Second Chance Stories: Overcoming Barriers to Employment
Tonique, Brother Shane Price, and Dr. Verna Cornelia Price at R.E.E.P. Graduation
When Tonique was released from prison in 2017, she built a solid seven-year career at a non-profit. After an unexpected layoff, she job-searched for six months.
“I was actually really depressed when I first started R.E.E.P.,” said Tonique. “I wasn’t even getting up in the morning. So the R.E.E.P. class gave me something to look forward to, to do every day.”
The Re-Planting Employment Expansion Program (R.E.E.P.), provides a 40-hour intensive personal development, leadership training, and job opportunities for second-chance individuals. The program's curriculum, centered around the book The Power of People: Four Kinds of People Who Can Change Your Life, resonated deeply with Tonique.
“It really made me reanalyze my life,” Tonique said, “My social, the people I hung out with socially, even my family members - who was a divider, subtractor, adders, and multipliers. It helped a lot.”
R.E.E.P. staff provided tangible resources. Osaretin, her caseworker, became a constant source of encouragement, his weekly calls a lifeline during moments of doubt. Mitchell, with his expertise, revamped Tonique's resume, transforming it into a powerful tool that opened doors to interviews and, ultimately, job offers. She faced a welcome dilemma – choosing between two positions. In the end, her passion for community service led her back to the non-profit sector.
“My criminal record was an issue,” said Tonique. “Even though you don’t have to check that box, they still have a way around to ask you about your background. And if you don’t mention your background it doesn’t look good either.”
The staff at R.E.E.P. helped craft and elevator speech for discussing her background with employers. Tonique was empowered to tell her own story, turning a potential obstacle into a testament to her resilience.
R.E.E.P. empowers individuals to deliver the best first impression to employers on their graduation day by providing printed resumes, fresh haircuts, and interview clothes - all for free.
“My heels were really nice, and my outfit was really nice for it, and I actually wore those to my interviews,” said Tonique. “It was like a fresh start.”
Since graduating REEP, Tonique has been employed full time, working as a Housing Stabilization Navigator, preventing people from becoming homeless. The life lessons from Brother Shane’s teaching are still top of mind.
“Every person I meet I really pay attention to their actions and their words,” Tonique said. “And I put everybody in those four groups: adder subtractors, multipliers and dividers. I stay away from the dividers. And that’s been really helpful. When you don’t have those negative people around, like the book says, it’s just success on success on success.”
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