“This initiative will enable hiring to advance racial equity, recruit the next generation of corporate leaders, and help disrupt the poverty-to-prison pipeline. Increasingly companies are shifting away from traditional ‘philanthropy-based’ models of social responsibility to ‘program-based’ initiatives that push for authentic community engagement.”

— Forbes, “Want To Hire Youth At-Risk Of Incarceration? Learn From Ben & Jerry’s”

 

“We must be more intentional about creating meaningful opportunities for at-risk youth so we can break the cycle of incarceration for these groups of young people, particularly Black young adults. The Unlock Potential program adds to a network of community leaders, nonprofits and policymakers working together to advance criminal justice prevention initiatives, made possible by the Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity.”

— Dr. Marvin Carr
Director, Walmart.Org Center for Racial Equity

 

UP is a solution.

Having a criminal record inhibits economic mobility. To the extent those with criminal convictions can obtain employment, it is typically restricted to low paid work - with limited opportunity for higher wages, leadership prospects and career potential. These barriers are disproportionately felt by communities of color.

To meaningfully address inequity in access to economic mobility and to ensure diversity in business leadership, we need to act now. We believe an intentional hiring program focused on youth with built-in community partnerships can help.

The value of post-incarceration employment schemes cannot be understated; but to date, very few projects have focused their attention on how to prevent incarceration in the first place. We are setting out to change that - by creating meaningful career opportunities and widening the positive choices available to key underserved and overlooked groups. Employers are key stakeholders in unlocking opportunities for economic mobility and preventing justice-system involvement before it starts.

 

  • UP is a project designed to disrupt the prison pipeline by opening up meaningful career opportunities early-on. A career is a powerful way to create an alternative pathway for young people most at risk of justice-system engagement. Every participating business will be paired with a community partner who will provide wrap-around social care to candidates. Through these partnerships between businesses and community groups we will create meaningful, fulfilling, and long- term careers for at-risk and overlooked young people.

  • UP will create impact at multiple levels. At the heart of the program are the candidates; our success will be measured by their success. Employers will benefit by increasing diversity within their workforce and nurturing future BIPOC leaders. Profound social impact as communities benefit from the increased economic mobility of previously underserved groups. Greater economic mobility leads to growth, increased safety, and a reduction in poverty.

  • Candidates for Unlock Potential will be aged 16-24 who have experienced one or more of the following:

    • The justice system.

    • A parent incarcerated while they were aged 18 or younger.

    • Human trafficking.

    • Experience in foster care.

 

“We are proud to be partnering with such an inclusive organization as the Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity and stepping into this collaborative space with RBIJ to support our community’s at-risk youth. By meeting our young people before they’ve had the chance to make mistakes with lifelong impact, we can potentially save generations from the cycle through the criminal justice system.”

— Sean Hosman
Founder, Persevere