3.1.2. UIC's Role in Facilitating Learning

An important observation of UIC TA providers' own role in the HWC was that of facilitating a shared language and fostering opportunities for open dialogue about the issues related to precarious work for all participants. UIC TA providers generally agreed that establishing a definition of precarious work early on in the HWC sessions helped to facilitate engagement in subsequent HWC activities and deeper dialogue between the various participants. One UIC TA provider described both UIC and labor expert TA providers' role in establishing this shared language:

*"So I think it was a skill that people were able to find a shared language, and I think we helped facilitate that along with the TA providers, to be able to talk to one another."—UIC TA provider.*

UIC TA providers further described their role as "pushing" or "coaching" TA recipients toward action as they progressed through the HWC sessions. Several UIC TA providers shared examples of ways in which they had helped TA recipients develop action steps based on what they had learned or created in HWC session activities; for example, one UIC TA provider had helped their group build a small action plan based on the Theory of Change that the group had developed during one of the HWC sessions. Several UIC TA providers noted that TA recipients were seemingly appreciative of this type of TA-led facilitation and encouragement, as summarized by one UIC TA provider below:

*"I did hear quite a bit that having somebody to push them to help them focus, give them that extra support* ... *They wouldn't be doing it, without that push. They need the push. They need the* ... *And, I don't mean pushing them out the door. But, th* ... *to help encourage, to build their self-advocacy*/*capacity."—UIC TA provider.*

In interviews, many TA recipients shared similar reflections of the utility of UIC TA providers' facilitation or "pushing" of TA recipients throughout the HWC process. Several TA recipients described specific interactions with UIC TA providers during or between HWC sessions in which the TA provider had helped them to further refine or develop tools or plans to move the recipients toward action. One TA recipient described their experience as follows:

*"I liked the idea that you had a sta*ff *person that was sort of assigned to each group, because it really kept us together, and then you organized us. You made sure we had meetings, and we decided to have a little pre-meeting before the actual training sessions, and you really facilitated sort of all of the logistics, as well as providing leadership in the groups. And I think we loved working with the folks that we were working with."—TA recipient.*

TA recipients also recognized UIC TA providers' roles in guiding them toward a more profound understanding of precarious work and TA recipients' own roles in addressing its drivers. Several TA recipients noted the ways in which UIC TA providers helped TA recipients to think about the issues without being overly prescriptive or forceful in what their takeaways should be. One TA recipient described their experiences with UIC TA providers as follows:

*"One of the things I liked is that with [the] UIC facilitator and UIC facilitator and everybody, you all guided. You don't imprint on it* ... *And it's a great way to learn. And you helped guide people to where, I think where we should have gotten to without saying, you know, you let us have a learning experience, that's what I guess I'm trying to say, without handing us a syllabus and saying, 'You're going to be at this point, this point,' you know what I'm saying? And so I really liked that approach. And it's really very beneficial."—TA recipient.*

3.1.3. UIC's Role in Contributing Evidence and Facilitating Action

In the focus group, UIC TA providers reflected on the factors that made their role in organizing and coordinating the HWC feasible and appropriate. Several UIC TA providers described the gap in the literature around PSE strategies to address the drivers of precarious work, and how this gap presented an opportunity for the researchers in the UIC Center for Healthy Work to gather contributing evidence in this arena via the HWC. One UIC TA provider summarized these sentiments below:

*"* ... *it's about building the evidence that doesn't exist, there is not good evidence around how to do PSE change around in particular precarious work for sustainable change, and that's what we've been trying to do and we are documenting it, we're building evidence, we're adapting theory based on feedback for practice and integrating it to do something we hope is impactful."—UIC TA provider.*

UIC TA providers also engaged in a discussion around academic expectations and needs for evidence building that allow for the dedicated time and funding to support an initiative such as the HWC. At least one UIC TA provider mentioned the need to respond to the expectations of the funding agency for the Center for Healthy Work by collecting data and producing products for dissemination, which is made possible through the engagement of other stakeholders in the HWC.

*"* ... *we have to keep the funders in mind and research and building evidence in mind* ... *So having a product, something that can be disseminated widely or policy change, environmental change, having something happen that can be counted, that's [the funder's] perspective."—UIC TA provider.*
