COURAGE TO CHANGE
Hello! I am Jim Clore and I am excited to partner with and volunteer for FAILSAFE-ERA. I have lived here in the Fredericksburg area for all of my fifty years so you might say that I have some pretty strong community ties. Over the course of the last thirty years, I have had roles as a city employee, private sector employee, self-employed entrepreneur, and now I currently function as a general manager for an umbrella of four businesses under a single corporation here in town.
I have had a personal experience that left me affected and influenced by incarceration. I am married to a wonderful wife and I have an amazing daughter and son of my own, as well as three super bonus daughters and three grandchildren that I happily inherited when I recently became a newlywed. I am here to help mentor and coach men and women that are re-entering society to build up their own personal Courage to Change.
Courage to Change is a great program that has been recently offered to individuals during incarceration in the regional jail. I am now thrilled to begin offering this program in our community to individuals that have returned home and are seeking to be Agents of Change in their own lives while leading a productive and fulfilling life.
Our Courage to Change group mentorship training starts the course "Getting Started". Sessions meet on Tuesday evenings from 7:00pm to 8:30pm at the FAILSAFE-ERA office located at 1972 William Street; Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401. We will have some light snacks and beverages while we discuss how this program can assist individuals in transitioning from "dependent on or stuck in the system" to "independently living your best life". Dress casual and prepare to have some fun and win a door prize.
Through the course of this program, individuals will participate in casual group discussions, journaling exercises, and mentorship. The Introductory course is Getting Started. All recipients of services are required to complete this five-week course which includes a comprehensive assessment that guides the next step to the process of change. The introductory course includes the following themes:
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Setting Goals and Getting Started
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Self-Assessment
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Visualizing the Future
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Challenges to Success
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Proven Strategies
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Putting It All Together
Upon completion of the first course, service recipients will enroll in their next step which is based on the outcome of the comprehensive assessment and completion of the first course. Additional courses include:
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Seeking Employment
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Taking a look at substance abuse
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Building stronger family ties
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Developing and practicing self-control
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Understanding and improving social values
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Mastering peer relationships
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Living your best life: recreation and leisure
Additional services include case management, mental health counseling services and support for family members including children. Individuals demonstrating success in completing all service components identified through the comprehensive assessments are recognized as Agents of Change.
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Agents of Change will receive a certificate, and qualify to become a FailSafe-ERA Hall of Change Inductee, as well be given the opportunity to participate in a celebration of completion ceremony, and could be eligible to receive a letter of commendation or recommendation for things such as employment with one of our listed Second Chance Employers, a reference for a housing solution or property management liaison, etc.