At first glance, the name “Jail to Jobs” suggests a simple goal: helping people transition from incarceration to employment. But dig deeper and you’ll find that this organization goes far beyond that.
It’s about transformation. With a focus on youthful offenders, Jail to Jobs sets out to break the cycle of recidivism through employment-based mentorship. This is accomplished by three-month-long electrical, plumbing, culinary, and entrepreneurial paid programs. Jail to Jobs has even partnered with Google for an internship, where there is an opportunity on the table to get hired at the end.
The other half of their program involves a curriculum based on character development. Topics cover time management, how to talk to your boss, and how to set goals with the aim of showing participants their truest potential.
“Anyone can get a job. We’re building into careers moving forward, which brings hope and future. A lot of these young people don’t know what that is or what it feels like because they only know how to operate in the culture they are in,” says Program Director Eric Mejia. “We’re trying to give them an opportunity to see a culture that will lead them to achieving their aspirations.”
Partnerships with local businesses are the backbone of Jail to Jobs’s success. While the organization excels at preparing and mentoring youth, that crucial next step—employment—rests in the hands of companies willing to take a chance on these participants.
Fortunately, since its founding in 2009, Jail to Jobs has cultivated a network of employers who trust in the program’s ability to provide workers who are not only skilled but eager to prove themselves. One example of this that comes to mind for Mejia is a graduate of their electrical program, Max.
“Max didn’t know what he was getting into at first. But you could see that with every day he was being encouraged and challenged, his attitude changed,” says Mejia. “Midway through the program, he started believing that he could become more. And when he graduated, he got hired at an electrical company five days later. Now, he says in five to 10 years, he can see himself going to the top.”
Sometime later, the Jail to Jobs team would receive an email from a barber inquiring about his son joining the program. He had heard about how it changed the life of a young man whose hair he cuts—that young man being Max.
Referrals like this are a powerful testament to what Jail to Jobs provides. After all, there’s nothing more convincing than hearing firsthand how someone has been equipped with the tools to beat the odds. Additionally, with regularly scheduled facility tours featuring heartfelt testimonies and lunch prepared by Salt Kitchen’s culinary students, businesses can better understand how their partnership will make a difference.
“The coolest thing is watching the light bulb go off. That’s when they go, ‘Wow, there’s more to my life than I ever thought possible,’” says Mejia. “We see lives change, and there’s nothing better than being a part of that.”
Go to jailtojobs.com to find out how you can donate, volunteer, and support their mission.
“We have the dream team. It’s a bunch of people who are fully committed to this cause, who really want to see participants change their lives and become more.”