How, and why, one foundation is hiring ex-prisoners

BARCELONA — A hiring program at the Ford Foundation is helping ex-prisoners reenter the world of work, in an example of how philanthropic organizations could make their workforces more inclusive, according to William Kelley, director of talent acquisition. Created in partnership with the Bard Prison Initiative, which provides college education to people in prison, the program aims to help formerly incarcerated people develop skills and prepare for the marketplace through work placements. “People on the outside, who have not had those same social experiences, will not be able to understand, but to include these individuals ... they're going to expedite the process of making a change.” --— Albert Fermin, former Bard associate, now audio-video engineer and technology instructor, John Jay College of Criminal Justice For an organization like the Ford Foundation, which focuses on social justice, “we do need to walk the walk” and make sure that platforms are being used to advocate for change internally as well as externally, Kelley argued. Associates spend 12 months working with different departments at the foundation, receiving a full salary and benefits. They have access to sessions on professional development, networking and resume writing but, since most of the participants are in their 40s, a decision was made to avoid the job title of intern, which could stigmatize them in the marketplace. The associates are hired from Bard College’s reentry program, which supports people on their return home from prison. Many of these people want to help others who are facing similar social justice issues, Kelley said. Two former associates have now joined the foundation’s permanent staff, while others have gone on to work elsewhere. Albert Fermin, now an audio-video engineer and technology instructor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, believes that being more inclusive can also be beneficial for philanthropic organizations. It’s about hearing from the people who have been directly impacted by social justice issues and understanding their struggles, explained Fermin, who worked with the foundation’s information technology department as part of the program. “People on the outside, who have not had those same social experiences, will not be able to understand,” he said, “but to include these individuals ... they're going to expedite the process of making a change.” Now in its fourth year, the program has grown to take on more associates and offer placements across communications, finance, events, programming, human resources or information technology. Devex finds out what it takes to set up such a program. Understand the challenges Having never worked with or hired an ex-prisoner before, Kelley and his team didn’t understand the needs of these individuals and the challenges they faced in the workplace. There was a steep learning curve involved, he admitted, but not as daunting as it might sound. Through reaching out to partner organizations with more expertise and holding focus groups, his team learned that many people who had been incarcerated had gone in as young adults, meaning they had little experience in a real work environment when they came out. How individuals cope with life outside of prison also differs, Kelley said — some have family or support systems already in place, while others may struggle with day-to-day tasks and resocialization. The program, therefore, needs to have elements in place to help associates in their daily needs, such as managing their finances, getting to work on time, approaching a supervisor for help, and accepting feedback. Initially, the idea was to take on people who had been out of prison for six months and had time to settle, but this year the foundation is taking on two associates who have been released far more recently, which should bring new lessons for the organization, Kelley said. It is also important to be aware of the different experiences that men and women may have — for example, women may have childcare responsibilities to juggle, he added. Break down barriers There were initially concerns as to how the program would be received internally, Kelley explained. Yet staff from across the organization have provided support — and Kelley suggested that it comes down to how an idea is socialized. Activities, such as bimonthly lunches, were organized as part of the program to create a support network for the associates. For Fermin, who had spent 22 years in prison, the biggest challenge in starting any new job is the inevitable conversations about his past and the stigma this carries with it. Yet as everyone at the foundation knew what it meant to be a Bard associate, he felt like he was given a “clean slate” and was able to have open conversations. The social activities were a “great way to break down barriers and biases and kind of see the common ground that everyone shares,” Fermin said. Mentorship Regular check-ins with team managers are part of the program but some associates also benefit from additional mentoring. Fermin actively set out to find a mentor who then helped him explore his career options. Pamela Zimba, now an assistant to Ford Foundation’s senior managers, started out working in facilities but moved into human resources at the encouragement of one manager who believed it would be a good fit for her ambitions. Seeing women from different backgrounds in managerial and senior roles has also been an important part of the experience for Zimba, who served six years in prison and wants to one day set up a transition house for other women who have been incarcerated. “Before I was incarcerated, there weren’t as many women in these roles as I see now,” she said, “so that’s very encouraging, especially as a woman of color … to see a lot of women of color in high roles.” Be flexible The program was designed for associates to work with four different departments within the Ford Foundation on a rotational basis and allow them to figure out what they wanted to do, Kelley explained. However, some associates will quickly find a role that interests them and aligns with their ambitions so there has to be scope for them to decide. There is also potential for associates to stay on beyond the 12 months where they need more time to develop appropriate skills for the workforce, he added. “What is important about the program is we shifted based on individual needs … not everybody [fits] into a cookie cutter,” Kelley said, “so I judge and evaluate based on the individual, not the group.”