ReEntry Entrepreneurship Program (REEP)
CONCEPT
Inspired by the 2014 Raj Chetty study and the subsequent 2017 Leading on Opportunity report, City Startup Labs began to rethink traditional workforce development of returning citizens. We wanted to build entrepreneurial and technical capabilities and capacity that is deeply connected with community. We imagine that this can scale into a value that balances both economic and social returns.
In 2018, CSL designed the ReEntry Entrepreneurship Program (REEP) as a new initiative, to provide entrepreneurial education and training.
GOAL
For the justice-impacted or formerly incarcerated, finding any work—let alone jobs that pay a livable wage—can be particularly difficult. The goal of REEP is to demonstrate that entrepreneurship makes for a viable alternative to standard employment, and an anecdote to recidivism.
Restorative Justice
Developing entrepreneurial capacity and sparking innovation from within this population is a dynamic way of bridging gaps between those who need trust restored and communities that have experienced harm and are in need of reconciliation.
Creating a New Class of Entrepreneurs & Value-added Employees
The ReEntry Entrepreneurship Program (REEP) utilizes the LEARN/BUILD/DEPLOY (LBD) Model. This proprietary and proven model marries core competencies, digital-tech service skills and entrepreneurial training for the purposes of preparing REEP participants to create new businesses.
Learn about ReEntry Entrepreneurship Program (REEP) pilot
REEP Participants Jerry Thompson, Michael Welch-Bey and Travis Williams