READY4 WORK Jacksonville “Meeting the Employment Needs of the First Coast Business Community” º . CENTER FOR FAITH-BASED AND CONMNTUNITY INITIATYHS US º ------ / -- U.S. Department of Labor ‘A 200 Constitution Avenue, NW 3) washington, DC 20210 Project Manager: Robin Y. McDonald mcdonald.robin(G)dol.gov (202) 841-6736 (Washington, DC) (904) 210-5336 (Jacksonville, FL) COLLECTION UNIVERSITY OF MICH!GAN LIBRARIES JAN 2 1 2004 DEPOSITED BY UNITED STATES OF AMERICA READY 4 VVORKA Business, Faith, Community & Criminal Justice Partnership Expanding the workforce. Improving public safety. Rebuilding communities. Restoring hope. These are the o Many employers balance their needs for skilled, reliable employees with their sense of civic responsibility. In society as productive members. Ready4Work creates a partnership between local government, religious lea Working in Partnership D Businesses, faith-based and community nonprofits, and criminal justice agencies are leading the way in successfully reintegrating ex-prisoners. Identifying ex-prisoners who are prepared to do their part is critical to the re-entry process. Partnerships with corrections, parole and probation officials are indispensable since these criminal justice professionals are able to assess the capabilities, commitment and attitudes that are essential to success. Ready4Work brings together the business, faith, community and criminal justice sectors to select, mentor and employ qualified candidates. * D Ready4Work, through its grantee, Public/Private Ventures and its national partners—National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice, Prison Fellowship Ministries, and National Jobs Partnership—mobilizes local coalitions of religious leaders, faith-based and community nonprofit organizations, and corrections, parole and probation officials to work together for sustainable ex-prisoner re-entry. D Ready4Work partners receive comprehensive mentor training, technical assistance and skills development to help prepare faith-based and community organizations to meet the challenge of preparing ex-prisoners to re-enter the marketplace. jectives of Ready4Work—a $22.5 million reintegration employment project that helps businesses meet employment needs eed, when asked, employers often describe hiring ex-prisoners as “contributing to the community” or “giving someone a se ers, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and the criminal justice system to improve outcomes for ex-prisoners and the com Good for Business D Ready4Work helps link skilled individuals, who are striving for a better future, to faith-based and community groups and employers lu Ready4Work provides... • Qualified, skilled labor • Soft-skills development • Job training and placement • Support services © References • Background checks/candidate screening • Job matching • Job coaching • Mentoring of job candidates Good for Communities - r D Ready4Work, through its network of local faith-based and community service providers, will help rebuild communities by preparing and placing ex-prisoners in jobs. Employment will improve community stability and strengthen families. |U Ready4Work targets several major cities and communities. Jacksonville, FL was selected as the initiative's model city based on the strength and vigor of community re-entry programs already underway. partnership with faith-based and community organizations that train and mentor job-ready ex-prisoners. pnd chance.” Research also indicates that at the time of release from prison, most inmates want to rejoin unities in which they live. Good for Individuals Ex-prisoners benefit from jobs that provide income to support themselves and their families. Meaningful employment helps ex-prisoners build self-respect, which results in lifestyle changes that reduce recidivism and lead to positive engagement in the community. Studies indicate that ex-offenders who change their criminal behavior tend to do so at crucial turning points in their lives, such as when they secure gainful employment. º- º "Ready4 Work gives hope and opens a door for sº - - - - people who are ready for work, willing to make positive life changes, and able to meet the needs of their families and communities. Linking people with jobs, through the work of faith-based and community nonprofit groups, changes lives and strengthens the American Workforce.” Elaine L. Chao, United States Secretary of Labor What employers say... "There are more and more people coming out of prisons. There are many good people included in those numbers. Employers must be smart about their hiring decisions, but when you find someone with the right skills and attitudes and who shows promise to be a good employee, any employer should take a closer look.” National Partners U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, and Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Public|Drivate Ventures National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice Prison Fellowship Ministries National Jobs Partnership JACKSONVILLE LEADERSHIP Operation New Hope |32 || N. Main Street Jacksonville, FL 32206 (904) 354-5715 City Center Ministries 24 V. 8th Street Jacksonville, FL 32206 UNIVERSITY OF MICH (904) 356-0009 |||ſiliili 3 9015 08543 6700 Community Partners Work Source Goodwill of Northeast Florida Kesler Mentoring Connections Northeast Florida Builders Minority Contractors Association Clara White Mission Abyssinia Missionary Baptist Church SISTERS, Inc. Mt. Sinai Baptist Church City of Jacksonville Westside Church or Christ Habijax The Stellar Group The Suddath Companies Florida Community College of Jacksonville