By Jeremie Delauder, MAT Research Assistant – WestCare Kentucky
Thanks to our partnership with Goodwill Industries of Kentucky and their RISE program, the justice-involved clients in WestCare’s Kentucky facilities throughout Pike County have learned valuable life, communication and job skills to help them better prepare for life after incarceration.
To date, more than twenty-five WestCare Kentucky clients have completed the RISE program! Clients often tell us that they feel more confident now about reentering the workforce after their stay with us ends. In other cases, some of our clients are preparing to enter the workforce for the very first time, but thanks to the RISE program, now have the skills to help them succeed as they get ready for reentry!
For more information on this amazing program, we’d like to share a statement from Goodwill’s website: goodwillky.org
We embrace the justice-involved community with our Reintegrating Individuals Successfully Every Day (RISE) program and we’re assisting more Kentucky job seekers with disadvantages than ever. RISE has been offered since 2018 in the Louisville area and now we’ve expanded our services to Lexington, Bowling Green and Pikeville!
Participants of the RISE program take part in a two-week session – now offered virtually – to learn valuable life and job skills including financial literacy, digital literacy, communication skills, health and nutrition and behavioral health. They are awarded a Work Ready Certificate upon graduating, which helps individuals reintegrate back into employment. RISE also allows participants a chance to earn a Chromebook, a stipend and a gym membership or equipment upon graduating.
