A new workforce reentry program at the Benzie County Jail aims to help inmates build interpersonal skills to use after they leave jail.
The program from Michigan Works! is called “Getting Ready for Opportunities at Work,” or “G.R.O.W.” It launched in March and is hosted once a week at the jail.
Coaches work on positive communication and building relationships with others. They also coach inmates on how to work with folks of different ages and backgrounds.
Brooke Lee, operations director for Michigan Works!, said the program is special for its ability to explore new perspectives, like approaching situations that may have been tough for inmates in the past.
“And just helping them have the time to process that and work through that and talk through that and then actually apply it to their life, is really a game changer,” Lee said.
A 2022 workforce reentry study from the National Institute of Justice found both men and women benefited from programs like “G.R.O.W” which promote life skills training and healthy relationships.
But the same study suggests that there are more complex barriers to reentry and success can vary, person to person.
The programs workshops are also offered to schools, businesses and organizations.