Ashland University a Partner in Receiving Second Chance Act Grant

Ashland University is a partner with Henkels & McCoy, the Correctional Education Association and the Ohio Department of Youth Services in receiving one of six nationally awarded Second Chance Technology Career Project Grants for incarcerated adults and juveniles.

The $520,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, titled "Preparing At-risk Youth for 21st Century Basic Computer Technology Careers," targets juveniles committed to the Department of Youth Services in Franklin County. The program will provide basic technology career education, training and work experience, and re-entry counseling to 60 males.

“The goals are to provide these juveniles with job and re-entry skills, assist them in job placements, and reduce recidivism,” Dowdell said.

Dowdell said the purpose of the one-year grant is to provide technology career-based training for youthful offenders returning to Franklin County who have a GED or HSD or are in process of completing the GED or HSD.

“The grant is divided into a pre-release component, known as Phase One, and a post-release component, known as Phase Two, and targets Department of Youth Service youths who will be released to Franklin County in the next 3 to 12 months,” Dowdell said.

While the partners in this grant are the Ohio Department of Youth Services, Ashland University, Henkels & McCoy and the Correctional Education Association, the grant calls for phase one services to be delivered at the Juvenile Correctional Facility and phase two services to be offered at the H & M Center, located at 1336 E. Main St., in Columbus.

Ashland University, ranked in the top 200 colleges and universities in U.S. News and World Report’s National Universities category for 2012, is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong, applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.