Digital Skills Training for People Impacted by Incarceration

On Nov 15, 2022

The New Jersey Reentry Corporation announced it’s working with Google to provide digital skills programs to advance economic opportunity for people impacted by incarceration. In June, Google shared its investing $4 million toward a new fund that aims to expand its justice reform work. Over 500 nonprofit organizations across the country applied to receive support from the fund, and the New Jersey Reentry Corporation is one of the recipients selected by Google.

The New Jersey Reentry Corporation will use the new funding to integrate Google’s digital skills curriculum into its existing programming, with the goal of helping people impacted by incarceration learn skills for today’s jobs. NJRC will launch a series of Google’s digital skills workshops to help court-involved individuals learn how to communicate using email and learn how to use digital tools for everyday tasks. Its facilities are equipped with employment specialists who can implement and scale Google’s digital skills curriculum and individualize the training to every participant’s learning style and needs.

“NJRC is committed to providing a healthy pathway for court-involved persons to reenter society. Providing medical, addiction, and mental health care, legal services, housing referrals, and ultimately job training and employment, NJRC greatly values our Google partnership to provide the digital skills necessary to compete in the workplace. Google’s digital skills will strengthen our program participants’ ability to navigate daily life and compete for good quality jobs,” said James McGreevey, executive director/chairman, The New Jersey Reentry Corporation.

“As we work to create a more inclusive economy, we’re committed to helping people impacted by incarceration access training for today’s jobs,” said Tia McLaurin, senior manager, Grow with Google. “We’re proud to work with outstanding partners to ensure more people can qualify for great jobs and create a new beginning for themselves and their families.”

The selected organizations will use Google digital skills curriculum that was co-curated with five nonprofits— The Last Mile, Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), Defy Ventures, Fortune Society and The Ladies of Hope Ministries. The program’s training includes five learning paths that Google developed in collaboration with nonprofit partners: (1) Getting Started with the Basics, (2) Job Search, (3) Job Readiness, (4) Online Safety, and (5) “Next Step” Job Readiness Skills. Lessons vary from fundamental digital skills, such as how to apply for jobs online and create a resumé, to more advanced topics, including entrepreneurship and business budgeting. Partners will integrate this curriculum into their existing programs to help people develop skills that will help them get a job or start a business.

Since launching in April 2021, Grow with Google’s program has helped more than 10,000 people impacted by incarceration obtain digital skills. Out of the participants surveyed, 85% said that they felt more prepared for their future, and over 75% reported they had a job or were enrolled as a student by the end of the program. To date, Google has given over $48 million in Google.org grants and committed 50,000 pro bono hours to advance criminal justice reform. Learn more about how Google is expanding access to digital skills training to support individuals who were formerly incarcerated at grow.google/justice-impacted.

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