When is a good time to prepare for reentry?
The answer is easy....RIGHT NOW! There are many factors that play a role in making sure your reentry or a loved ones reentry is as successful as it can be. Here are the top ten, according to CENTRE FOR JUSTICE AND RECONCILIATION at Prison Fellowship International.
Key 1: Find Mentors - Identify volunteers or family members to serve as mentors during their re-entry. Freebird Publishers CARES about your success and the success of your loved one. Contact us today to find out more about the inmate services we offer so that YOU can have someone on YOUR side.
Key 2: Reunite Families - Rebuild and repair relationships between prisoners and their families (or friends if family is not an option). Freebird Publishers offers many gifting services to help inmates maintain relationships by letting loved ones know they remember important days and are thinking of them.
Key 3: Develop Communities - Communities of support can sustain ex-prisoners during their transition. Faith communities can serve this role well. Freebird Publishers offers personalized services to help inmates build these connections that remain intact for when the inmate reenters the free world. Not sure if we can help? ASK US!
Key 4: Plan Ahead - Help prisoners make realistic plans for the first twenty-four hours of release. Freebird Publishers offers personalized services to help inmates make arrangements for their release that include accommodations for the first night, transportation to that location, locating food and clothing, and many other details that are so important.
Key 5: Locate Resources Identify resources available to ex-prisoners from NGOs, churches, government agencies and so forth. Freebird Publishers can perform this research for you or your loved one so that nothing is left up to chance for your release. We can help YOU prepare instead of relying on friends and family.
Key 6: Avoid Trouble - Prisoners will confront familiar problems when they return to society. Help them identify friends, family members, locations, and circumstances likely to draw them into trouble, and develop strategies to avoid them.
Key 7: Find Help - Some problems require the help of people with special training. Freebird Publishers offers research services to help inmates identify treatment for mental illnesses, addictions, medical conditions and so forth. Prisoners will need to deal appropriately with the past and build a constructive future.
Key 8: Make Amends - Successful reintegration is difficult while the harms caused by ex-offenders in the past remain unaddressed. Enlist skilled facilitators to guide restorative meetings with victims for discussing how to make amends and rebuild damaged relationships.
Key 9: Serve Others - Volunteering with civic or charitable organizations helps ex-prisoners build positive relationships, develop daily routines, and learn marketable skills. Once again, Freebird Publishers offers research services to help identify and make arrangements for these types of outreach.
Key 10: Conduct Inventory - Identify prisoners’ personal strengths, such as education, employment history, and skills. Consider their assets, such as family relationships, social networks, spiritual maturity, and undeveloped talents. Freebird Publishers offers services to help inmates prepare the paperwork necessary to be successful, including resume, cover letter and background information.
