The purpose of this program
is to encourage adult
ex-offenders to achieve
their full human and
economic potential through
workforce, educational, and
personal development, while
rendering ongoing support in
their desire to develop and
achieve personal and
community goals.
Intake / Eligibility:
To be eligible for CHANGE,
participants must have:
ü
Been convicted, as an adult,
of a non-violent or
non-sexual offense
ü
Been released from prison
within the past six months
ü
Completed and signed an
Eligibility Form including a
referral form from Probation
or parole
Workforce Development:
·
Clients receive Job
Readiness Training – job
search skills, how to
complete an application,
explaining a felony
conviction in an interview,
self marketing skills,
effective resume writing,
networking, and retention
skills.
·
Clients attend weekly job
club meetings that offer
participant’s job leads and
access to employers who
accept applications, conduct
interviews, and assess
participants’ job readiness.
·
Clients participate in
quarterly Job Fairs with
potential employers who
conduct on-site interviews
·
Jobs are developed based
upon participants’
individual assessment and
goals.
Education:
·
CHANGE partners with Center
for Employment and Training
and the Black Contractors
Association to provide
certified training in
welding and construction.
After the completion of
training, clients are placed
in highly competitive jobs.
·
Those clients who
demonstrate educational
deficiencies are co-enroll
in educational courses.
·
Clients will receive
information, counseling and
guidance on post secondary
education at local community
colleges and are encouraged
to build their skills to
compete in today’s job
market.
Support:
·
Based upon identified need,
clients will receive
assistance with emergencies
and stabilization factors (i.e,
substance abuse, housing,
and mental health
counseling)
Development:
·
CHANGE mentoring component
begins with support group
facilitated by community
leaders matching
participants with a variety
of mentors in order to build
networks and receive
encouragement for personal
growth.
·
Clients will have the
opportunity to participate
behavior modification, a
cognitive based approach to
give clients skills in
decision making, problem
solving and communication.
