TIP® program was developed by Dr. Philip Hong and his research team at Loyola University Chicago. It is a transformative social change model that serves as a framework to empower individuals and to have lasting ripple effects on the outer layers of social systems for greater impact. Based on 10 years (2004-2014) of evidence generated through Dr. Hong’s research on psychological self-sufficiency (PSS) in workforce development, TIP emerged as a core job readiness content that supports successful employment and economic outcomes in the labor market.

Starting in the summer of 2014, Dr. Hong and his research team in collaboration with Hope Works, a social service agency in Woodlawn, Chicago, partnered in developing TIP and implemented its first training at Hope Works in November 2014. TIP has received strong support and has been used by the Mentoring Program at Safer Foundation. TIP as an evidence-informed program will challenge the workforce system and labor market in general to be more human-centered.

Here’s what TIP is:
  • Evidence-informed intervention model that addresses the psychological self-sufficiency (PSS) process in workforce development.
  • PSS comprises perceived employment barriers and employment hope. They can be measured by the Perceived Employment Barrier Scale (PEBS) and the Short Employment Hope Scale (EHS-14) (see Research for related publications).
  • PSS is conceptualized as a psychological capital that serves as the core skill set necessary to develop and glue together the mosaic of all human and social capital.
  • TIP® program is an evidence-informed intervention model developed by research team at Loyola University Chicago in collaboration with group work practitioners. Its transformative leadership development curriculum empowers the participants to develop self-awareness, confidence, hope, goal-orientation, leadership, accountability, conscientiousness, and grit, it is anticipated that it improves both employment and retention outcomes. TIP program is made up of transformative 15-session employment readiness modules designed to assist low-income job seekers transition from long-term unemployment—due to welfare receipt, homelessness, substance abuse, mental health issues, prison sentencing, etc.—to employment.

Dr. Hong’s research team at Loyola University Chicago is working on various versions of TIP curriculum in application to the following key areas and contexts in human services:
  • Workforce development
  • Health and mental health
  • Housing / homelessness
  • Youth development / academic success
  • Ex-offender reentry
  • Social enterprise
  • Financial literacy and capability
  • Refugee resettlement
  • Native American empowerment

TIP Curriculum Outline

TIP Theory of Change

TIP® is a copyrighted material (Material) owned by Dr. Philip Hong and Loyola University Chicago. Material consists of the outline and curriculum content of the evidence-informed Transforming Impossible into Possible (TIP) ® program and its evaluative psychological self-sufficiency metrics—Employment Hope Scale (EHS) and Perceived Employment Barrier Scale (PEBS)—developed by Professor Philip Hong at Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work. Please contact the author at phong@luc.edu before using the Material.
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Loyola University Chicago
Center for Research on Self-Sufficiency (CROSS)
​School of Social Work
1 E. Pearson St. | Maguire Hall
Chicago, IL 60611
http://www.tipprogram.org
CROSSCenter@luc.edu