The Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) will host its next “Building Bridges” event on October 4, bringing together employers, community organizations, and other stakeholders to discuss opportunities for people leaving prison.
The event, titled “Building Bridges: Fair Chance Hiring Summit – Leveraging Fair Chance Hiring for a More Inclusive Rhode Island Workforce,” aims to help employers bridge the gap between hiring initiatives and the needs of ex-offenders by enhancing understanding of the reentry experience and facilitating skills development.
“By creating pathways to employment for justice-impacted individuals, we not only help address critical talent gaps in our economy but also support the successful reintegration of individuals into society,” said Rosemary A. Costigan, Ph.D., RN, interim president of CCRI. “This summit underscores CCRI’s commitment to working with employers and community partners to create equitable opportunities for all Rhode Islanders.”
According to the Rhode Island Department of Labor, up to 77 million working-age Americans have a criminal record, with 27% of those unemployed. The “Building Bridges: Fair Chance Hiring Summit” aims to help remove barriers to meaningful employment for justice-impacted individuals, including those returning from incarceration and those transitioning to adulthood after incarceration.
The event will include a Reentry Simulation, a two-hour simulation in which participants receive the identify of a (fictional) formerly-incarcerated individual and must navigate through the process of weekly practical and court-ordered obligations to gain a better understanding of the challenges of the reentry landscape while also addressing America’s high rate of recidivism. The summit will also provide an opportunity for networking and collaboration between employers and community organizations.
The “Building Bridges: Fair Chance Hiring Summit” is part of CCRI’s ongoing efforts to support workforce development and economic opportunities in Rhode Island. The event is hosted by CCRI’s Division of Workforce Partnerships and sponsored by Polaris MEP, More Than Our Worst, and the Providence Center.
For more information and updates on the event, click here.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
