Update: Drive Change was listed in a White House Press release, FACT SHEET: White House Launches the Fair Chance Business Pledge, on April11, 2016.
Reentry Central would like to thank criminal justice reform advocate Herb (Coach K) Kieklak for alerting us to a remarkable fellowship program that gives reintegrating young people a second chance in life.
The following is from the Drive Change website.
Young people coming home from jail and prison face massive hurdles to employment and educational opportunities; the streets of their futures are paved with red lights, stop signs, dead ends and do-not-enters. Our work is rooted in the commitment to use the food truck industry as a tool to broaden access to opportunity for young people coming home so they can live crime-free, bright futures.
Drive Change offers a six to eight month Fellowship with the goal to place all Fellows into an academic or employment opportunity upon completion of the Fellowship.
Our Theory of Change is built on principals that will broaden access to opportunity for court involved youth and lower the likelihood that someone will be re-intercepted by the system. The principals are:
Paid, quality employment
Transferable skill STEM curriculum that elicits industry licenses
Empowerment through community/advocacy work and leadership development
Our fellows learn to prepare and serve delicious, inspired meals with a side of social justice. Meals are prepared in our kitchen in Brooklyn and served off our award-winning food truck, Snowday, all over New York City.
The fellowship has three phases:
Training Phase - Fellows earn their Food Handler and Safety License (DOHMH Credential) and Mobile Vendor License (DOHMH Credential). They go through rigorous hospitality and culinary training and take a food truck practical exam.
Employment Phase - Fellows work on our food truck in rotating jobs: Cashier, Head Chef, Customer Service Attendant, and Manager. Fellows attend professional lead courses in Social Media, Marketing, Money Management, and Small Business Development.
Transitional Phase (Optional)
- Fellows have the option to continue to work with our team as they plan for the future.
Learn more about the remarkable work Drive Change is doing here.
Watch the video of how a former teacher at Riker’s Island Jail came up with the idea to give reintegrating young people a second change through a transitional job fellowshi
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