Project Grant CP393752360A9

AWARD PURPOSE THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE COORDINATED AND COMPREHENSIVE REENTRY AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO RETURNING CITIZENS AND JUSTICE INVOLVED YOUTH TO REDUCE UNEMPLOYMENT AND RECIDIVISM RATES, AS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH CREDENTIAL ATTAINMENT AND EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENT RETENTION. THIS PROJECT NOTABLY EXPANDS BEST CHANCE PARTNERSHIP SERVICES TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT OF JUSTICE INVOLVED YOUTH A POPULATION AT HIGH RISK OF RECIDIVISM. THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC AND COROLLARY ECONOMIC CONDITIONS HAVE EXACERBATED BOTH THE NUMBER OF RETURNING CITIZENS IN NORTH CENTRAL CONNECTICUT AS WELL AS THE CHALLENGES FACED BY THIS POPULATION IN OBTAINING LIVING WAGE EMPLOYMENT AND BASIC NEEDS (E.G., HOUSING, HEALTHCARE).ACTIVITIES PERFORMED PROJECT PARTNERS AND REENTRY STAKEHOLDERS, SUCH AS THE GREATER HARTFORD REENTRY WELCOME CENTER, WILL REFER AND RECRUIT PARTICIPANTS TO THE BEST CHANCE PROGRAM, MANAGED BY CAPITAL WORKFORCE PARTNERS, WHERE EACH INDIVIDUAL WILL BE ASSESSED FOR CAREER INTERESTS AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICE NEEDS. PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ENROLLED IN PREPARATORY AND OR OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING AT LOCAL ACCREDITED VENDORS AS REQUIRED TO ENTER EMPLOYMENT AT SUSTAINABLE WAGES. STIPENDS, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND JOB PLACEMENT SERVICES WILL BE DEPLOYED BY A CAREER RESOURCES INC. (CRI) CASE MANAGER TO ALLEVIATE BARRIERS TO PARTICIPANT SUCCESS. AS APPLICABLE, PARTICIPANTS WILL BE REFERRED OR CO ENROLLED TO AMERICAN JOB CENTER SERVICES.DELIVERABLES THIS DEMONSTRATION PROJECT WILL PROVIDE 50 RETURNING CITIZENS AND OR JUSTICE INVOLVED YOUTH WITH TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE MANUFACTURING AND CONSTRUCTION SECTORS, LEADING TO CREDENTIALING AND EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENT OUTCOMES FOR 42 (85 ) PARTICIPANTS.INTENDED BENEFICIARY THIS PROJECT COMPRISES DIRECT SERVICES TO THE RETURNING CITIZEN AND JUSTICE INVOLVED YOUTH POPULATIONS IN NORTH CENTRAL CONNECTICUT AND WILL PROVIDE PARTICIPANTS WITH A DIRECT PATH TO EMPLOYMENT WHILE ALSO SUPPORTING IMMEDIATE INCOME AND SUPPORT NEEDS THROUGH THE COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM SERVICES. INCREASED SERVICE DELIVERY TO JUSTICE INVOLVED YOUTH AS IMPLEMENTED AND EVALUATED THROUGH THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO SERVE AS A DEMONSTRATION MODEL THAT COULD BE SCALED TO MUCH LARGER NUMBERS OF JUSTICE INVOLVED YOUTH ACROSS THE STATE. ADDITIONALLY, REDUCED UNEMPLOYMENT AND RECIDIVISM RATES FOR THESE POPULATIONS WILL ENABLE POSITIVE MULTIPLIERS IN LOWER PUBLIC JUSTICE AND SOCIAL SERVICES EXPENDITURES WHILE CONCURRENTLY SUPPORTING REGIONAL GROWTH INDUSTRIES WITH A SKILLED WORKFORCE.SUBRECIP ACTIVITIES CAREER RESOURCES INC. (CRI) IS THE PRIMARY SUB RECIPIENT OF THIS PROJECT AND WILL PROVIDE CASE MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES COORDINATION FOR ALL PROJECT PARTICIPANTS. CRI HAS SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE IN SERVING RETURNING CITIZENS AND ALSO FUNCTIONS AS THE AMERICAN JOB CENTER OPERATING ENTITY IN OTHER REGIONS OF CONNECTICUT. THE GREATER HARTFORD REENTRY WELCOME CENTER, WHILE NOT A SUBRECIPIENT, HAS ALSO COMMITTED TO SUPPORT RECRUITMENT ACTIVITIES FOR THIS PROJECT AS AN IN KIND SERVICE. TRAINING ACTIVITIES WILL BE CONTRACTED TO QUALIFIED VENDORS BASED ON THE QUALITY OF THEIR TRAINING PROGRAMMING AND PRIOR SERVICE EXPERIENCES WITH RETURNING CITIZENS.