Georgia CALLS, the Georgia Center For Abundant Living Life Skills, a unique 501(c)3 non-profit helping high-risk, returning citizens make a successful transition from incarceration back into society as business entrepreneurs, recently welcomed eight new participants into their expanding program.
Based in Buford, Georgia CALLS is a reentry program in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Transition, Support & Reentry, the Georgia Department of Corrections, and Phillips Transitional Center that helps to curb recidivism and empower returning citizens to make a positive impact in their communities. The organization recently held a Recruiting Fair, which was well attended by their program partners and supporters, including the Department of Labor, numerous parole officers, the Gwinnett county detention center and others.
Eight new participants from Buford, Conyers, Grayson, Lawrenceville, and Norcross GA, who were released from prison within the last six months, have been accepted into the Georgia CALLS program. They have already completed orientation, which included a Key Ceremony where each new participant was presented with a personalized “blank key” that signified a key that would one day unlock their future business. The dedicated new recruits are currently in training and already fielding live calls at Georgia CALLS onsite call center as Customer Service Representatives.
“The Georgia CALLS reentry program gives individuals who are ready to take on a life-changing experience, the on-the-job training and life skills development needed in order to become the CEO of their lives,” explained Mark Mobley, the new Executive Director of the fast-growing Georgia CALLS. “We’ve had a chance to talk with our newest participants about current challenges and hear them dream about their future. They have each illustrated a desire and passion for an obtainable career. And in turn, we’ve made a commitment to each of them to walk side by side and help them accomplish their goals.”
Upon acceptance into the program, one participant stated, “I’m excited about the job/life skills classes the most. If I’m honest with myself, those are the types of classes that will really help someone like me.”
After working just two weeks in the call center, another new participant explained, “I believe the call center is a success because it’s teaching us how to be a people person. We’re learning how to smile on the inside and deal with our emotions better.”
Summer Recruitment Session
Recruitment will continue in June, when approximately 10 program seats will become available. Georgia CALLS accepts referrals of formerly incarcerated and state supervised individuals looking to get their life back on track after incarceration. The program includes life skills training and paid call center employment.
In support of The Georgia Prisoner Reentry Initiative (GA-PRI), Georgia CALLS is intentional with their selection process. Every individual is thoroughly evaluated during intake. Potential participants must meet requirements which include: have been released from prison within the last 12 months; have reliable transportation; is in compliance with all court-mandated requirements and conditions of parole and/or probation; and are available Monday through Friday during regular program and work hours, as well as other criteria.
According to one of Georgia CALLS’ successful reentry program participants, “I’ve been incarcerated for 11 years and there are some habits and ways that I picked up from being incarcerated that I had to break…but I always knew that I wanted an opportunity. Instead of saying it’s a job, it’s more like a program for life and I enjoy it more and more when I come here.”
Within the program, Georgia CALLS provides social services, which includes intensive case management and the implementation of TAP strategies; unrivaled and newly-developed job/life skills training; paid work experience at its inbound call center, created specifically for this initiative; and optional spiritual development to returning citizens who are seeking a life change.
“Places like Georgia CALLS are necessary because it’s an opportunity for a person who doesn’t have it together, really to get it together,” said another Georgia CALLS reentry program participant.
To learn more about the program and download a Referral form, visit
http://www.gacalls.org/join-us/. Referrals may also be made by calling Georgia CALLS social services team at 678-251-4225.
About Georgia CALLS
Located in Buford, GA, Georgia CALLS, Georgia Center For Abundant Living Life Skills, is a 501(c)3 organization created to ease the transition from incarceration back into a productive, healthy routine in the community. This unique reentry initiative is a pioneering collaboration between non-profit, for profit and government entities working together for the common good of society.
Georgia CALLS, a program in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Transition, Support & Reentry, the Georgia Department of Corrections and Phillips Transitional Center, is transforming mindsets, growing leaders & building entrepreneurs up, one life at a time.
Utilizing a powerful combination of exclusive job/life skills training, paid work experience in the call center, intensive case management services, and optional discipleship classes, participants in the Georgia CALLS program learn to build strong character, explore their own entrepreneurial desires, and in turn give back to their own communities. Georgia CALLS works to make a last community impact by cultivating entrepreneurs and mentoring participants to be the CEOs of their lives.
For more information about Georgia CALLS, visit http://www.gacalls.org.
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