Eight men sit in a room anxiously wait to find out what will be their immediate future.
One leans back in his chair with his arms folded, tapping his foot. Another nervously asks questions to an administrator that has entered the room. Another stressfully lays his head on the table, but quickly sits up with eyes and ears alert listening for his name.
These men have been recently released from prison and are wondering if they will be chosen for a new jobs program that assists ex-offenders in transitioning into society.
Lester Spells is called into a small room and asked to verify the information on his form. Thelma Banton asks for additional identification and Spells quickly hands over his I.D. Banton enters the additional information and waits for the computer to randomly select or deny Spells for the program.
“Congratulations, you’re in,” Banton says.
He breathes a sigh of relief and smiles. For the next four months, he will have steady employment and all of the resources he could possibly need to help get him on his feet.
This transitional program is made possible by RecycleForce, an electronics recycling services company that also provides workforce training to formerly incarcerated individuals.
RecycleForce, located at 754 N. Sherman Dr., recently received a $5.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor in conjunction with the City of Indianapolis that will test if transitional jobs are truly beneficial, will reduce recidivism, connect ex-offenders with employment and help them fulfill obligations, such as child support, for a more traditional lifestyle.
RecycleForce is one of seven companies across the U.S. chosen to participate in this study, called the Enhanced Transitional Jobs Demonstration (ETJD), which is administered by MDRC, a national social research firm.
“Much like a medical trial, there’s a treatment group and a control group. Once (ex-offenders) agree to be in the study, every Monday and Tuesday people are referred from their probation officer. With help from the Keys to Work program, they are entered into a lottery system. Some are spit out for the jobs and they’re happy, others are spit out for the control group and they are unhappy,” said Gregg Keesling, president of RecycleForce.
The study will measure the difference between the two groups. Keesling said the results can affect future re-entry policies.
Of the 1,000 ex-offenders participating in the two-year study, only half will be selected for transitional jobs.
Those who are not selected are still tracked, however they must use typical resources given to them by the community.
Three hundred ex-offenders who are selected will spend four months working at RecycleForce – 200 will go to one of RecycleForce’s partners, Change Life or New Life Development Ministries. At $9 per hour, the group will begin work immediately and receive exclusive help getting their lives together.
“Between the three of us, we have separate, but equal job skills sets that we will be instilling in these temporary workers so that they’ll be more qualified for gainful employment,” said Calvin D. Houston, director of job development for RecycleForce.
During the four-month program, Houston will manage the flow of services, ensure proper certifications and help the “RecycleForce 300” find unsubsidized employment, sign up for GED classes, provide resume help and assist in driver’s license reinstatement among other duties. Ex-offenders even get excused time off to visit their probation officer. The other 200 participants will receive similar services from their respective temporary employer.
“This puts them one step ahead of the average warehouse applicant,” added Houston. The U.S. Department of Labor is requesting a 60 percent unsubsidized jobs placement rate once the four-month program is complete. Houston will do his best to help participants, but like many transitional jobs programs, the ex-offender must make the most out of the benefits provided to them.
The day the Recorder visited the selection process, of the eight men there, three did not make it into the program and one was ineligible. The four men that were selected talk excitedly among each other and are already trying to decide where they are going to live – which will determine if they work at either RecycleForce, Change Life or New Life Development Ministries – and how much their first check will be.
Houston is also happy for the men who were selected that week. Despite his feelings, he knows he’s got a difficult road ahead of him – trying to find employers in the community who will hire these ex-offenders once the program is over.
“I work with these people for four months, 40 hours a week. I know his work ethic,” said Houston. “You can hire somebody based off a work application or you can give me an opportunity to send you somebody. I’m not going to send you the guy that has problems getting to work or baby mama drama. I’m going to send you somebody ready to work.”
Keesling adds that ex-offenders are a large overlooked population and hopes the ETJD results will change employers’ minds.
With or without the grant money or demonstration, RecycleForce is strongly committed to second chances. The scrap metals and other reusable materials the company collects are then sold to help pay for job training programs, employment opportunities and supplemental help for formerly incarcerated men and women. Many eventually become part of the RecycleForce family.
“I’ve seen people at their wits end. We accept those people and help them work through their issues,” said Houston. “I’ve heard stories where a guy has four kids and they just look up to him so much when he puts on that work shirt. That’s really fulfilling.”
For more information, call (317) 532-1367 or visit www.recycleforce.org.
