How does UP work?
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.
Who will UP recruit?
What is the UP partnership?
RBIJ: The Unlock Potential Hiring Program
RBIJ will work to recruit and train businesses to provide employment opportunities for youth, working to support businesses every step of the way.
Persevere: The National Institute for Unlock Potential
Persevere will work with local nonprofits and community organizations to provide wraparound social services and develop best practices to support youth.
We are asking businesses and nonprofits to join us in three stages over 2022 and 2023:
A design consultation which will result in the creation of a pilot program for young people. Anticipated to take place June - October 2022.
Participation in a pilot employment program. Anticipated to commence between October 2022 and January 2023.
The gathering of data and metrics to evaluate and scale up the program in the future. This will take place in months 9-12 of the pilot.
What happens next?
“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