An Implementation Coaching Framework to Support a Career and University Readiness Program for Underserved First-Year College Students

Intervention research is replete with examples of finely crafted innovations showing initial efficacy in tightly controlled experimental contexts only to fail when they are implemented in typical use settings. While the reasons for such failures are broad, implementation science shows a targeted and judicious use of appropriate competency drivers, such as coaching to innovation providers, increases the likelihood that promising interventions can be used with effectiveness. This article discusses how an implementation coaching framework is used to implement a novel career and university readiness (CCR) program. The SELF CARE program utilizes university residential life community directors to implement a manualized social-emotional learning (SEL) and community and cultural wealth (CCW) curriculum with the purpose of enhancing the protective and thriving skills of growth mind-set, sense of belonging, self-management, self-advocacy, and community and cultural wealth (see Appendix A). SELF CARE targets underserved university students with the goal of supporting their thriving at a predominantly White institution (PWI).