This April, Arizona commemorates Second Chance Month, emphasizing the importance of redemption and expanded opportunities for people impacted by the criminal legal system.
The impact of involvement with the system is substantial. In Arizona, approximately 126,500 individuals are under some form of correctional control (i.e., incarceration and supervision in the community). Nationally, over 79 million people carry the weight of a criminal record, facing multifaceted challenges including housing and transportation barriers, family separation, loss of civil rights, limited access to higher education, long-term surveillance, unemployment, and reduced income.
Compounding these challenges is the current nationwide labor shortage, with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reporting approximately 9.5 million unfilled jobs. Despite this demand, about 94% of employers rely on background screenings that exclude qualified applicants with records. Alarmingly, it is estimated that nearly 60% of formerly incarcerated people are jobless at any given time.
The Arizona Small Business Association (ASBA) is committed to being part of the solution by educating business owners on the value of fair chance hiring for growing their workforce, fostering meaningful employment opportunities for system-impacted people, and supporting system-impacted people in launching and growing their own businesses to obtain greater economic freedom and mobility.
On April 12th, ASBA, in partnership with the Arizona Commerce Authority, will host an educational webinar to outline best practices for employing people with criminal records for small business owners. The webinar also aims to shed light on the advantages of fair chance hiring, such as increased productivity, employee loyalty, and lower turnover rates.
Throughout April, ASBA and its partner, Lucero Consulting Group, will offer business classes to the system-impacted community and employees at Awake Window & Door Co., a fair chance employer with a mission to provide opportunities for system-impacted individuals. These classes will focus on enhancing essential entrepreneurial skills, refining business concepts, and preparing participants for launch.
Supported by the Arizona Governor’s Office, ASBA’s Growing Opportunities (GO) Program, now entering its third year, continues its mission of supporting system-impacted individuals in starting and growing businesses. With the launch of another six-month cohort in March 2024, the GO
Program continues to offer personalized business mentorship, live expert-led educational sessions, and access to online learning curriculum.
The overarching mission of ASBA and the GO Program’s efforts during Second Chance Month, and beyond, is to strengthen Arizona’s economy by creating new businesses, growing existing businesses, and connecting employers with qualified talent from underrepresented groups.
Register for ASBA and the Arizona Commerce Authority’s webinar, The Fair Chance Advantage: A Small Business’ Guide to Harnessing Untapped Talent Resources, here.
