Workforce Development
The plan
Our work development teams help the community define skills and capabilities needed for their future business pursuits; they will help identify gaps in the current workforce that centralize the worker with strategies and programs that assist in implementation into their occupation.
Outreach and Assessment
The outreach team has developed relationships with some of the people most likely to commit gun violence within Durham and those reentering from incarceration for prior violent offenses. These individuals (to include willing family members) will become our initial cohort of participants. As we grow, an increase in funding will result in an increase in the number of participants we reach.
Assessment Review and Partnership Development
This is the phase where the Hayti-JM community and Movement participants enter a “partnership”. Representatives from each of our assessment areas will sit at the same table with the participant and develop a plan for success. The true measure of success can only be determined by the individual participant obtaining what they need and want, in order to live their most productive lives. These sessions are not about the panel telling participants what they “should” want or what we want for them. The sessions are guided and directed by the participant. Primarily, representatives are there to collaboratively identify the resources necessary to ensure the participant receives what they need to, subsequently, recognize their personal value and their value to the community.
Implementation of Partnership Plans
After the assessment review and planning development, we collaborate with the participant and partners in the community who can aid in accomplishing the goals set during the meeting. After the participant has an in-depth review of the finalized plan, a “partnership agreement:” is formed between the participant and Hayti Reborn-JM which includes the expectations and level of commitment required on both parts. While each plan will vary based on the participant’s needs, abstaining from any level of violence is a core component of every contract. Goals within the plans will not only be research and culturally sensitive, but measurable and obtainable to develop data for annual reporting and reflect tangible progress used to promote participant motivation. Once participants sign their partnership agreement, they will begin receiving a living wage stipend while engaging in the next stages of the Movement. The Board of Advisors and Movement Executive Directors will meet to determine when the stipend will end for those not entering employment.
Education and Preparation
During this period, participants will move forward with options that include school, on-the-job training, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, an entrepreneurship program, soft skills/communication training, or enrollment in another suitable program with one of our partner organizations. This is also when participants are paired with a mentor. This relationship is vital because it is a tangible reminder that none of us walk through this world alone. Community is important and family includes more than those related to us by blood. Mentors will vary based upon the participant’s needs or desires, but many of them will be prominent members of the community, such as:
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Men of Vision
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Women of Vision
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Community Elders
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The Black Chamber of Commerce, and
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Other motivated people of color from Durham organizations who can teach the importance of giving back to communities of color.
Employment and Programming
For those who are unemployed or underemployed, Hayti Reborn has solidified agreements with several community partners who are willing to hire/train participants. Once funded, we will continue developing community partnerships to reach as many potential participants as possible and develop a pipeline that leads to jobs instead of leading to prison. Employers will soon recognize that Hayti Reborn-Justice Movement participants have the support, education, training, and accountability to become productive and contributing members of their community and the surrounding workforce. For younger participants, Hayti Reborn-JM will work with school officials to develop innovative alternatives to removal from a structured educational environment. We will coordinate a variety of community activities and programming that are of interest and age appropriate, while addressing the needs presented during the implementation of their plans.
The Journey and Relationship Continues
One of the most exciting facets of Hayti Reborn-JM is that, although we have a plan, our approach is not intended to be stagnant. The word “Movement” indicates a lack of arrested development. This organization will move and grow as new challenges present themselves and new research becomes available. Not only are we interested in the outcome, but we are also invested in the journey. Each participant in the Hayti Reborn - JM will inherit a family of people who value them during times of struggle as well as celebrate their success. Some participants will pass the spirit of this lesson along by becoming mentors for those newly entering the Movement.