University of Windsor joins efforts to get people hired post-incarceration

The University of Windsor’s Odette School of Business has formalized a partnership with the John Howard Society of Ontario, aiming to make it easier for people with criminal records to get jobs.

That amounts to about 4 million Canadians struggling for employment as workplaces discuss difficulties filling positions, according to the society.

“There are so many stories about labour shortages right now,” says Aileen Simon, education and strategic initiatives coordinator for the John Howard Society of Ontario.

“Here’s this currently untapped pool of talent. Talented, qualified candidates.”

What’s keeping these people out of the work, Simon says, is an age-old stigma around persons who have had contact with the criminal justice system.

This partnership is part of the soft launch phase of the society’s “Fair Chances Coalition.” The goal of which is to research and explore opportunities to tackle misconceptions around reformed criminals and develop relationships with employers willing to see past their record.

“I think having Odette on board, having a large academic institution on board, only helps the movement further its goals,” Simon says.

The involvement of Odette is the culmination of the passion of one assistant professor within the school.

University of Windsor's Odette School of Business in Windsor, Ont. on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022. (Travis Fortnum/CTV News Windsor)Kemi Anazodo’s research around the experiences of people navigating the workforce post-incarceration and her work with the John Howard Society dates back to her doctoral studies.

She says the time is right for work like this.

“We’re having more conversations about equity-seeking individuals,” Anazodo says.

“But these individuals who have justice involvement are typically left out of these conversations.”

Anazodo says she’s seen firsthand through her research that the hiring of people post-incarceration can be mutually beneficial.

“We know that employment is the number one way for them to have stability. And we also know that they're an untapped labour pool,” she says.

“Individuals who are focused and keen on gaining employment are some of the hardest working individuals you'll ever meet.”

Simon says the John Howard Society hopes the Fair Chances Coalition will launch fully by the end of the year with a full slate of employers people can apply to with confidence.