When: July 12, 2022, from 9:30am-11:00am PDT
Description: Securing and maintaining employment is a crucial step toward successful reintegration into the community for individuals who have been incarcerated. Meaningful employment opportunities that provide a livable wage can provide individuals with financial stability as well as a sense of purpose and productivity. However, there are many barriers that make reentering the workforce very challenging, such as being automatically ineligible for positions due to a criminal record or gaps in employment due to incarceration. This webinar will explore how providing workforce development programming and linkages to meaningful employment opportunities are essential in helping individuals to overcome the barriers to long-term job retention and reducing the risk of recidivism. Equally important is the need to support individuals create a career path that will lead to long-term success.
This webinar will feature two reentry programs that provide support to individuals reentering the workforce following incarceration across rural and urban areas. These program presentations will cover the importance of workforce development for individuals who are reentering the community, with an emphasis on working towards long-term employment and establishing a career, as well as how reentry programs can create relationships and build a network of potential employers for participants.
Objectives
After attending this webinar, participants will be able to:
• Describe key features of programs providing workforce development and career support to individuals following incarceration.
• Understand the importance of long-term career planning for individuals in reentry.
• Articulate strategies for building a network of potential employers for participants in reentry programs.
Presenters
• Philip Cooper, CPSS, CHW, INspire Coordinator, Land of Sky Regional Council, North Carolina
• Kevin Ly, MS, Director of Special Populations for the Workforce Development Department, National Urban League, New York