August 29, 2022 – Boston – Dorchester Bay’s Workforce and Reentry program was created to ensure a smooth and safe transition back into the community for those formerly incarcerated. We have done this by providing support at the Suffolk County House of Corrections at South Bay and job readiness assistance to individuals upon their release. Over the years, we have been able to successfully help those in our community find employment and transitional housing, but we have not accomplished this alone. We have partnered with other organizations with similar missions and common goals. Some of those organizations have been a crucial part of our journey in establishing our Workforce and Reentry Program today.
What do we do?
Our Reentry Program was launched back in 2008 as one of the Commonwealth’s first CDC-based reentry programs for ex-offenders. Since then, we have been able to service numerous clients with finding employment, career training, and GED programs with an over 70% success rate. Building our reentry program has been /is a collaborative effort as we have partnered with the attorney general’s office, police department, house of corrections, training programs, and other non-profit service partners. Linda Mello and Jim Carey have been two employees that have very much contributed to our program. As our Reentry Program Manager and Workforce Development Manager, they have provided services and the necessary resources to our clients, some of which have included referrals to other programs Dorchester Bay works with closely. One of those programs has been MyTERN.
MyTERN:
The MyTERN (Tufts Education Reentry Network) program, founded and directed by Hilary Binda at Tufts University, offers formerly incarcerated women and men, at no cost to the participants, a chance to achieve higher education. Through the MyTERN Program, participants will earn college credits and a certificate in Civic Studies. The college credits are transferable and can be used towards an individual’s Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree. Now in its 3rd year, MyTERN has successfully graduated students that have gone on to continue their education, develop a career and start their own businesses, post-incarceration. Of some of those graduations, 3 were referred from our reentry program. Outside of those referrals, our staff works very closely with the other students providing a supportive community and safe space, assisting with IDs, birth certificates, SS cards, employment, FASFAs, tax returns, housing, banking, employment, career, and benefits counseling. Linda Mello has provided many of the referrals to this program, while Jim Carey teaches Finance classes on Monday and Thursday evenings.
How to get involved?
Dorchester Bay is currently accepting open enrollment for anyone interested in joining our program or open to hearing about possible resources available to individuals who have experienced involvement with the justice system.
Prospective clients can contact our Reentry Program Manager, Linda Mello, at [email protected].
