Collaborative work, especially in the field of reentry and second chance hiring, is important because it allows organizations to leverage resources around individuals, instead of working in silos. Too often, especially in my home state of Delaware, efforts around providing individuals appropriate levels of service tend to become an issue of funding and who can “count” this individual in specific metrics for grant funding. This focus puts business before humanity, which is the exact opposite of what our work aims to achieve. Collaborative work between organizations allows a true wrap-around service plan for individuals as they not only aim to get employed (or continue their education and training), but also look to minimize the barriers to their success (lack of housing, lack of transportation, etc). Working in tandem with key stakeholders invested in an individual’s success allows for better success in the workforce, as multiple entities are tied to this person’s support, progress, and plan forward.
How do you envision collaborative work improving our impact?
Collaborative work improves our impact as service providers and stakeholders by allowing us to be in charge of a specific aspect of our client’s vocational plan, while allowing other stakeholders (who work in tandem with you) to leverage other parts of the work. This collaboration is crucial, as we often get lost in the magnitude of our work and believe that an individual’s success rests solely on our shoulders. By inviting other trusted stakeholders to take part in a client’s plan, join us in our large and small-scale initiatives, and work with us around specific programming, we are able to balance the work between partners and build a “village” of unique stakeholders around each client we serve, diversifying the level of service and ensuring success on multiple levels.
