I am Arabella Rookley, the media and communications coordinator for ReSTART Resources. Chris Hagidiakow and I met a few months ago to begin the launch of the ReSTART Resources App. I am the owner of a website design company and I’m also a Recreation Management and Community Development (BRMCD) student at the University of Manitoba.
It is with huge accolades that I am sending you this message. Chris has been working hard to find non-discriminatory employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated and otherwise unemployed individuals. That is how I have come into contact with you! If you’re all set to send in your employment information, you can be redirected to our form with the button at the bottom of this message and be on your way.
BUT if you have a few extra minutes, I’d love to tell you more about why we are so passionate about this topic.
As an employer, you know what your standards of employment are; every employer has them. Albeit, a major challenge with employment is discourse.
What is discourse?
As a community development major, I have been faced with defining and challenging discourse for the past four years, but the fact of the matter is that everyone perpetuates discourse in their own lives, even if they don’t know it. It’s a reflexive control to us, like breathing and thinking.
Discourse is simply defined as a generalization or stereotype of any entity or group in any form of communication; written, spoken, implied, perceived, etc..
When it comes to the word ‘criminal’ or ‘felon’ there is a lot of discourse to unpack.
Have you ever been asked to do a criminal background check?
I bet that regardless of what your record actually says, you had at least a small bout of anxiety or concern when the topic was brought up.
THAT IS DISCOURSE.
How?
There is a reason criminal background checks are done; to ensure that the potential hire is suitable for the job, as informed by their criminal record (or lack there of).
So, let’s say that you had a criminal history, you served your sentence, completed parole, and tried to turn your life around by getting a job.
How would you feel if the only reason that you couldn’t get hired was that you served time in prison?
You’d probably feel stuck. As if there was nothing left for you in the free world because of your history.
Then what? How do you move forward?
You could certainly continue looking for a job with the hope of finding a non-discriminatory employer who will bring you on.
Or, as Canadian statistics have shown, you will fall into the cycle of recidivism.
What is recidivism?
Recidivism is the probable act of a formerly incarcerated individual to re-offend. Thus, returning to prison, and fulfilling the cycle once again.
This is where you come in.
By offering *non-discriminatory employment, you are helping us break the cycle of recidivism in our country.
The linked form (click the button below) will ask for all of the necessary information that ReSTART Resources requires to post your employment offering on the ReSTART Resources App. Once you have submitted this form, it will be assumed that you have given ReSTART Resources the absolute right to post your employment advertisement on our platform.
If, at any point, after submission and publication, your company would like to revoke its employment advertisement from our app, please reach out to Chris Hagidiakow by email at c.88hag@gmail.com and your request will be honoured in a timely manner.
If, at any point, after submission and publication, your company would like to revoke its employment advertisement from our app, please reach out to Chris Hagidiakow by email at c.88hag@gmail.com and your request will be honoured in a timely manner.
*Non-discriminatory employment is regarded as the opportunity for a formerly incarcerated individual to apply for your job offering with the notion that their criminal record will not inform their denial of the position.
