Folding the Prism, in-process. Photo by Steve Weinik.
NEW Women’s Reentry Pilot Program
We are pleased to launch our Women’s reentry program, a new arts and wellness-focused, paid reentry program. The program will serve the unique needs of returning women and their families, including both personal and professional development, supportive services, resource-sharing, mentorship, relationship-building, and entrepreneurship – with a focus on job readiness.
This program is being planned by justice-impacted women to create a holistic and safe environment for program participants.
What is the Guild?
The Guild is a paid apprenticeship that gives justice-impacted young people the opportunity to develop marketable job skills and reconnect with their community. The Guild furthers individual development by incorporating important restorative justice concepts of healing, community, and individual restoration throughout the program. The guild offers two tracks: a Co-ed track open to any returning citizens, and the Women’s Reentry Pilot Program, open to justice-impacted women.
The Guild is committed to creating an accessible educational experience through the new hybrid model which includes digital literacy training, giving participants skills to enter the technology-driven workforce.
Through mural making, carpentry, and other creative projects, members of The Guild are guided by artists and other skilled professionals to transform their neighborhoods and themselves. Job readiness, such as life skills, professional development, and mentorship is an essential element of the curriculum. Participants have also built personal and professional growth plans, which include professional communications, teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving, digital etiquette, and essential job entry skills like résumé-building, and interview preparation to help participants secure future employment. A majority of Guild graduates find new employment or further educational opportunities following their successful completion of the program.
Guild carpentry workshop at the former Shooter Shop in Kensington/Harrowgate. Photo by Steve Weinik.
- Since the programs’ inception in 2009, we have consistently maintained a one-year recidivism* rate below 15%.
- *Recidivism: the rate at which someone who was formerly incarcerated is reimprisoned
- 85% of Guild graduates are employed or enrolled in education programs or vocational training one year after graduation.
- Philadelphia’s one-year unified recidivism rate is 35%.
- We serve 100 participants per year.
- We pay our Guild participants a living wage, more than 150% above of the federal minimum wage.
How can I learn more?
For more information on The Guild, please call 215-685-0756 or email restorativejustice@muralarts.org.