Many human services programs are designed such that individuals must make active decisions and go through a series of steps in order to benefit from them, from deciding which programs to apply for, to completing forms, attending meetings, showing proof of eligibility, and arranging travel and childcare.
Program designers often implicitly assume that individuals will carefully consider options and make decisions that maximize their well-being. But research in the area of behavioural economics has shown that human decision-making is often imperfect and imprecise. People procrastinate, get overwhelmed by choices, and miss important details. As a result, both programs and participants may not always achieve the goals they set for themselves. In addition to all these challenges related to getting started, they must keep showing up for training or employment no matter their personal challenges or motivation levels.