Date Recognized: August 20, 2019
Sector: Community & Faith-Based Organization
Established in 1996, CEO’s mission is to provide immediate, effective and comprehensive employment services to men and women with recent criminal convictions. CEO’s vision is that anyone justice-involved who wants to work has the preparation and support needed to find a job and to stay connected to the labor force.
CEO works with formerly incarcerated individuals to help them find full-time employment. Their clients participate in job readiness training and transitional work crews to gain work experience, while partnering with job coaches and job developers to find long term employment. After job placement, CEO offers one-year of retention support to make sure participants remain in their jobs. CEO San Diego has a consistent and successful track record with many community partners, including the San Diego County Probation Department, CalTrans, and the Cities of Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, San Diego, and Escondido.
CEO’s highly structured and supervised programs have been helping participants gain the skills and confidence needed for successful transitions to stable, productive lives. Since opening in 2011, CEO San Diego has employed over 2,000 formerly incarcerated people and placed 1,500 of them into full-time employment, earning an average of $13.00 an hour. Studies of the program have shown that CEO reduces recidivism in 22% of its clients and reduces days spent in incarceration by 33%.
CEO San Diego is committed to advancing Live Well San Diego’s mission, and is embracing strategies of this initiative by: (i) building a better service delivery system by engaging in cross-sector dialogue to empower the citizens of San Diego through by our evidence-based program; (ii) supporting positive choices by offering immediate, effective employment and job readiness services to formerly incarcerated individuals; (iii) contributing to positive environmental change by providing transitional work cleanup crews; and (iv) developing volunteer community clean-up efforts with community leaders, stakeholders, and county residents to cultivate opportunities for all people and communities to grow.
