Working with the Previously Incarcerated: Tips for Building Strategic Partnerships

Of all the successful re-entry programs I've worked with

, including

the best practices I've researched researched across the country,

there is one thing they all have in common - coordination of services

across multiple partners. With the often complex needs of job seekers

who were previously incarcerated, there are very few organizations

that have the capacity to provide all of the needed services and

resources on their own. When organizations spread themselves too thin

and try to take on activities that are outside of their expertise, it

often dilutes the quality and type of service they are able to offer.

It makes sense to leverage the expertise and know how of others, so

your organization can focus on what it does best - whether that's job

placement, housing, counseling services, or something else.

Assembling the appropriate team is going to be vital to your success

and the success of your participants. The types of partners you

pursue will be dependent on where you're located and the relationships

you've already built. It will also be dependent on who you're serving

(e.g. individuals released from prison, youth offenders, etc.), the

common issues these individuals have when released from prison/jail,

and a variety of other factors. Take the time to determine the gaps

in service and focus on those partners who can fill those needs.

Some of the potential partnerships worth exploring include:

* Corrections and law enforcement (e.g. prison/jail systems,

correctional facilities, probation/parole offices, local jail)

* Treatment services (e.g. substance dependence, mental health,

medical)

* Housing providers (e.g. public housing providers, transitional

housing, sober living facilities)

* Faith-based and community organizations (e.g. churches or other

providers serving target population)

* Legal assistance and education (e.g. child support, legal rights)

* Employment services (e.g. One-Stop Center, State Vocational

Rehabilitation Agencies)

* Local businesses.

Laying out a plan of how you'll work together will be the first step

in establishing your relationship to avoid duplication of services and

ensure that all partners are on the "same page." In my experience

working with organizations across the state, partnerships that succeed

are those that consider the needs, input and goals of other partners

when determining how they can successfully work together. One-sided

relationships make it very difficult for organizations to move

forward. Communication is also important. Regular meeting times

should be established between stakeholders and front line staff and

expectations should be communicated BEFORE you begin working together.

This can be easily done through the use of a Memorandum of

Understanding (MOU), an agreement commonly used by One-Stop Centers

with their partners. The MOU it a tool that can be used to detail out

the expectations, service-related responsibilities, goals and

financial responsibilities (if any exist) that you both agree to. The

time you spend up front getting to know your partners and how you can

best work together will be well worth the effort spent.

My challenge to you over the next two weeks is to determine who is

missing from your service delivery team. Good luck! During our next

issue, we'll discuss specific job placement strategies and

considerations for individuals who were previously incarcerated.

Working with the Previously Incarcerated: Tips for Building Strategic Partnerships

By: Lisa Jordan

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