Pathway 3

Expanding Community Partnerships

Second Chance employers can expand their hiring strategies by developing creative partnerships beyond traditional workforce or reentry organizations. These partnerships can include:

• Transitional work programs – placing job seekers on-site to gain experience and hands-on training while contributing to daily operations.
• Staffing agencies – especially those that specialize in preparing and placing candidates with criminal records. These agencies often serve as the employer of record during temp-to-perm assignments.
• Work-release host sites – allowing employers to provide job opportunities to individuals still incarcerated but nearing release, helping them reintegrate gradually and with structure.

Many employers also collaborate with nonprofit service providers to offer wraparound support like financial counseling, legal aid, or housing—resources that play a major role in long-term employment success.

These innovative staffing models create pathways to opportunity, fill workforce gaps, and build stronger, more inclusive workplaces.

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