I attended the Juvenile Justice Board meeting on September 19,
2008 . The meeting far surpassed my expectations. It was
informative and engaging. From the beginning of the meeting,
there was a surprisingly positive, uplifting energy. It was clear
that those in attendance truly cared about the topic at hand.
Rick Rolfes, from Hillsborough County Criminal Justice, started the
meeting. He gave a short summary of the agenda and introduced
Goodwill Operations Manager Stephanie Anna. Anna began by
explaining Goodwill’s history and mission statement which is, “to
help people achieve their full potential through the dignity and
power of work.” I was impressed to hear that the Saint Petersburg-
based program, which opened in 1957, is one of the biggest Goodwills
inAmerica
helps. This particular program is responsible for ten counties.
According to Anna, Goodwill served 77,000 people in 2007, 30,000
of whom were given jobs.
Goodwill correction programs work with the Hillsborough and Pinellas
County Drug Courts, Bureau of Prisons, and the Department of
Corrections to lend a hand to those who have fallen through the
cracks. Anna stressed that most of the people she helps don’t know
what jobs they like and are therefore less likely to thrive in
employment. By introducing people to different work environments,
Goodwill improves the chances that individuals will succeed and
will therefore be less likely to commit crimes. Goodwill’sProject
Bridge
get hired and maintain employment.
At Goodwill, youths receive education and on the job training. Drop-
out prevention and GED preparation hinder what Anna called
Department of Juvenile Justice recidivism. Recidivism is “a tendency
to relapse into a previous condition or mode of behavior; especially
relapse into criminal behavior.” Goodwill therefore also provides
tutoring and carefully monitors adolescents.
I was pleased to learn that people are trained in jobs that are
in high demand inTampa Bay
too often are people educated and trained only to be turned
down due to low job availability. Especially in today’s market,
it is vital that these people, who are already at quite a disadvantage,
receive realistic and dependable help because otherwise it’s almost
worthless. If youths are forced back into a life of crime because of
unemployment it makes it that much harder to re-integrate them
into society.
Goodwill uses 87.7% of their budget to make sure that people are
taken care of from all angels. Goodwill gives people professional
clothes so that they are more likely to succeed at an interview.
Goodwill also has basic training in things most of us take for granted,
like classes on how to properly shake someone’s hand, and how to
look someone in the eye. All of these things help individuals fulfill
their potential, and insure that they receive a fair chance to get their
lives together.
The only issue that concerned me was brought up by Alvin McCray,
St. Pete Times Columnist, and sponsor of the Community Justice
Forum. McCray questioned the place of military recruitment, which
has been a topic of distress for me especially since the beginning of
the wars inIraq Afghanistan
Department of Labor calls for Goodwill to employ people and/or
recruit them into the military. Far too many underprivileged youth
of today turn to the military because they fear it is their only option.
With the economy in shambles an increasing amount of people are
not able to provide for themselves unless they enroll.
Other than that, I was very impressed with Goodwill and I greatly
enjoyed attending the public meeting.
2008
informative and engaging. From the beginning of the meeting,
there was a surprisingly positive, uplifting energy. It was clear
that those in attendance truly cared about the topic at hand.
Rick Rolfes, from Hillsborough County Criminal Justice, started the
meeting. He gave a short summary of the agenda and introduced
Goodwill Operations Manager Stephanie Anna. Anna began by
explaining Goodwill’s history and mission statement which is, “to
help people achieve their full potential through the dignity and
power of work.” I was impressed to hear that the Saint Petersburg-
based program, which opened in 1957, is one of the biggest Goodwills
in
helps. This particular program is responsible for ten counties.
According to Anna, Goodwill served 77,000 people in 2007, 30,000
of whom were given jobs.
Goodwill correction programs work with the Hillsborough and Pinellas
County Drug Courts, Bureau of Prisons, and the Department of
Corrections to lend a hand to those who have fallen through the
cracks. Anna stressed that most of the people she helps don’t know
what jobs they like and are therefore less likely to thrive in
employment. By introducing people to different work environments,
Goodwill improves the chances that individuals will succeed and
will therefore be less likely to commit crimes. Goodwill’s
Bridge
get hired and maintain employment.
At Goodwill, youths receive education and on the job training. Drop-
out prevention and GED preparation hinder what Anna called
Department of Juvenile Justice recidivism. Recidivism is “a tendency
to relapse into a previous condition or mode of behavior; especially
relapse into criminal behavior.” Goodwill therefore also provides
tutoring and carefully monitors adolescents.
I was pleased to learn that people are trained in jobs that are
in high demand in
too often are people educated and trained only to be turned
down due to low job availability. Especially in today’s market,
it is vital that these people, who are already at quite a disadvantage,
receive realistic and dependable help because otherwise it’s almost
worthless. If youths are forced back into a life of crime because of
unemployment it makes it that much harder to re-integrate them
into society.
Goodwill uses 87.7% of their budget to make sure that people are
taken care of from all angels. Goodwill gives people professional
clothes so that they are more likely to succeed at an interview.
Goodwill also has basic training in things most of us take for granted,
like classes on how to properly shake someone’s hand, and how to
look someone in the eye. All of these things help individuals fulfill
their potential, and insure that they receive a fair chance to get their
lives together.
The only issue that concerned me was brought up by Alvin McCray,
St. Pete Times Columnist, and sponsor of the Community Justice
Forum. McCray questioned the place of military recruitment, which
has been a topic of distress for me especially since the beginning of
the wars in
Department of Labor calls for Goodwill to employ people and/or
recruit them into the military. Far too many underprivileged youth
of today turn to the military because they fear it is their only option.
With the economy in shambles an increasing amount of people are
not able to provide for themselves unless they enroll.
Other than that, I was very impressed with Goodwill and I greatly
enjoyed attending the public meeting.
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