REBULDING FUTURES

Re-Building Futures is a creative approach to addressing some of the structural barriers that affect economically disenfranchised individuals, by providing Economic and Financial Empowerment training, job readiness skills, employment skills building and on- the-job-training opportunities to the target population.

The target population of the program are Black, Latino, Indigenous and other economically disenfranchised individuals or families, especially, those with a history of involvement in the criminal justice system, formerly incarcerated returning individuals, juveniles aging out of that system and other at-risk individuals.

PROGRAM ELEMENTS

The program consists of two components: a skill building & On-The-Job- Training component, an economic and financial empowerment, and job readiness component. With grant funds, CENTRO will establish a Woodworking & Furniture Refinishing Shop, as well as a retail storefront in Southbridge, MA.

Participants will be also provided Economic and Financial Empowerment classes, as well as Job Readiness Training.

OUR FRAMEWORK

In the frameworks of the program Centro Inc. cooperates with the following organizations, the involvement of which greatly facilitates and creates various mechanisms for the penetration and easier integration of the program participants into the community:

· Town of Southbridge Redevelopment Authority
· Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early
· Worcester County Sherriff Lew Evangelidis
· Catholic Charities· Bridge of Faith Youth Center

Measurable Outcomes

∙ The program will help create two permanent jobs, the Shop Manager and the Retail Manager.

∙ At-least 20 individuals will receive job-readiness skills

∙ In addition, the program will identify and place 10 program participants in the On- The-Job-Training (OJT) occupational skills program at the shop and retail store

∙ 7 of those individuals will complete the five-month OJT program

∙ 5 (OJT) apprentices will be placed in related jobs making a livable wage.

∙ A minimum of 50 individuals and families will be provided economic empowerment and financial capabilities training