Click on photo of Kehua Fontes to watch a short video on how she turned her life around with help from a mentor…
(HILO, HI, MARCH 2, 2015)—HOPE Services HawaiI, Inc. has launched “Mentoring,” a program designed to help recently released Hawaii Island prisoners transition back into the community. In partnership with the Department of Public Safety (DPS), HOPE will provide support, mentorship and skills training to help participants successfully reintegrate.
The program offers support by teaching positive values, providing training opportunities that develop job skills, and assists with securing stable work and living arrangements.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 95 percent of all individuals incarcerated will eventually be released and return to the community; of that, 77 percent will be arrested again within five years. In 2013, 1,615 inmates were released in Hawaii, many in need of housing and jobs.
HOPE Services, a non-profit specializing in homeless services and transitioning people off the streets, has committed to addressing the cycle of recidivism in 2015 through Mentoring. The two-year pilot program will provide support and mentorship for 50 adult male and female inmates island wide. The program already has secured 10 qualified volunteer mentors in East Hawaii, but more are needed to make Mentoring successful.
“Often, individuals released from incarceration feel helpless in their transition,” said Brandee Menino, Chief Executive Officer for HOPE Services. “The Mentoring program works with inmates before they are released, which allows them the opportunity to build on the skills and values needed to make reentry successful. It makes all the difference to have someone in your corner that believes in you and gives you hope.”
Through Mentoring, each participant is matched with a volunteer mentor who offers advice, provides positive support, helps hone skills development and assists with securing housing and employment. Mentors are trained to build and foster the relationship, providing non-judgmental support and guidance.
By the end of the Mentoring program, the goal is that participants have increased self-confidence and achieve a level of self-sufficiency through employment and housing and are contributing, productive members of society.
Community members interested in volunteering as a mentor must be 21 years or older and participate in a mentor training workshop. A Mentor Support Group meets monthly and is open to all volunteer mentors.
For more information, or if you would like to become a Mentor, contact Steven “Happy” Stachurski, HOPE Services Hawaii’s Mentoring Coordinator, at (808) 935-3050 or send an inquiry to volunteer@hopeserviceshawaii.org.
About HOPE Services Hawaii
HOPE Services Hawaii is a statewide non-profit organization that is dedicated to ending homelessness and transitioning people off the streets. HOPE Services provides innovative outreach programs and services to Hawaii’s homeless population including emergency and transitional housing, mental health outreach, SNAP assistance, prison re-entry services and the Care-A-Van program. To learn more, visit www.hopeserviceshawaii.org.