## The Network of Resources

A wide variety of resources have been assembled in order to provide probationers opportunities with employers, not-for-profit corporations, labor unions, vocational training schools and cooperating New York City and New York State departments and agencies.

## The Employers

The cooperation of a core group of civic minded private employers was enlisted. Some of the participating employers who have hired probationers are: Abney Manufacturers, V.G.I. Security, Messengers Unlimited, United Reprographic Services, Inc., Vento Medical Services, Rex Duval Caterers, The Village Car Service, Inc., The Ranch 1 Corporation, InterState Dry Wall Corp., MSI Computers and Systems Inc., Star Recycling and America Works of N.Y.C. Additionally, the Lehigh Safety Shoe Co. donated free pairs of steel toe safety shoes to a group of probationers, who, as students of the N.Y.C. Vocational Training Center, helped to renovate the Bowery Mission for the Homeless.

## The Not-For-Profit Corporations

One of the foundations of Nova Ancora are the relationships that we have developed with a group of not-for-profit corporations that provide unique subsidized employment and job placement services for our probationers who need work expeditiously.

Through a contractual agreement with the Wildcat Service Corporation, via the N.Y.S. Division of Parole, Nova Ancora is able to refer 300 probationers per year for subsidized employment in the areas of clerical, maintenance and construction work. Each probationer is hired for 6 months. After the probationer completes 4 months of subsidized employment, he receives life-skills training and begins to meet with a job developer to assist the probationer in his job search for unsubsidized employment.

The Center for Employment Opportunities (C.E.O.) is contracted to accept 150 probationers per year in their program, which services probationers with non-violent convictions. C.E.O. is divided into two sections. Initially, the probationer, through the Vocational Development Program (V.D.P.), receives one week of life skills training. In order to begin working and earning subsidized employment wages, the probationer must complete the entire week of life skills training. After completing the life skills training week, the probationer begins meeting with a job developer to start the job search, one day per week. The other four days per week, the probationer begins working in the Neighborhood Work Project (N.W.P.), the subsidized employment program which places people in either construction, maintenance, light repair work or painting.

Nova Ancora has established a close working relationship with the South Forty Corporation, although we do not, as yet, have a contractual commitment with them. "South Forty," after providing a one or two day pre-employment workshop, attempts to place probationers directly into unsubsidized employment. As a result of this collaborative working partnership, Mr. Eden J. Weiss, Assistant Commissioner for Vocational Training and Job Development, who directs the daily operations of Nova Ancora, attended a National Institute of Corrections Seminar for Offender Employment Specialists with Ms.