劳动力的新闻

In 爱博体育手机版下载, ‘Ujamaa’ means Collaboration 和 Transformation

2023年6月5日

This piece is the third in a series of Fair Opportunities articles intended to raise awareness of the 就业 needs of justice-impacted individuals in 爱博体育手机版下载和 the benefits to employers willing to give these returning citizens a chance at meaningful 就业. Watch for upcoming content with detailed looks into active area providers 和 resources, as well as businesses 和 individuals who have directly benefited from their interactions. Justice-impacted individuals 和 local employers can contact 爱博体育手机版下载劳动力 Solutions 寻求帮助.

Regardless of a person’s cultural background or race, they often associate the term ‘community’ with strong relationships with others where they live 和 work, coming together to help each other make their goals 和 the lives they seek more attainable.

For justice-impacted individuals, a positive community environment is vitally important yet challenging to obtain. 最近的一次爱博体育手机版下载社区 Corrections survey indicated the most common need of adults on probation is a better connection with resources in the community.

The 圣保罗-based organization, Ujamaa地方, tackles the collaborative effect community can have on reducing crime, homelessness 和 other barriers facing men today. It takes its name from one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa, “ujamaa,” meaning “cooperative economics” 和 “familyhood.” Ujamaa地方 is a brotherhood of men.

“We take to heart that we are an “extended family,” said Ujamaa地方 Housing Coach CJ Jessup. “Our goal is to stabilize the lives of men by enrollment into the Theory of Transformation™, a culturally designed framework of holistic programming that serves to help enrolled participants secure 和 maintain stable housing, increase 教育al attainment, secure / retain 就业, connect with family/children 和 eliminate contact with the criminal justice system.

提供转换

Since opening its doors in 2010, Ujamaa地方 has provided support services to help men build positive lives 和 move into contributing roles in society. The men are primarily African American aged 18-30 in the Twin Cities seven-county metropolitan area who face 就业, 住房和其他负担. The men enroll at no cost with Ujamaa地方和 receive transformational services through its Theory of Transformation™.

Its main office is located on University Avenue in 圣保罗, while it manages 和 maintains several scattered-housing properties in the city with a capacity for 32 participants living in the three transition housing sites 和 two long-term housing sites that the men transition to, 与PPL合作. Transitioning to long-term housing is the goal within one year if the men successfully meet their Individual Transformation Plan (ITP) goals, which they create with their navigator at enrollment.

成功的支柱

Ujamaa地方’s Theory of Transformation™ centers on five main pillars – housing, 就业, 教育, wellness 和 criminal justice advocacy. All pillars embed culture 和 all men enrolled have access to over 37 services at no charge. The organization assigns coaches to each participant. Coaches also have the responsibility of managing a pillar. Each participant has the support of their assigned coach, as well as the coach that manages the pillar based on their ITP needs.

“All the coaches have the same goal - to transform lives - 和 we recognize everything goes together,” said Ujamaa地方 Employment Coach Nigel Sharper. “It's difficult to secure a place to live without a job, 和 it's tough to get a job if a person has some sort of dependency 和 that is true for each pillar, so we know we all have to work together to make things straight.”

Help for those who need it

For most individuals coming to Ujamaa地方, unhealed trauma is an underlying theme 和 a real barrier to living the lives they seek. Services are allocated to the men by their coach based on their needs. Participants are referred to Ujamaa地方 by parole 和 probation agencies, mothers 和 family members. Weekly information sessions are held at the main office every Wednesday at 10:30 am, where walk-ins or concerned families 和 friends can bring men in to learn about Ujamaa地方和 the benefits of enrollment into the Theory of Transformation™.

An average of 60-70% of Ujamaa Men have a connection to the criminal justice system, while 80-90% are homeless or have unstable housing. Ujamaa地方 serves primarily Black or African-American (92%), 然而, the program is available to men of all ethnicities experiencing inequities at the intersection of race 和 poverty.

非常成功的

Since it began operations in 2010, Ujamaa地方 has successfully transformed over 6,000 men. It has maintained a 4%-6% recidivism rate since its inception, compared to a 38% rate reported in the Minnesota Department of Corrections 2021 Performance Report.

Ujamaa地方 CEO Chris Crutchfield attributes stabilization 和 transformation success to the hard work the men put in with the support of staff, 支持者, 政策制定者, the Ujamaa Board of Directors 和 the community.

“Transformation is not easy work for the men, which is why we celebrate every success they make along the way of their Theory of Transformation™ journey,” said Crutchfield.

“Everyone involved knows we are transforming lives,” said Jessup. “作为教练之一, I can say many of us have made similar mistakes or lived through similar situations. The men we work with can relate to us 和 see different paths are possible through us.”

Jessup is excited about the future with Crutchfield, who recently took over for retired CEO Otis Z和ers, who oversaw the successful transformations occurring through much of Ujamaa地方’s existence.

“His phenomenal leadership will help us move forward in the future in providing second-chance 机会和 unity in the community,他说.

为社区服务

In the Twin Cities, the Ujamaa name is synonymous with collaboration 和 transformation. Several coaches have places in 圣保罗 Public 学校 or are involved with area sports 和 recreation organizations during their free time. Its name 和 services are well-known in regional correctional facilities, with justice-impacted individuals eager to work with them upon release. Ujamaa地方 typically has a booth during July’s Rondo Days 和 its members are actively involved in Twin Cities Men’s Movement. Sharper found meaningful work in various roles for over a decade in nonprofits. While only recently hired as an Employment Coach, none of those past experiences have compared to the satisfaction he has found with Ujamaa.

“Not every black man grows up with a positive role model, so we as coaches are here to show that success can take many different paths to live a positive life,他说.

If you find the Ujamaa地方 mission intriguing 和 would like to be involved, see the Ujamaa地方 website for 当前的职位空缺和志愿者和捐赠机会.

其他地区组织

Some other area organizations working to connect justice-impacted individuals with resources include:

The Minnesota Department of Corrections has several reentry services 和 resources, like the Minnesota Transition Coalitions.
重新提供动力, 以前的技术转储, is one of Minnesota’s largest e-waste collectors but is also a social enterprise that provides jobs 和 training for persons facing barriers to 就业.
双子城!se has a mission “to transform the lives of those impacted by racial or socio-economic barriers through Personal Empowerment, career training 和 meaningful 就业.”
来自内心的艺术 is an organization founded by a correctional officer to allow incarcerated artists to express themselves through art 和 community exhibitions.
我们都是罪犯 is a Minnesota non-profit organization dedicated to challenging society’s perceptions of being “criminal.”