John Howard Society of Ontario

What an amazing day! We are so grateful for this investment in our program. The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville are among the first Canadian communities to receive funding from the federal Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund (HRIF). An $830,000 grant is supporting the expansion of the John Howard Society’s Pathways Cabin Program, adding 24 new supportive housing units in Brockville. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held today to celebrate the milestone, with special guests MP Michael Barrett, MPP Steve Clark , and Amanda DiFalco from the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness. Thanks to our partners: United Counties of Leeds and Grenville , the City of Brockville, and the Government of Canada. I can not speak to the importance of this investment better than one of our Pathway’s clients who spoke at today’s ribbon cutting: I would like to take a moment to share a story that reflects the real and lasting impact of the work being done through this program—an impact made possible through your support and funding. When I first joined the program, I had been on probation for about 18 years, that is, eighteen years of cycling through the justice system, missing appointments, and missing chances for change. Before entering the pathways program, I often forgot my probation meetings and, as a result, was convicted simply for not showing up. I carried a long history of barriers and setbacks that had built up over time. Since joining the program, things have changed profoundly. With consistent support, guidance, and reminders, I have completed probation—something that once felt totally impossible. I have also made significant progress in reducing my substance use and have continued to move forward, step by step, towards a more stable and healthy lifestyle. Beyond that, staff here helped me address practical challenges that often go unnoticed but make a world of difference to me. Through the discretionary benefits program, I was able to get a new eye prescription and proper glasses—something that improved both my confidence and my daily functioning. I was also supported through my court appearances and connected with the DAP program to resolve my outstanding charges and pay the restitution fee I owed. Each of these steps—large and small—represents progress that builds momentum. What began as assistance with paperwork and reminders grew into renewed independence, accountability, and hope for a successful future. This success story is not just about me; it’s about what becomes possible when people are given structure, compassion, and the opportunity to rebuild. On behalf of myself and, I am sure, others in this program who are moving forward with pride and stability, I would like to sincerely thank each of the contributing parties for making this work possible. Your support doesn't just fund programs; it transforms lives.

We’ve been so lucky to build a strong partnership with Odette School of Business - University of Windsor and work alongside great academic partners like Kemi A. Big shout to Kemi for her amazing work and dedication to sharing information around the barriers faced by job seekers with criminal records! #fairchances

📣 There's still time to apply for this exciting job opportunity at JHSO -- if you think you'd be a fit, get your application in by November 7th at 4PM! 🚨 We’re hiring! Join our team as a Communications Specialist. Are you passionate about using storytelling, strategy, and design to drive social change? The John Howard Society of Ontario is looking for a creative and detail-oriented communicator to help amplify our research, education, and policy work advancing effective, just, and humane responses to crime and its causes. In this role, you’ll: 🖋️ Create engaging content across digital and print platforms 🌐 Help maintain our website, newsletter, and social media presence 📊 Translate complex research into accessible, compelling messages 🤝 Support projects, events, and campaigns that inform and influence If you’re ready to use your communications skills to make an impact in the justice and social policy space — we’d love to hear from you. 👉 Learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/gy9ARdir hashtag #Hiring hashtag #Communications hashtag #SocialImpact hashtag #JusticeReform hashtag #NonprofitJobs

Isn't it fantastic when your work and social #purpose are aligned?! As many in my network will know, I have long been an advocate of integrating justice-involved individuals into the workforce to enhance public safety, reduce recidivism, and address labor shortages. In Canada, this has been championed by the Fair Chances Coalition, and slowly but surely it is gaining momentum as barriers to immigration begin to impact employers and improving productivity remains a key policy issue for governments of all political persuasions. It is also critical in the ongoing national debate around #bailreform - employment is a major protective factor in preventing recidivism so maybe it’s time to make it easier for those with criminal records to get jobs and get back on their feet? In the US, second chance hiring is more prevalent and there is a genuine movement around embedding it into large businesses and the benefits it brings to individuals and employers. For that reason, it's great to showcase "Building a labor force that works: Taking an innovative approach to the reentry journey". It was great collaborating with my colleagues in Deloitte USA in particular Emily Livingston Bard Woltman Jacqueline Lantsman, MPH and Richard Hobbs in the UK and of course, Megan Nehil here in Canada and Leslie Wolf 🎗️ for getting this over the line. The report showcases the challenges and identifies key barriers to employment for justice involved individuals including: - High Unemployment Rates: Justice-involved individuals face unemployment rates of 62–65% post-release. - Barriers to Employment: These include lack of housing, education, healthcare, transportation, and employer bias due to criminal records. - Systemic Issues: Background checks, limited access to post-secondary education, and restrictive policies exacerbate reentry challenges. The report offers solutions that can be implemented by corrections departments, institutions of higher learning, policymakers, community-based organizations, and employers. These are: 1) Reentry ecosystem and employment planning 2) Expanding higher education in prisons 3) Expanding digital literacy training in prisons 4) Industry-specific career pathways and skills-based hiring 5) Wraparound support services; and critically, combatting the stigma of a criminal conviction. Take a read, I'd love to know what you think...(no, really!) https://lnkd.in/ghhJ9px2 Matt Day Carol Caughlin Alana Best Christy Davidson Megan Melanson, PhD Nahanni Pollard, PhD Yasmine Dabbous Don Sherrah Van Zorbas Christin Cullen Jacqueline Tasca Rosshane Vignarajah

“The province could fund programs like the John Howard Society Bail Bed Program. […] It’s really beefed up supervision but it allows that person to be in the community. […] It allows them to keep their job. It allows them to be reintegrated […], these are the actual solutions that we could use.” This week on Canadaland’s new podcast, experts talk about our JHS Bail Bed Programs and why investing in community-driven solutions like these can help alleviate pressures on the system and promote community safety. Check out the podcast episode here: https://lnkd.in/eYU3nPvX And if you’re interested in learning more about Ontario’s bail system and our recommendations to strengthen it, read our new report Finding Common Ground here: https://lnkd.in/expnW-Qi

Improving court efficiencies will improve Ontario’s bail system. Instead of enhancing community safety, Ontario’s bail system has become crushed under the weight of processing people who are unhoused, low-income or struggling with their mental health – and holding them in custody at enormous human and financial cost. Expanding specialized courts and promoting the use of judicial referral hearings are two ways we can support and inform bail adjudication processes and reduce unnecessary court proceedings, improving court efficiencies. To learn more about this recommendation and the rest of our recommendations, check out our new report here: https://lnkd.in/expnW-Qi #RemandReport #ReThinkingJustice #BailReport

Inter-agency collaboration is crucial to strengthening Ontario’s bail system. An all-of-government approach to community safety and well-being that provides sustainable funding for programs that cut across multiple sectors and Ministries with a focus on underserved communities should be established. You can read more about our recommendations on how we build this all of government approach in our new report here: https://lnkd.in/expnW-Qi #RemandReport #ReThinkingJustice #BailReport