YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Prospera Reentry, a Cleveland-area nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering incarcerated individuals through workforce development and education, is expanding its hands-on workforce development program to the Mahoning Valley in collaboration with a local prison.

Prospera’s Pre-Release Workforce Empowerment Program, currently offered at Grafton Correctional Institution and Northeast Reintegration Center, provides training in areas such as culinary arts, community gardens, manufacturing, facility maintenance and K9 care.

Participants engage in externships during the final portion of their incarceration. They are transported between the prison and private company worksites for their work shifts, where they gain real-world work experience.

The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber and Prospera will provide more details about the program during a Q&A session at 1 p.m. June 4 at the chamber’s Window World Conference Room, 100 E. Federal St. A virtual attendance option also will be offered. For more information or to register, contact Brenda Linert, director of community impact for the Regional Chamber, at Brenda@RegionalChamber.com or 330 744 2131, ext. 1114.

How the Program Works

Prospera and partners such as the Regional Chamber seek out employers interested in hiring incarcerated individuals for work-release employment as they prepare for re-entry into society. Prospera visits potential employment sites and speaks with operations and HR personnel to explain goals and expectations of the partnership.

Prospera communicates with the local prison warden and an Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction representative to assess their interest in partnering with the business. Prospera then coordinates a visit at the employment site with prison staff and the ODRC representative for a facility tour and discussion of requirements and expectations of all parties.

If the employer wishes to continue toward a partnership with Prospera and ODRC, Prospera submits an ODRC Office of Enterprise Development Partnership Proposal to the OED administrator. An OED board hearing is then set for the employer to present and answer questions. Prospera helps prepare the employer by providing insight and frequently asked questions and attends the hearing with the employer.

The OED board reviews the application and approves or denies the partnership, or requests more information. If approved, a memorandum of understanding is drafted by the ODRC legal department and signed by both the employer and ODRC.

Other steps include:

  • The prison staff conducts training with the employer.
  • The payroll process for the incarcerated individual is coordinated between the employer and prison.
  • The prison staff screens incarcerated adults to determine eligibility.
  • The employer and Prospera interview incarcerated eligible adults to determine who will be hired.
  • Prospera coordinates transportation between the prison and employment site.
  • Incarcerated adults begin their paid employment at the approved worksite.
  • The partnership between the ODRC, employer and Prospera begins.