Job Training
Interviewer: First let's talk about job training. If you would please, describe your experience with job training including your efforts to get a job. And you might talk about if there are any jobs available for you in the type of employment you are looking for or, because of your age, if there are any jobs. And did you get any training, was it quality training with these programs, and did the training lead to a job.

Participant: Well, I don't have a job. I've been looking for one, but I can't find one.

Interviewer: OK.

Participant: I've turned in like a lot of applications, but nobody has called to hire me or anything. (dog whining)

Interviewer: OK. What kind of jobs are you applying for?

Participant: Like fast food restaurants. I want to be a veterinarian when I grow up, so.

Interviewer: Good.

Participant: They have this like training at school that I want to do, but I have to talk with the counselor so that she can put me in the class. (dog whining)

Interviewer: OK. So, your social worker hasn't helped you find any job training or a job.

Participant: No, I really haven't talked to her about it. (baby laughing)

Interviewer: You haven't talked with her about it.

Participant: No.

Interviewer: OK. So how long have you had a social worker assigned to you?

Participant: I've only been here for like six months.

Interviewer: Six months. Did you just move to this area?

Participant: Yea, from Louisiana.

Interviewer: Oh, OK. So if there was training available, would you be interested in that training to help find a job?

Participant: Yea, I would. (dog whining)

Employment
Interviewer: Have you ever had a job?

Participant: No.

Interviewer: Never?

Participant: No.

Interviewer: OK. I'll have to see which other questions apply to your situation.

Child Care
Interviewer: Let's talk about child care. You told me that you are in school, correct?

Participant: Yes.

Interviewer: What grade are you in?

Participant: I'm going to be a senior next year.

Interviewer: You will be a senior in high school. OK. Can you tell me about getting child care? Do you get help with child care?

Participant: I leave her here. My sister takes care of her while I go to school.

Interviewer: OK. You never have to leave her anywhere else?

Participant: No. (dog whining)

Interviewer: OK. So your sister is always the one who keeps her, or do other family members help?

Participant: Well, if my sister can't do it, then my mom does. My mom is home all day.

Interviewer: OK. (dog barking) So if you were to get a job, it wouldn't be a problem to have your child care taken care of? You can usually work it out between the three of you?

Participant: Yea, I have like four sisters, so someone is always around.

Transportation
Interviewer: That's wonderful for you. (dog barking) What about travel? Do you have a car?

Participant: No, I don't even have a license.

Interviewer: No license yet?

Participant: No.

Interviewer: OK. How do you get around when you need to go somewhere?

Participant: My mom takes me or my dad or my sister. She has a car.

Interviewer: Do you ever take the bus or public transportation?

Participant: No, I don't even have a bus schedule or anything.

Interviewer: OK. Do you know if the bus comes around here?

Participant: Yes, it does come right up the street, but I don't know the times.

Interviewer: In case you needed transportation, you could take the bus.

Participant: Yea.

Interviewer: So, it's not a hardship on your parents to take you, with gas money or anything like that?

Participant: No. No.

Health and Health Care
Interviewer: OK. What about your health? Have you had any trouble with obtaining health benefits for yourself?

Participant: No, my dad is in the Army.

Interviewer: Yes.

Participant: So, we can go to William Beaumont Army Hospital.

Interviewer: OK.

Participant: So, we don't have to pay for it.

Interviewer: So, even though you have a child, you are still covered under his benefits.

Participant: Yea.

Interviewer: OK. What about for your baby?

Participant: No, they're doing, we have to do uh legal paperwork through uh a lawyer to get her under his DEER so she can go to the hospital, too.

Interviewer: Under your dad’s?

Participant: Yea.

Interviewer: OK. So you haven't applied for Medicaid for your baby or anything.

Participant: Yea, I did, but I didn't qualify ‘cause my dad makes too much money.

Interviewer: He makes too much money. OK.

Participant: Yea.

Interviewer: So have you had a problem getting her to the doctor or anything?

Participant: Oh, no. I took her. We have a clinic on I think it’s Dyer Street and it’s only $10 to get her shots and stuff.

Interviewer: OK, and there were no problems with transportation or anything?

Participant: No, my sister took me up there.

Interviewer: OK, great, and so has your baby had any bad illnesses or anything?

Participant: No, she has a little cold right now. She sounds a little stopped up, but no problems.

Interviewer: But, you feel like you have adequate access to health care for her?

Participant: Uh huh.

Interviewer: So you have a regular doctor at the base, right?

Participant: Yea.

Interviewer: For your entire family.

Interviewer: In terms of, do you have to pay any out-of-pocket expenses for your care at the base, or is everything covered?

Participant: No, everything is covered.

Interviewer: What about prescriptions?

Participant: Well, we get those free.

Interviewer: Free also.

Participant: Yeah. (background talking)

Additional Information
Interviewer: Are there any other challenges or barriers that you've experienced that would keep you from successfully getting a job or succeeding in life with your goals?

Participant: No, not really.

Interviewer: No?

Participant: No.

Participant: When I graduate I'm going to enter the Army.

Interviewer: You are?

Participant: Yea, so I can go to college and everything.

Interviewer: OK, so you've got a plan and you don't think there will be anything that will keep you from that?

Participant: No.

Interviewer: OK. Is there anything that you would like Congress to know about your experiences so far that might help them to change policies to make it easier for young girls in your situation?

Participant: Not really. I don't know.

Interviewer: It’s not been too hard for you since you have a lot of family support?

Participant: Yes, they help me.

Interviewer: What about the baby's father? Is he involved?

Participant: Yea, he is in Louisiana though. He's gonna come down here next month.

Interviewer: So, he sort of helps?

Participant: Uh huh. He sends money and everything.

Interviewer: Well, that's good.

Last Question
Interviewer: So next I'm just gonna ask you to choose one of these answers which best describes your situation. In the next year you expect things for yourself and your family to, which one of these answers would you select?

Participant: Get much better.

Interviewer: Get much better?

Participant: Yea.

Interviewer: Great.

Interviewer: I really appreciate your participation in this project and I hope that it will help a lot of other people who are in the same situation.

Interviewer: OK, that's it. Thank you for your participation.

Demographics
Author's community or neighborhood of residence: Northeast El Paso, TX
Age: 17
Gender: Female
Last year of school completed: 11^th grade
Race: African American
Number of own children at home: 1
Household size (enter appropriate numbers): 4 Children; 2 Adults
Does Author's partner or spouse live in household? No
Author's gross cash earnings for previous calendar month: $0
Does author currently receive any cash public assistance or welfare? No
Manner: Tape recorded and transcribed