Venturing Out, Inc., a Massachusetts non-profit corporation, teaches entrepreneurship to incarcerated and court-involved adults and high-risk youth. Venturing Out’s core offering is Entrepreneurship 101 (E101), a three-month, comprehensive course on entrepreneurship and self-employment, taught to adults just before their release from prison. Venturing Out’s goal is to teach men and women who are re-entering society the skills they need to launch and run viable microenterprises or become self-sufficient through self-employment. In this way, Venturing Out aims to reduce recidivism as men and women who able to provide for themselves and their families are less likely to re-offend, will pay taxes rather than burden taxpayers, and are positive role models within their communities. Venturing Out teaches a modified youth program to high-risk young adults.
“Venturing Out doesn’t give you a fish, it teaches you how to fish. It says, ‘Here’s something else, you are worth something. You can leave your mark in this world. Venturing Out lit the fire in me to really pursue this,’’ he said. “It’s always been a dream, I’ve always dibbled and dabbled in it, but Venturing Out helped me put it into fruition,” says student, Mark Gibson.
From Offender to Entrepreneur: Working Together to Achieve Economic Independence
an Evening to Benefit Venturing Out
Co-Sponsored by Babson College and Community Resources for Justice
This stirring evening will open with a staged reading of The Castle to be performed at Babson’s state of the art performance venue, The Sorenson Center. Originally written and performed Off-Broadway by four ex-offenders, The Castle interweaves their real life journeys from childhood to crime to proud taxpayers, fully re-engaged in mainstream society, living lives filled with hope and courage. Through emotionally compelling monologues, the play conveys a powerful message about the challenges that ex-offenders face and societal treatment of people coming out of prison. The performance will be followed by a panel discussion, “From Offender to Entrepreneur: Working Together to Achieve Economic Independence.” Facilitated by leaders in the criminal justice, business and academic sectors, as well as Venturing Out alumni, the panel will address the challenges to achieving economic self-sufficiency after incarceration—and successful paths forward. Afterwards, event guests will be invited to continue the dialogue with the cast and panelists over coffee served in the atrium lobby. Details: Sorenson Center for the Arts at Babson College in Wellesley, MA, Thursday December 8, 2011 @7pm.
To learn more or sponsor this event, please email Venturing Out’s Executive Director Laura Winig at lwinig@venturingout.org or call 617-279-2421.
For more information on Venturing Out, please visit http://www.venturingout.org .
Thanks-a-mundo for the blog article.Really thank you!