Before you can participate in our program, you have to meet certain eligibility criteria. You have to be female, 18+ and within a year of release from incarceration.
Women generally come to us either because they've met with one of our counselors while incarcerated at South Middlesex Correctional Center (SMCC) or Massachusetts Correctional Institute (MCI) in Framingham or because they've heard about our services from someone in the community.
We offer orientations twice a week to help acquaint women with our services and the services offered at the One-Stop Career Center out of which WORC is based. (See: "Enrolling in the program" for more information.)
After attended a program orientation, you will be matched with one of our professional career counselors. Your career counselor will work with you to identify your needs as they relate to work. (Since women come to us from different experiences, the services you receive will really depend on your needs.) Generally, though, you can expect to create a cover letter and resume and learn how to use the Internet to pull job leads. You may attend workshops to improve your interviewing skills. You may be referred to one of our partners in the community to help you obtain a suit for your next interview, legal counsel or a place to live. You may discuss training and education - skill-building - and how to pay for it. (We might help you.) Or your counselor may introduce you to our job developer, who may, in turn, help you better connect to employers.
WORC has its own clinical component so that, if you choose, you can meet with our support service staff for absolutely free. We also have a professional mentoring option for women who may wish to connect to other women in the community.
We send a weekly e-mail blast featuring "hot jobs," from employers who are currently hiring. We publish a monthly newsletter featuring program news and updates as well as articles of special interest to reentering women. (We welcome submissions from program participants!)
The list goes on. Bottom line: We have so much to offer, and we hope you'll take advantage of some of our services. For more, check out "Frequently asked questions."
