An Evaluation of 20 Graduated Open Table Brothers and Sisters
John VanDenBerg, Ph.D.
October 6, 2015
“I really wanted to change, but I needed help with
direction. It was a wonderful experience; I wish I
could have done it earlier in my life…”
Introduction: In 2015, volunteer Open Table consultant Dr. John VanDenBerg (John),
with support from Open Table staff, completed an evaluation of 20 Open Table
graduates who completed their Tables during 2013. The purpose of the evaluation was
to interview the graduates about their outcomes in key areas which are most indicative
of the core values and principles of the Open Table model. The self-report based
evaluation was not intended to be a replacement for a future controlled scientific study
of Open Table outcomes, but rather as part of a more immediate ongoing continuous
quality improvement process which systematically looks at the graduated Brother’s and
Sister’s experience with Open Table.
Methodology. Open Table staff supplied John with the names of 26 year 2013
graduates. John contracted with a trained interviewer who had no connection to Open
Table. This interviewer was given materials about the Open Table process and got a
verbal introduction to Open Table, delivered by John.
John and Open Table staff compiled the original closed ended questions, which were to
be answered as “No, disagree”, “Yes, agree”, or “Prefer not to Answer”. Once the
original questions were finalized in draft form, they were shared with over 15 Open
Table practitioners who were either on Tables, were Brothers and Sisters, or were Open
Table Coaches or Congregation Coordinators. After this feedback was received, a final
list of questions were established and used in the interviews.
The interviewer was trained in the interview questions, and she and John did an
extensive series of mock interviews to establish rater reliability and accuracy. John did
periodic and post-hoc reviews of all completed interviews and confirmed accurate
interviewing methodology by the interviewer.
Of the 26 graduates, 20 agreed to go through the interviews. Five of the remaining
graduates were not reachable due to having moved without leaving contact information
© The Open Table, 2015. May not be used without the written permission of Open Table.
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or having no phone. One graduate was incarcerated. Attempts will still be made to
interview these remaining 6 graduates. From a research standpoint, one must conclude
that the missing 6 graduates would have less positive outcomes than the group who
were reached for interviewers. Practically speaking, given the population which Open
Table serves, having left no contact information or having no phone may not mean that
outcomes are less positive for these missing 2013 graduates. However, for scientific
purposes, the data is presented in two ways. This document includes with the closed
end question data from the actual 20 brothers and sisters who were interviewed; and
then in Attachment A, the closed end question data from the 20 interviewed combined
with assumed all negative data from the missing six graduates. The purpose of
including all negative data for the missing brothers and sisters was to see how the data
would look across all 2013 graduates.
Limitations of this study. This study was completed through interviews of brothers
and sisters. As such, this type of self report data can be subject to many variables,
including brothers and sisters potentially wanting to please the interviewer, please their
Table, or just appear “more together” than they are, even though each respondent was
told that their responses are not shared with their Tables, but rather combined with all
2013 graduates. The interviewer was trained to look for these types of respondent
errors, and if needed, to flag them for further contact by John. We did not have to do
this with any of the brothers and sisters. We are able to do a second step verification of
the major outcomes, and plan to do this by asking the Table chairs for each brother and
sister key questions such as “Is this brother/sister still in contact with their Table?”,
without sharing brother and sister information (verifying Question One). As
mentioned, the study could have been negatively impacted by not being able to contact
six of the 2013 graduates. We are initiating a further search for these contacts, and have
initiated an overall process that will allow Open Table to keep closer contact with all
graduates, which will facilitate studies of future graduates.
“I completed the year because of prayer, and the
brothers and sisters on the Table who prayed for me.
My Table made it happen for me because they stuck
with me through all the ups and downs.”
© The Open Table, 2015. May not be used without the written permission of Open Table.
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The Closed End Questions. Questions 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 9 represent special significance
in the model. Open Table is primarily about relationships, positively accessing the
community, obtaining skills to weather problems and crises, developing optimism
about the future, and having a spiritual journey that is meaningful to the Brother or
Sister. Open Table, unlike many anti-poverty or vocation programs, is not primarily
about job training, getting jobs, or just being self-supporting (Questions 4, 5, and 6).
These are important questions, but the real heart of Open Table is about those in
poverty learning to be in positive relationship with their community, learning to access
supports, and learning to give back to the community in reciprocal strength. These
characteristics, when fully actualized, mean that the Brother/Sister will have the core
essential skills to succeed in the community and to be out of the cycle of poverty. The
nine questions were:
1. I have long term relationships with one or more of my former Table members.
2. I now have the skill to be able to access help and ideas from other people in my
community, beyond those people who were on my Table.
3. I have the skills of being able to get through problems and crises better than I used
to.
4. I am currently taking classes that will help me get a job that I would like to have.
5. I have been able to get a have a better job than I used to have before Open Table.
6. I am self supporting at this time or am confident that I will be self-supporting in the
future.
7. Overall, I now have more optimism about my future and feel like I am headed in the
right direction.
8. Overall, my own spiritual journey is now more meaningful to me.
9. I would like to serve on a Table to help someone else in the future
The Open Ended Questions. Three open-ended questions were designed to capture
trends about the experience of Brothers and Sisters. Their answers were analyzed and
coded in categories, using qualitative research techniques.
10. Can you tell me what is the number one reason you were able to complete Open
Table?
© The Open Table, 2015. May not be used without the written permission of Open Table.
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11. How would you improve the Open Table experience?
12. Is there anything else you would like to tell me about your Open Table experience?
”Open Table was a door God opened when I most needed support, help, and
guidance. It was a totally awesome experience, a very meaningful experience,
people really did care, and I wasn’t alone“.
Table 1:
The Questionnaire Results for the 20 Brothers and Sisters
Interviewed:
1
2
3
4*
5*
6
7
8
9
I have long term relationships with one or more of my former
Table members.
I now have the skill to be able to access help and ideas from other
people in my community, beyond those people who were on my
Table.
I have the skills of being able to get through problems and crises
better than I used to.
I am currently taking classes that will help me get a job that I
would like to have.
I have been able to get a have a better job than I used to have
before Open Table.
I am self supporting at this time or am confident that I will be
self-supporting in the future.
Overall, I now have more optimism about my future and feel like
I am headed in the right direction.
Overall, my own spiritual journey is now more meaningful to me.
I would like to serve on a Table to help someone else in the
future
% of
Positive
Answers
95%
80%
85%
35%
50%
95%
100%
90%
95%
*Questions 4 and 5 should be combined to get an accurate vocational picture. No
respondents answered both questions positively, and it is clear that Brothers and Sisters
were either in job training/classes or had a better job than they used to have. Therefore,
85% of the graduates were either in classes/training or already had a better job.
© The Open Table, 2015. May not be used without the written permission of Open Table.
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“I’m still having Table people as part of my life (18
months after graduation). I feel like I have a personal
connection with everyone. It was great to have the
support.”
Analysis of the Open Ended Questions:
10. Can you tell me what is the number one reason you were able to complete Open
Table?
Most common answer (16/20): My Table gave me support. It is clear that
support from the Table was the major contributor to success in graduation,
backing up the major premise of the Open Table model.
Second most common answer (4/20): I was able to “reach deep” and get
motivated. This answer validates the need for internal motivation, which often
comes after external motivation from the Table and community. These Brothers
and Sisters developed a self-motivating drive which led them to complete the
process.
11. How would you improve the Open Table experience?
Most common answer (8/20): Table needs to listen more to the Brother/Sister
and not put their own ideas first. These answers will likely improve in
subsequent years of analysis of graduates, as the new Table on-line training
was not in place in 2013. The new training includes a focus on Table members
learning not to be judgmental and to truly listen to the needs and perspectives
of the Brother and Sister.
Second most common answer (4/20): Needed more time or more aftercare.
Again, these answers should change in subsequent years as the formal aftercare
part of Open Table was not in place during 2013.
12. Is there anything else you would like to tell me about your Open Table experience?
Most Common Answer (16/20): It was a life changing positive experience.
These answers show us that transformation is occurring. This experience
changed their lives for the better.
© The Open Table, 2015. May not be used without the written permission of Open Table.
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Second Most Common Answer (9/20): I learned I was not alone. These answers
show that poverty is isolating and that Open Table serves to push the isolation
and loneliness out, replaced with support and love.
Interpretation of the Data:
Overall, the results are very positive. For questions 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 9, the data points to
the 20 Brothers and Sisters having obtained the foundational elements for being able to
move on with their lives in a positive way. For questions 4 and 5, the Rehabilitation
Services Administration 2012 data showed that upon exit from standard vocational
rehabilitation services, 46% of all those who graduated vocational services were either
employed at least minimum wage jobs or in job training (Rehabilitation Services
Administration, Fiscal Year 2012 Annual Report to Congress). In Open Table, over a
year after graduation, 85% of the 20 Brothers and Sisters either had a better job or were
in classes to get a job to get a job they would like to have. This fits the percentage of the
20 Brothers and Sisters who said they were optimistic about their future ability to be
self-supported (95%). Open Table feels that we can work with Vocational
Rehabilitation in partnership to provide essential support to Vocational Rehabilitation
and other similar programs.
It is clear from the data on the 20 Brothers and Sisters, that the primary goals of Open
Table are being met. It is important to note that in 2013, none of the new and extensive
Table Training on-line classes were in place, so we can expect even better outcomes in
the future. The new training includes a strong focus on Tables learning to truly listen to
the voices of Brothers and Sisters, which was one of the major suggestions for
improvement which came from Question 12 (What can be improved about Open Table).
With the dramatic growth of the model, we will be able to increase the sample size of
the 2014 and 2015 graduating Brothers and Sisters, and obtain even more information.
The data included in Table 2, Attachment A (Analysis of Data as if all answers from the
“missing” Brothers and Sisters were all negative) is very interesting. When you average
the responses on questions 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 9, the outcomes are still above 70%, and the
combined response from questions 4 and 5 (in better job or in training) is still at 65%. As
mentioned in the Methodology section, it is highly unlikely that all six “missing”
Brothers and Sisters would have answered all questions in a negative way.
© The Open Table, 2015. May not be used without the written permission of Open Table.
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“I learned to problem solve. Relationships, good relationships,
gave me a new world view. I loved them all (my Table). They
helped me with balance in my life. They surrounded me with
love.”
Attachment A: Table Two
1
2
3
4*
5*
6
7
8
9
The Questionnaire Results for the 26 Brothers and Sisters, with
all negative answers for the 6 Brothers and Sisters who could not
be reached for interviews.
% of
Positive
Answers
I have long term relationships with one or more of my former
Table members.
I now have the skill to be able to access help and ideas from other
people in my community, beyond those people who were on my
Table.
I have the skills of being able to get through problems and crises
better than I used to.
I am currently taking classes that will help me get a job that I
would like to have.
I have been able to get a have a better job than I used to have
before Open Table.
I am self supporting at this time or am confident that I will be
self-supporting in the future.
Overall, I now have more optimism about my future and feel like
I am headed in the right direction.
Overall, my own spiritual journey is now more meaningful to me.
I would like to serve on a Table to help someone else in the
future
77%
62%
65%
27%
38%
73%
77%
69%
73%
Biography and Contact Information for John:
Dr. John VanDenBerg has been a volunteer consultant to Open Table for over four
years. He has a doctorate degree in child psychology. He is one of the original founders
of the Wraparound Process, which has served over a million families world-wide, and
has many similarities to the Open Table. He is a former State Director of Children’s
Mental Health for the States of Kansas and Alaska. He has worked as a consultant in all
50 US states and all provinces in Canada except Nova Scotia, and in countries around
the world. He was recently honored for his life’s work with a national award by the
© The Open Table, 2015. May not be used without the written permission of Open Table.
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Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, and was honored in a gathering of
250 US Tribes and Canadian First Nation communities for his work with indigenous
peoples. He can be reached via email at [email protected] or by phone at 970 270 8692.
© The Open Table, 2015. May not be used without the written permission of Open Table.
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