Reintegration Graduates are Challenged to Continue Success

Since the implementation of the Reintegration Unit at RiCI in 2013, biannual graduations have taken place honoring individuals who have completed Reintegration phase cycles. Nearly a hundred offenders were recognized and received certificates for creating one of the six reintegration phase cycles.

A staple of these graduations are family members and friends attending the ceremony to celebrate with the graduates. Once the graduation concluded, the attendees spent time with the offenders and enjoyed pastries.

Men assigned to the Reintegration unit at RiCI are required to complete specified phases of programming and meaningful activities. Some examples of this include recycling courses, problem solving classes, community service work and an employment readiness program. The employment readiness program is facilitated by Jacquie Walker of Goodwill Industries. The program is a resume writing/interviewing skills based program. The program was developed over five years ago with the objective of providing students with the tools and knowledge needed for future successful employment.

Ms. Walker (Vocational Specialist) was the keynote speaker of this most recent graduation. She informed the honorees that employers have repeatedly told her that they struggle to find and retain dependable employees. Her challenge to the group was (upon release from incarceration) to market and sell their qualifications and skills to employers.

A facet of the employment readiness program includes students participating in “mock” interviews with real employers. Jacquie gave an account of positive feedback from multiple employers who have volunteered to interview RiCI inmates. She also implored the graduates to position themselves to overcome barriers and seek to gain long term meaningful employment.

As Ms. Walker concluded her address, she shared an applicable quote from Henry Ford, “We do not hire experts, neither do we hire men on past experience. Since we do not take a man on his past history, we do not refuse him on past history. I never met a man who was thoroughly bad. There is always some good in him if he gets a chance.”

The commitment towards completing these phases is significant as completing all six phases takes approximately three years. The graduates were awarded certificates for their hard work and dedication.

In addition to the reintegration phase graduation, five additional students received accommodations for becoming the next group of men to successfully pass the Photovoltaic Installer Level 1 exam. These students are now certified by the Electronics Technicians Association (ETA) in photovoltaics (solar energy) for the next four years.

These graduations and the photovoltaic program are coordinated by the RiCI’s Reintegration unit staff.