Table of Content
Data Collection
Our data collection was two-pronged. The first prong, the literature review, was meant to build background knowledge for us to better understand the context of our research. The second prong was hands-on interviews with CT residents discussing financial situations, and their thoughts on a CT Child Tax Credit and demographics.
Literature Review
Our team engaged in independent research to further our understanding of the child tax credit and systemic challenges that might stop people from living comfortable lives. A wide variety of sources were analyzed to gain insight into issues affecting the Hartford community, and neighboring cities, and similar research in other projects. By exploring this literature, our goal was to not only inform ourselves about the communities we were working with but also understand the social and systemic issues these communities faced. This exploration also provided valuable insight on how to shape the project moving forward. Some of the sources we analyzed during the first half of our class would later be incorporated into the formal literature review, improving the project’s direction and contextual understanding.
Interviews
Our team conducted a series of semi-structured interviews (N=22) at Trinfo Cafe’s VITA site with parents residing in Hartford, most having children under the age of 18, to look into their financial situations and understand their opinions regarding the proposed child tax credit. Before any interview started, participants were informed about the goal and objectives of the study and asked for their consent to voice record any conversation that took place. The emphasis was placed on making sure participants felt comfortable pausing, skipping, or ending the interview at any point, regardless of reasoning. A structured set of questions, covering aspects such as household income, financial literacy, and any opinions on a new increased child tax credit, was given to each participant. These interviews were carefully analyzed based on the protocol that was approved, ensuring the privacy and safety of all participants. Once each interview was finished, each participant was offered a $25 gift card as a form of gratitude for their time. This approach to our data collection allowed our team to gain profound insights into the potential results of the proposed child tax credit on families within the Hartford community. The video recordings collected would later be transcribed and used to create our data, which would be used for the rest of the project. Interviews were offered in both English and Spanish.
Data Analyzing/Coding
Our team then analyzed the data collected from the voice recordings and the transcriptions of our interviews. Transcription services were provided by Trinity College through Trint software. To make the process simpler, we created a quantitive and qualitative codebook using data collected from transcriptions. These codebooks allowed us to categorize the responses obtained from each question asked during the interviews. Each response was assigned to a specific category, with the goal of creating codes for qualitative data that could be translated into quantitative data. Once each response was paired with a corresponding code, the team utilized the software Atlas.ti to convert each interview transcript and/or video recording into numerical data (Frequency Table). This numerical data served as the foundation for creating charts and graphs, which were featured on the project’s flier and website. Through the analysis of our data, we were able to convert insights from the qualitative responses into visually engaging representations of the experiences of many Hartford residents, bridging the communication of key findings to the broader community.
| Theme | Code | Code Definitions |
| Financial Constraints | ||
| Income/Average Income | Average: Refers to the total income earned by our participants divided by the total number 22. | |
| Struggle to Pay Basic Necessities | Situations where households do not generate enough financial resources on a monthly basis to meet their basic needs and expenses (such as housing, food, utilities, and other essential requirements). | |
| Unexpected Expenses | Not being able to cover emergency and unexpected expenses such as an illness, a major repair, etc. | |
| Cycle of Debts | A recurring pattern where individuals or households continuously accumulate debt without being able to fully repay it, leading to a persistent state of indebtedness. This cycle often involves borrowing money to cover expenses, then struggling to make payments due to high interest rates or other financial obligations, which in turn necessitates further borrowing, perpetuating the cycle. | |
| Inflation/Cost of Living | Individuals mention changes in the cost of living which are often influenced by factors such as inflation, wage levels, housing market conditions, and government policies. | |
| Child Development Pace | The challenge of keeping up with expenses due to fast growth. | |
| Financial Strategies and Importance of Support System | ||
| Selling goods | The practice of generating funds or raising capital by selling their assets. | |
| Relying on other extended family members or community. | Depending on relatives outside of their immediate family for financial support or assistance. This strategy may include borrowing money, or pooling resources with extended family members or their community to meet financial needs. | |
| Budgeting Strategies/Prioritizing | Allocating limited financial resources to address the most critical needs or goals first. | |
| Resorting to Credit Cards | Using credit-card borrowing as a means to meet immediate financial needs or cover expenses when other funds are not readily available. | |
| Looking Forward to Tax Time | Anticipating and relying on tax refunds or credits as a means to improve one’s financial situation or address specific financial needs. | |
| Structural Issues/Expectations From Government | ||
| Economic Opportunities | Being able to use the CTC on future savings, specifically for emergencies. | |
| Infrastructure/Transportation | The need for own transportations (car) and its impact on individual’s economy. | |
| Childcare | Using the CTC to increase children’s quality of life by making childcare and education services more available. | |
| A conflict in personal finance. Having to prioritize basic needs over other wants that would increase the quality of life. | ||
| Lack of Financial Mobility | The feeling of a cycle of poverty being prolonged, or the lack of opportunities to advance economically. | |
| Feelings of unappreciation | The emotional burden of not having one’s work and effort recognized because of the public perception that ‘it is not enough.’ | |
| Losing Faith in G | The low or inexistent expectation for public institutions and the government on providing support and solutions to those in need. | |
| Perspectives on CTC | ||
| Support | Being in favor of the implementation of a CTC, whether it is $200 or $600. | |
| ‘Anything Helps’ | The perception is that no matter the amount given as a CTC, it will be valuable for its recipients. | |
Video Production
After collecting videos from willing participants, our team carefully reviewed each video we obtained to identify individuals who showed clarity in their responses. The goal was to find a good candidate to feature in a longer video that represents not only our project but also the experience of a Hartford resident. Once we found our candidate, we invited them to participate in a more in-depth video interview, which would be showcased on the United Way website. Members of our team took part in this interview by capturing footage of this person’s daily life and experiences, which would later be used in the editing process to create the final video for the United Way website. Our joint effort ensured that the video effectively conveyed our project’s message and aligned with the objectives of our community partner. Once we had the footage, we used different software to carefully edit our recording of our candidates to make a quality video that would best represent this person’s life and show audiences the importance of the matter at hand.
Limitations
Time Frame
One significant limitation of our project was the constrained time frame. Being a semester-long project, we faced challenges in properly planning our project, creating interview methodologies, creating data processing methods, and effectively assigning tasks among our team members within the limited time we had available. Out of over 500 visitors at the VITA clinic, we managed to interview 22 Hartford residents, showing how the time frame unabled us to get to more potential interviewees. Additionally, the time of our research took place with tax season time, a time period known for increased stress and focus among potential interview candidates on filing their documents. This made it rather difficult to engage with individuals for interviews as they were mainly focused with filing taxes and managing other responsibilities. The hectic nature of tax season added difficulty to our research efforts, affecting our ability to capture the attention and participation of potential interviewees. These time-related obstacles presented a significant challenge throughout the project, calling for adaptability, improvisation, and strategy to ensure the project’s successful completion within the given time frame.
Lack of Video Footage
The second major limitation that we encountered was related to participant cooperation, specifically regarding video recording. While all interviewees were willing to participate in our research and consented to be voice recorded, the majority expressed discomfort with the video recording component of the interview and refused to consent to it. Although participants were under no obligation to consent to video recording, the lack of video footage created a challenge in sourcing material for the visual part of our project. This limitation made it more challenging to identify potential candidates who could contribute to the video segment of our project, potentially limiting the depth and richness of our visual content. Despite our efforts to address participant concerns and reassure them of their rights as interviewees, many were still reluctant to participate in video recording. However, our team understands the level of discomfort that participants feel with the idea of their identities becoming public; therefore, we did not obligate participants to put their identities on the line.