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Greater New Bedford & Bristol WIB Regions Team Up in Pursuit of Reentry Grant Early-September of this year, Secretary Bump, of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, released a request for proposal (RFP) for the Ex-Offender Re-entry Partnership Initiative. The RFP was by invitation only, and the Greater New Bedford and Bristol WIB regions were invited to apply together, under one proposal. Three additional regions were invited to apply: Boston, Hampden, and Central Mass & Metro SouthWest (also as a team). The Secretary’s Ex Offender Re-Entry Partnership Initiative (ERPI) seeks to strengthen communities characterized by large numbers of returning prisoners through a comprehensive program that incorporates mentoring, education, job training, job placement and other comprehensive transitional services. The Greater New Bedford and Bristol WIB regions receive a majority of returning prisoners from the Bristol County House of Corrections, located in Dartmouth and run by the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office; a key partner in this application. However, prior to ERPI, the Greater New Bedford Career Center, Bristol County Sheriff’s Office, Mass Parole Board, Regional Reentry Center, Bristol Community College, local police, community organizations, and partners in the judicial system had been working together for the past three years to form a Reentry Workgroup to increase the number of recently released offenders finding gainful employment. This grant is an opportunity to build on the existing framework and relationships to increase capacity and further develop regional partnerships, such as with the Bristol WIB & Career Centers, to enhance this population’s reentry into the community. The program created through this grant writing process includes enhancements to the continuum of services received by offenders both pre-release (behind-the-wall) and post-release. Pre-release enhancements include, but are not limited to, new assessments that explore career interests (going beyond the typical skill level or educational attainment tests), additional ABE classes, a work readiness course, and a more fully developed Transition Accountability Plan/portfolio to take with them upon release and have forwarded to the appropriate career center or support service provider. Additionally, the Bristol WIB Career Centers will have a dedicated reentry staff person who will participate in behind-the-wall activities with the Greater New Bedford Career Center reentry staff. Post-release enhancements include, but are not limited to, a more coordinated referral system to support service providers, new reentry-specific job readiness and job search workshops at career centers, and additional access to post-secondary education through Bristol Community College, SER Jobs For Progress and other local ABE providers. There will also be an annual reentry job fair held regionally for both the Bristol and Greater New Bedford WIB regions. If successful, the two WIB regions would receive $700,000, collectively, to launch this exciting and innovative pilot program over the next two years. We will keep you posted on the status of this application. 227 Union Street, Suite 206, New Bedford, MA 02740-5946 PH 508.979.1504 • FAX 508.979.5680 E-mail: Webmaster@gnbwib.org |