment projections to align client interests with available jobs; and
  • To track and monitor participant activities.

Intake Module

Collects data on client demographics, employment and educational background, household composition, and finances.

Assessment Module

Organizes the information collected in the Intake Module and develops a comprehensive “snapshot” of barriers and strengths to work. This module assesses participants’ strengths and barriers, serving as the foundation for the resulting Self-Sufficiency Plan.

Self-Sufficiency Plan (SSP) and Work Readiness Resource (WRR)

Generates a customized pathway using information from the Intake and Assessment Modules. The SSP highlights client strengths, suggests recommendations for reducing client barriers, and encouraged customized referrals and recommendations to address barriers. In addition, the WRR is available to help case workers and participants explore resume writing, soft skill development, interests, abilities, labor market information, and other important elements of employment and career pathways.

Employment Projections

Identifies growing careers for each client in their geographic region based on education, employment history, legal barriers, work interests and career interests.

Reporting Module

Formats aggregated information over specified period of time about client population demographics, employment and education history, barriers, and career preferences. Provides comparison between client population needs and referrals; enables organizations to make data-based decisions about referral strategies, services, partners, and programs based on client needs.