Teamwork for Employment through Mentoring (T.E.A.M.)

Justiceworks Receives Federal Grant for T.E.A.M. Offender Mentoring Program

Justiceworks, Ltd., a non-profit community justice organization, has been granted a funding award from the United States Department of Justice for its community-based offender mentoring pilot project T.E.A.M. (Teamwork for Employment Access through Mentoring). The offender reentry program will provide expanded support for offenders who show the motivation and capacity to improve their circumstances and become productive members of the community. The program provides coordination of existing community resources for these individuals, focusing on employment and education support, for ex-offenders in the community who are at risk to reoffend due to deficient employment skills, education, home environments and support systems. Support for the grant application came from multiple county agencies, community partners, county officials, local and state representatives, justice system leaders and faith-based organizations. Community partner, Prism, a Portage County non-profit jail ministry organization, is partnering with Justiceworks to coordinate, organize and implement the pilot program.

Justiceworks, Ltd. would like to thank the following grant supporters and community T.E.A.M. partners:

• Portage County Legal Aid Society, Inc.
• Portage County Judiciary
• Wisconsin Department of Corrections
• Ministry Behavioral Health of Saint Michael’s Hospital
• Portage County Health and Human Services
• Portage County Jail
• University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Sociology Department
• Mid-State Technical College Academic Support Center
• Cap Services, Inc.
• Express Employment Professionals
• Family Connections, Inc.
• Interfaith Justice Coalition
• Portage House
• Riverside House
• Prism Jail Ministry, Ltd.
• Retired Teachers Tutoring-Learning Center
• Stevens Point Toastmasters Club and University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Toastmasters Club
• Wisconsin State Senator Julie Lassa
• Wisconsin Congressman David Obey
• State of Wisconsin Department of Corrections Field Supervisor Shaun Morrow
• Former Portage County Executive Mark Maslowski
• Portage County Circuit Court Branch 1 Hon. Frederic W. Fleishauer
• Portage County Justice Programs Department Director Kathy King
• Portage County Sheriff John E. Charewicz

TEAM Community Resources

General resource link for community resources:

HELP FOR HARD TIMES : http://www.unitedwaypoco.org/media/HFHT_PoCo_Sept_27_2010.pdf

TEAM Partners and additional community resource programs:

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Assistance

Ministry Behavioral Health of Saint Michael’s Hospital
Contact Person: Michael Slavin
Address: 209 Prentice Street North
City, State, Zip: Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 715-345-0711
Click to visit Ministry Website

Ministry behavior health will screen and refer potential program candidates, and will train both mentors and offenders in alcohol/drug addiction relapse prevention.

Riverside House

Contact Person: JR Wynne
Address: 1400 College Avenue
City, State, Zip: Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 715-544-0132
Click to visit Oxford HouseWebsite

The Riverside House will screen and refer potential TEAM participants from the Riverside House, participate on the screening refer committee, coordinate volunteer involvement from the Riverside House, assist with recruitment of mentors with drug and alcohol relapse training, provide drug and alcohol relapse training to mentors and TEAM participants.

River Point House
Contact Person: Cheryl Konopacky
Address: 1417 Rogers Street
City, State, Zip: Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 715-252-6411

The River Point House will screen and refer potential TEAM participants from the River Point House, participate on the screening refer committee, coordinate volunteer involvement from the River Point House, assist with recruitment of mentors with drug and alcohol relapse training, provide drug and alcohol relapse training to mentors and TEAM participants.

Education

Mid-State Technical College Academic Support Center
Contact Person: John Praxmarer
Address: 933 Michigan Avenue
City, State, Zip: Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 715-344-3063
http://www.mstc.edu/academics/asc.htm

Mid-State Technical College’s Academic Support Center (ASC) is a tuition-free program that offers assistance with study skills, mathematics, English, social science, reading, science, career education, English as a Second Language (ESL), and GED/HSED preparation.

Retired Teachers Tutoring-Learning Center

Contact Persons: Alice Randlett and Katherine Anderson
Address: 1547 Strongs Avenue
City, State, Zip: Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 715-341-2589

Retired professors from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point will provide resume and business writing instruction to TEAM participants and mentors and will help with career planning services at Mid-State Technical College and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Employment
Cap Services, Inc.
Contact Person: Nancy Estep
Address: 5499 Hwy 10 E
City, State, Zip: Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 715-343-7500
http://capserv.org/

CAP Services will bring about a permanent increase in the ability of low-income individuals to become economically and emotionally self-sufficient.

Express Employment Professionals

Contact Person: Thomas Davies
Address: 1001 Brilowski Road, Suite C
City, State, Zip: Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 715-344-1100
http://www.expresspros.com/us/

Express Employment Professionals will provide training for offenders in employment preparedness, work ethics and employment retention.  They will also train mentors to replicate this information within the context of the mentoring relationship.

Stevens Point Toastmasters Club
Contact Person: Jeff Ebel
Address: 4215 Bluff Road
City, State, Zip: Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 715-498-7878

The Stevens Point Toastmasters Club will provide TEAM reentry program support by coordinating workshops and training sessions for offenders and mentors on public speaking, leadership skills, business presentations, and interviewing skills.

Family Assistance

Family Connections, Inc.
Contact Person: Audrey Thrun
Address: 2607 Post Road, Set. 1
City, State, Zip: Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 715-344-5759
http://fcpcwi.org/

This resource will provide programming to TEAM participants designed to improve family relationships and parenting skills.

Legal Aid Assistance
Portage County Legal Aid Society
Contact Person: Maurice Rice
Address: 1616 West River Drive
City, State, Zip: Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 715-343-7125

Portage County Legal Aid Society will provide assistance with coordination of pro bono and prop se services to TEAM program participants meeting their income-eligibility and admittance guidelines for resolution of legal issues serving as an impediment to employment.  These services will relate solely to offenders who have lost their drivers licenses, and for the purpose of potential re-instatement of their drivers licenses.

Transportation

Work-n-Wheels
Contact Person: Cheryl Breit
Address: 1808 West River Drive
City, State, Zip: Stevens Point, WI 54481
Phone: 715-343-7110

A CAP Services program, Work-n-Wheels, assists income eligible families and individuals to obtain affordable and dependable transportation.