LANSING, MI –The Institute of Educational Leadership (IEL) announced Peckham as one of the five sites across the country to be included for its Reentry Project grant serving young adults between the ages of 18 to 24 who have been involved in the juvenile justice system or adult system.
"Individuals, families, communities and our economy as a whole are better off when the transition from the justice system to employment is successful," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta. "These reentry programs are designed to break the cycle of recidivism by providing assistance toward achieving meaningful employment."
Peckham will receive $630,000 over three years to create services. The new program will develop methods that maximize participants' inclusion and integration into society, employment opportunities, family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency.
Peckham intends to address the full range of challenges faced by justice-involved individuals transitioning back to the community. Peckham Youth Services believes in the abilities of this young talented workforce. This new Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) opportunity is critical in ending the school to prison pipeline. Using evidence based programming to transition individuals who are re-integrating into the community from incarceration.
“Over the past two and half years Peckham has served more than 200 Lansing area youth 16-24 who have juvenile court involvement and have placed over 60% into employment and over 60% obtained an industry recognized credential/degree. We are grateful for the 30th Judicial Circuit Court of Ingham County for their support in pursuing this opportunity,” said Sarah Britton, director of youth services, at Peckham.
The intent of the Reentry Projects grant program is to protect community safety by ensuring that participants who successfully exit the program are provided with positive opportunities to engage in employment or education; become productive, responsible, and law-abiding members of society; maintain long-term employment; and establish a stable residence.
About Institute of Educational Leadership (IEL): Supported by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, Right Turn is based on a number of IEL-created foundational materials, as well as IEL’s experience operating the youth career-focused mentoring model, the Ready to Achieve.
For a half-century, the IEL has championed the need for leaders at all levels to shake off their institutional constraints and work across boundaries to address the needs of young people and their families.
Peckham, Inc. is a nonprofit vocational rehabilitation organization that values quality, diversity and performance. Our mission is to provide a wide range of opportunities to maximize human potential for persons with disabilities and other barriers to employment, who are striving for greater independence and self-sufficiency.