The U.S. Department of Labor recently awarded a $1.2 million grant to The Little Rock Workforce Development Board to develop The Rock City Reentry Project. The purpose of the grant is to provide training and support services to recently incarcerated individuals as they transition back into society. The project will be a collaborative effort between The Little Rock Workforce Development Board, and Our House, with ACEF, Medlife, and Pulaski Technical College operating as secondary partners to provide training opportunities and help with job placement.

Arkansas has one of the fastest-growing prison populations in the country, largely due to its high rate of recidivism. The Rock City Reentry Project is a direct response to Arkansas’ high recidivism rate, and the grant will enable 150 adults with the resources to obtain long-term, meaningful employment and gain stability after incarceration.

Applicants for the project must have exited a correctional facility within 180 days of enrollment, or should be on active community supervision. Upon acceptance, participants will receive a wide array of services, including career mentoring, counseling for mental health and substance abuse issues, and legal services as needed.

The program will be administered through several service hubs, including the Our House Career Center, Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, and the Little Rock Workforce Center. Additionally ACEF, along with Pulaski Technical College will provide paid training opportunities that will offer on-the-job training and work experience in a variety of high-demand skilled trades.

The blemish of a prison sentence follows individuals around for a lifetime, and employers are often hesitant to give them a second chance. The Rock City Reentry Project aims to provide that second chance to hard-working people that have paid their debt to society, and seek to rejoin the workforce and get a fresh start.

For more information, or to apply for the program, click here.