Oct 23 2016 32 mins 1
Twin Cities RISE transforms lives through personal empowerment and meaningful work.
In the United States, one of the richest countries in the world, why does poverty persist across generations? The path out of poverty is complex, but it almost always involves meaningful work. And, while it often takes technical skills to find a job, more often the barrier to work involves power skills – emotional intelligence, social intelligence, confidence, belief, a sense of self-worth. Through their Personal Empowerment program, Twin Cities RISE creates transformative change, self-confidence and self-reliance.
Twin Cities RISE helps individuals in poverty to find long-term, meaningful and stable employment. When someone joins Twin Cities RISE, they are assigned a coach. They participate in the Personal Empowerment program and they are connected with employment opportunities. Twin Cities RISE provides work skills training, internship opportunities, job search assistance, and employment placement.
Twin Cities RISE creates long-term results. Eighty-two percent of graduates are still at their job after one year and seventy-five percent after two years. That’s more than double the national job retention average. Through their Reentry Connect program, they have reduced first-year recidivism rates from 43% to 13%. Studies have shown that, for every dollar invested in Twin Cities RISE, they produce seven dollars of social benefit.
Social Entrepreneurship Quotes from Tom Streitz
“The mission is focused around breaking multigenerational poverty.”
“The technical skills someone needs on a job, we believe come after a grounding in emotional intelligence.”
“The real foundation of what we’ve done is focusing on outcomes.”
“We were a pioneer in Minnesota for Pay for Performance.”
“The average income of someone coming into our program last year was around $3,000 to $4,000.”
“This is a place where people walk through the door and their future hangs in the balance.”
“For those who complete the program, it’s nothing short of a miracle.”
“Are you prepared to take this journey? If you are, the outcomes are phenomenal.”
“We don’t call people ‘clients.’ They’re participants.”
“They’re the ones driving their success. We are a witness to it.”
“Our retention rate on the job after one year is 82%, which is double the national average.”
“Business principles can drive very successful social outcomes.”
“By measuring it, we can demonstrate the economic proposition.”
“Every dollar the state of Minnesota has invested in Twin Cities RISE, has delivered seven dollars back to the taxpayers.”
“It pays for itself and has dividends both economically and socially.”
“It is literally going to the root.”
“It’s an intervention that’s meant to completely empower and transform someone on their journey.”
“Their intelligence and their grit is intact. What’s lacking is a belief that are either worthy of or can achieve anything of importance.”
“We are involved in addressing systemic issues that weave a web that keeps people enmeshed in systemic poverty.”
“Our vision is long-term, meaningful employment that supports you and your family.”
“Under our reentry connect program, the recidivism rate is under 12%.”
“We’re a school that’s free for people in poverty.”
“The best path out of poverty is a great job.”
“Employers love to hire our participants.”
“Look at the system that keeps that problem in place, and devise a very simple intervention.”
Social Entrepreneurship Resources:
- Twin Cities RISE: http://www.twincitiesrise.org
- Book: The Non Nonprofit: For-Profit Thinking for Nonprofit Success: http://amzn.to/2exJWDF
- Twin Cities RISE on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twincitiesrise
- Twin Cities RISE on Twitter: https://twitter.com/twincitiesrise
- Reentry Connect crowdfunding campaign: http://www.twincitiesrise.org/releaseandrestore
