Using Coaching and Navigation to Promote Economic Mobility: Insights from a Convening

The path to economic mobility for many Americans—especially the most vulnerable—is difficult. Economic mobility requires knowledge of available opportunities for jobs, education, and training. It also requires supports such as child care, health services, and transportation that enable people to take advantage of those opportunities. Accessing these opportunities and supports can be burdensome, difficult, and time consuming, and can be especially challenging for people who also face the stressors of poverty and the oppression of structural racism. These difficulties have been exacerbated by the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic, which has disproportionately affected workers in low-income households and people of color.

This issue brief provides lessons learned from the convening. Topics include:

• The definitions of coaching and navigation
• The potential value of coaching and navigation
• Why coaching and navigation should be adapted to their context
• The need to implement coaching and navigation equitably
• The value of providing coaching and navigation services virtually
• Gaps in knowledge about coaching and navigation programs