Providing Support and Fighting Stigma:
A Brighter Way (ABW) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in Washtenaw County that was created from the realization of the issues and struggles that many people face while reintegrating back into society after serving time in prison and jail. Founded by formerly incarcerated individuals who, after their prison release, found stability and success through social supports and hard work, ABW was formed with the mission to create an organization that intentionally expands social support opportunities for people after prison and jail.
Mentees, who are the formerly incarcerated ABW participants, enter our Mentorship Program voluntarily. After decades of system-imposed directives, this is a vital step in self-empowerment. Although the perception of many is that former prisoners are tough enough to handle anything, we know that community reintegration is emotionally daunting. ABW has tailored its individualized program to not only nudge its mentees forward, but also to allow them to progress at a pace best suited for them using a core program that matches trained volunteers to provide mentoring and related support. This is coupled with rigorous case management to help ensure that each mentee successfully connects with other community resources as needed, that the mentor-mentee matches are monitored and supported, and that the mentee's incremental steps toward goal attainment are consistent and consistently supported.
Aligned with best practices for serving those re-entering the community post-incarceration, ABW also works to directly satisfy mentees critical needs when able. In any instance where this may not be possible, ABW directly connects program participants to other community partners or supports to provide the service. This includes, but is not limited to, housing; household items; assistance with utility bill payments; transportation; clothing, basic toiletries and groceries; photo identification and other vital documents; acquisition of health insurance; education; job skills training, job readiness, employment; financial literacy training and establishing a bank account; alcohol and substance abuse treatment; mental health services, computer access, and physical and social activities.
And the numbers and outcomes are clear. Research shows that compared with participants who did not have a mentor, mentored participants were 35 percent less likely to have reoffended within a year of being released. Additionally, mentored participants were twice as likely to get a job compared to their non-mentored counterparts. Those linked with mentors also secured initial employment faster and, once hired, were more likely to stay on the job. The successes of ABW’s mentees equals minimizing poverty and unemployment, elevating community cohesion and safety, strengthening families, and encouraging other newly released prisoners to follow these paths of success.
We look forward to continuing to serve our friends and family returning home, to see them, to hear them, to seek to understand where we don’t, and to always, always, assist where we can.
That’s A Brighter Way.
1: Michigan Prisoner ReEntry Initiatives, 2011. A Guide to Evidence-Based Prisoner Reentry Practices
2: Insights from the Ready4Work Reentry Initiative by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Public/Private Ventures. https://www.aecf.org/resources/mentoring-formerly-incarcerated-adults/
Mentees, who are the formerly incarcerated ABW participants, enter our Mentorship Program voluntarily. After decades of system-imposed directives, this is a vital step in self-empowerment. Although the perception of many is that former prisoners are tough enough to handle anything, we know that community reintegration is emotionally daunting. ABW has tailored its individualized program to not only nudge its mentees forward, but also to allow them to progress at a pace best suited for them using a core program that matches trained volunteers to provide mentoring and related support. This is coupled with rigorous case management to help ensure that each mentee successfully connects with other community resources as needed, that the mentor-mentee matches are monitored and supported, and that the mentee's incremental steps toward goal attainment are consistent and consistently supported.
Aligned with best practices for serving those re-entering the community post-incarceration, ABW also works to directly satisfy mentees critical needs when able. In any instance where this may not be possible, ABW directly connects program participants to other community partners or supports to provide the service. This includes, but is not limited to, housing; household items; assistance with utility bill payments; transportation; clothing, basic toiletries and groceries; photo identification and other vital documents; acquisition of health insurance; education; job skills training, job readiness, employment; financial literacy training and establishing a bank account; alcohol and substance abuse treatment; mental health services, computer access, and physical and social activities.
And the numbers and outcomes are clear. Research shows that compared with participants who did not have a mentor, mentored participants were 35 percent less likely to have reoffended within a year of being released. Additionally, mentored participants were twice as likely to get a job compared to their non-mentored counterparts. Those linked with mentors also secured initial employment faster and, once hired, were more likely to stay on the job. The successes of ABW’s mentees equals minimizing poverty and unemployment, elevating community cohesion and safety, strengthening families, and encouraging other newly released prisoners to follow these paths of success.
We look forward to continuing to serve our friends and family returning home, to see them, to hear them, to seek to understand where we don’t, and to always, always, assist where we can.
That’s A Brighter Way.
1: Michigan Prisoner ReEntry Initiatives, 2011. A Guide to Evidence-Based Prisoner Reentry Practices
2: Insights from the Ready4Work Reentry Initiative by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Public/Private Ventures. https://www.aecf.org/resources/mentoring-formerly-incarcerated-adults/
The Need for Help:
There are approximately 7 million Americans either in prison, jail, or some form of legal supervision in the United States. In Michigan alone, over 9,000 people are released from prisons each year. Many of these individuals often face significant challenges and barriers in re-entering society. While a person may have completed their term of their court adjudicated punishment, the label of “ex-offender” tends to sway the general public to hold negative attitudes towards those re-entering into society. Additionally, issues such as trauma, unemployment, mental health, substance abuse, housing instability, and a lack of community connection are all traditional markers that impact recidivism rates and these challenges tend to affect each other. These many obstacles directly impact the chances for the success of reintegrating people, from employment, to housing, and even education.
