Through extensive trauma-informed strategies such as case management, wrap-around services (e.g. transportation, childcare), skill-building workshops, coaching, and peer mentoring, The ARISE Initiative will support individuals in recovery from alcohol, opioid and/or other drug misuse to re-enter the workforce in the 30 rural communities of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region of Western Massachusetts. Tailored employment, training, and entrepreneurial opportunities and supports will also be offered for this overlooked segment of the workforce, who are currently underserved or ignored by existing employment and training systems so that they can become contributing members of the workforce, provide for themselves, and their families, and continue upon a path of self-sufficiency.
The ARISE Initiative will serve 40 adults during the grant period who are in recovery and are in need of case management and other supports to support their employment and training pathways. Special consideration will also be provided to veterans, parents in recovery, young adults, and single heads of households.
The ARISE Initiative has eight goals: 1) offer skill-building workshops in life skills, workforce readiness, conflict resolution, maintaining recovery in workplace settings, workplace culture, and norms for individuals in recovery and/or with a history of incarceration; 2) offer workshops for employers to address the unique needs of individuals in recovery and/or those with a history of incarceration; 3) hold career fairs for individuals in recovery and/or those with a history of incarceration; 4) offer individualized employment and training assessments; 5) tailor employment and training opportunities created for individuals in recovery; 6) place individuals in jobs in one or more of the seven economic development cluster areas identified by local data: 7) provide follow-up visits once individuals in recovery are placed in a job; and 8) develop peer mentoring networks and supports to maximize their job success.
To create The ARISE Initiative, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the Opioid Task Force of Franklin County and the North Quabbin Region, Greenfield Community College, the Gardner Athol Area Mental Health Association, and the MassHire Franklin Hampshire Workforce Board, is seeking $200,000 to implement this one-year effort.
