The Academy for Career Development
Stable Employment is Critical
The Academy for Career Development
The Academy for Career Development
"Stable employment is critical to a successful transition into the community, but reentering individuals often encounter significant barriers in finding employment upon release from prisons and jails, including low levels of education, limited vocational (or marketable) skills and limited work experience.
Reentry programs have demonstrated the overwhelming need for employment opportunities for people released from prison and jail, and the need to facilitate the creation of job opportunities for this population."
CSG Justice Center.(https://csgjusticecenter.org/reentry/issue-areas/employment/
The Academy for Career Development
The Academy for Career Development
The Academy for Career Development
The Academy for Career Development is an education, training and employment program for adults with histories of incarceration who have personal goals for avoiding recidivism and becoming economically self-sufficient citizens.
The Academy is more than education, job training or employment
The Academy is more than education, job training or employment
The Academy is more than education, job training or employment
- The core purposes are establishing a sense of status and esteem through enrollment, a sense of belonging and connection to others, experiencing acceptance through a group process and goal-setting as well as achievement.
- The entire process is rooted in cognitive behavioral techniques and will be done in a faith-based, supportive environment.
- The end goal is for each returning neighbor to find the life God has always intended for them.
The Academy will have three components:
The Academy is more than education, job training or employment
The Academy is more than education, job training or employment
Metro Chaplaincy Program
- Established in 2002 by MAIC
- Provides a chapel and classroom for Metro Jail inmates
- Receives volunteer and financial support from 42 area congregations
- Provides pre-release services through Goodwill Easterseals, Celebrate Recovery and Fatherhood Initiative
Religious Services
- Religious services are provided weekly for various faith traditions
- 2018 Report:
- 14,334 males and 3692 females attended religious services
- 23 baptisms performed
Pre-Release Services
- GED classes and testing provided through volunteers and Goodwill Easterseals staff
- Volunteers coordinate Celebrate Recovery and Fatherhood Initiative meetings
- 2018 Report:
- 238 males and 199 females attended Fatherhood Initiative
- 234 males and 261 females attended Celebrate Recovery
- 158 males and 128 females enrolled in GED classes
- 22 graduated the GED program
- 214 graduates since the GED program began in 2011
The Neighbor Center
- Established in 2016 by MAIC
- Offers community-based reentry services for our returning neighbors
- Available to former inmates from local, state, and federal correctional centers
- Provides case management services through individualized goal setting
- Focus on financial stability, self-sufficiency and preventing re-incarceration
Post-Release Services
- Offers referrals to other area agencies for health care, employment, education, legal assistance and other services.
- Assistance with transportation and identification available.
- 2018 Report:
- 203 neighbors served
- 233 services provided *count duplicated due to multiple services needed*
Housing
- Available to individuals or families who are literally homeless or at-risk of homelessness.
- Provides assistance with housing search and short-term financial assistance necessary for securing housing.
- 2018 Report:
- 53 neighbors housed
- 7 out of 53 re-incarcerated (13.2%)