Heart 4 Hearts, Inc

Ex-Offender Reentry Program:

The program should increase ex-offender and family stability and promote healthy, productive lifestyles. This will be done by working with the local Workplace to aid in job search to include: resume writing and interview etiquette. Also, service in the following areas: housing, financial tutoring/education, transportation, and/or parenting and family support. Funding raised through government grants and solicitation from private, public and corporations will be used for housing, direct service delivery, capital improvements, staff and volunteer support, training, and/or program expansion. 


Reentry Initiative:

Heart 4 Hearts largest reentry program is the Department of Labor Prison Reentry Initiative model. This program is in community partnership with Mayor Ganim’s Mayor Initiative on Reentry Affairs (MIRA) to provide mentoring, job training, education and case management services to previously incarcerated persons reintegrating back to society. As well as in collaboration with the Jay Brothers Resource Center. Heart 4 Hearts provides re-entry services and career readiness training services to participants meeting the REO (Reentry Employment Opportunities).


Qualifications:

• male & female
• 18 years of age or older by release date
• sentenced in the adult criminal justice system
• within 3 to 6 months of release
• EOS period cannot exceed 6 months



Participants will have access to the following:

• obtaining personal identification 
• coordination of housing
• education, GED & job training
• employment assistance/short term employment
• substance abuse treatment
• access to health care & medication
• mental health screening
• counseling and mentors
• financial literacy training
• job placement assistance
• life skills training and work support




Empowerment Sessions

Career Readiness can be defined as knowledge and skills participants learn in order to embark successfully on a career-track employment position (that pays a living wage, provides benefits, and offers clear pathways for advancement through further education and training). Below we have listed the services that we currently offer in our Success Lab in hopes of assisting our participants to become prepared to obtain employment and their new lives.

Session Hours/Days/Location

Empowerment sessions will be held on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Fridays will be make up days for holidays and the graduation.

Hours: 6p to 8p each night

Location: Heart 4 Hearts locations are considered NUETRAL grounds. 
480 Bond St, Bridgeport CT 06615 and 999 Broad St, Bridgeport CT 06604.




Empowerment Session Services:

• Orientation
• Email account
• FDIC money smart (financial literacy)
• Employment seeking strategies
• Resume preparation
• Job search support
• Interview skills
• Character development
• Onsite mock interviews
• Onsite job fairs
• Career exploration
• Job matching
• Career focus
• Customer service certification and training
• Career counseling

Steps to complete Empowerment Sessions:

• When participants enroll into the six (6) week empowerment sessions they are given an email address (if they do not have a professional one) and orientation to go over rules, regulations, empowerment session hours, and overview of our classes.


• Once completed, participants begin Life Skills. They complete Life Skills training in the areas of Employment Strategies, Communicating at Work, Cognitive Behaviors at Work and Financial Literacy.

• Participants are then able to enroll into Career Counseling where they are able to learn how to utilize O*Net, complete their resume, and discuss employment opportunities with our Job Development/Placement Coordinator.

• Once participants have successfully completed the requirements in the empowerment sessions, they are eligible for graduation and to receive an incentive.

Heart 4 Hearts Empowerment Sessions

Week 1 – Getting Ready (Dress Code & Discipline, What job is right for me, Interpersonal Communication, Gathering References, Resume Writing and Organizational Skills)

Week 2 – Computer Literacy (How to work the computer, Pros and Cons of the internet, Social Media for networking, building a LinkedIn profile)

Week 3 – Finding and Getting the Job (Job searching, networking, Mock interviews, Developing Elevator Pitches, Overcoming Obstacles, How to explain your offense to potential employers, Self Destruction & Personality and Why Am I Angry?)

Week 4 – Job Skills and Keeping the Job (Team work, Professionalism at work, Breaking the Cycle to include domestic violence, How to handle rude customers and coworkers, unwanted behavior to include sexual harassment, how to talk to your boss, Problem Solving & Critical Thinking)

Week 5 – Life Management (Financial Literacy, Balancing Home and Work, Personal Life Skills, Setting and Reaching Goals)
 Week 6 – Overview & Graduation (Mock interviews, Elevator Pitches, Job Fair and Graduation)