Personal assistance can take several forms, from just explaining information verbally, instead of by mail or text, to helping individuals through the entire application process immediately. It may address many potential barriers to program take-up, even when options like changing the enrollment default or shortening the application further are not available.

For example, it reduces procrastination by making the application process more convenient and more appealing. Offering help to “get it done now” while already interacting minimizes disruption and lowers opportunity costs of time. Personal assistance could also help reduce anxiety about making a mistake or being reminded about one’s low-income status. It speeds up and simplifies the process, avoiding the need for detailed instructions and review. It may even eliminate the need to look at a form or an application at all.

Offering assistance increases a form’s visibility and may improve perceptions about the value in filling out the form.

The personal encouragement may also empower individuals to consider more the possibility of change. Most important, a personal interaction has the potential to increase trust in reacting to encouragement to do something unfamiliar. Analogous to responding to a doctor’s or an accountant’s advice, we are more likely to take action when we trust the person who is offering that advice.

Read the full article on personal assistance by Philip Oreopoulos at MDRC.