Reentry mentoring programs are designed to help ex-offenders find employment so that they can reintegrate into society and avoid recidivism. These programs offer social support to ex-offenders in order for them to feel more comfortable about trying new things and making new connections.
What are the benefits of becoming a reentry mentor?
Becoming a mentor is a great way to support ex-offenders in their quest to reintegrate into society and decrease recidivism rates. A mentor is someone who can help ex-offenders make important changes in their lives, whether they are looking to go back to school or find a job.
Volunteering to become a reentry mentor also fulfills a need for individuals who want to give back. It can also be an excellent opportunity to explore new interests, such as volunteering at a soup kitchen or church or tutoring at a high school.
If you suspect a family member or friend is in prison and want to help them, you can try performing a search for offenders in West Virginia prisons and enlist the help of an inmate mentor to reach out.
How can I become a reentry mentor?
There are several ways that you can become a reentry mentor in West Virginia. You can volunteer for a program at a prison or a reentry center. If you want to give back in a hands-on way, you can make a commitment to serve on a team or help with a larger program.
Some organizations focus on supporting ex-offenders entering the workforce. Other organizations work to help ex-offenders find a stable community.
Overall though, one-on-one reentry mentoring requires the best of you. It is a lot of work, but it is truly rewarding helping someone else to grow, develop, and reestablish their life after prison.
Take advantage of the opportunities reentry programs provide to re-engage with the community and make a difference in the lives of ex-offenders. Becoming a reentry mentor is one of the best things you can do to support and help reintegrate people into society after they have served their time.
4 Ways Reentry Programs Help Inmates Integrate Back Into Society
1) Ex-offenders are often released without any skills or connections in their communities
In prisons and jails, people learn a set of skills and put them to use, but once they are released, they are often left without a support network. This can leave ex-offenders struggling to find an entry-level job, making it extremely difficult for them to transition into normal life and get back into the workforce.
Mentoring programs can help fill that gap. Mentors can help ex-offenders make the transition from prison to the outside world. These programs also provide structure and community support for ex-offenders. This can help prisoners make positive changes that stick.
2) Joblessness leads to recidivism.
When ex-offenders are struggling to find a job, many turn to crime as an alternative to desperation. Thus, they are more likely to return to prison. This creates a vicious cycle of recidivism, and if you add more recidivism to the equation, you have a death spiral.
Helping inmates find jobs could help change that cycle. Inmates have opportunities to develop skills in prison, but it's difficult to market those skills or find companies willing to hire them. Reentry mentoring programs connect ex-offenders to employers, which could lead to employers offering ex-offenders jobs.
3) Reentry mentoring programs offer support and social networks
Prisoners and ex-offenders often suffer from loneliness and depression, which only makes the transition to life on the outside that much harder. This is often because of a lack of family and community support.
A mentor can help ex-offenders form social networks. People often struggle with loneliness and depression when they first leave prison, so having a mentor can help them feel connected and help them cope with the stress of life on the outside. Mentors can also help ex-offenders find community support and opportunities that support their needs.
4) Mentoring programs keep ex-offenders connected with society.
A difficult thing for ex-inmates to do is cut off ties with people in their community that negatively influenced their lives. Social factors contribute to recidivism, and it does an ex-inmate no good if they're hanging around the same people as before.
Mentoring programs help ex-offenders strengthen ties to their communities in positive ways, such as joining community organizations and volunteering.
Overall, mentoring programs offer ex-inmates the opportunity to try new things and to live their lives more independently, as well as helping them connect. This can make it less likely that they will commit crimes and increase their chances of finding employment.
