The SCDC Resource Bank is designed to be a living hub of research, best practices, guides and other materials that are thoughtfully collected to identify and reflect the challenges, barriers, needs, and supports for students who are system involved, their parents and families, educators, and other stakeholders who work directly with young people impacted by the child welfare and/or the juvenile/adult justice systems.
Featured Resources
General Resources
Students Impacted by the Child Welfare System
Students Impacted by the Justice System
Featured Resources:
Tenacity: Employability Skills Curriculum
By: District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS)
This resource has 17 different lesson plans with associated activities. More articles, videos and resources can be found here.
The READY Center
By: Department of Corrections
“The Resources to Empower and Develop You (READY) Center is a consolidated location where formerly incarcerated District of Columbia residents can access services from Community Based Organizations (CBOs), the Department of Corrections (DOC), Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Department of Employment Services (DOES), Department of Human Services (DHS), Department of Behavioral Health (DBH), and The Mayor’s Office on Returning Citizen Affairs (MORCA), to ensure successful reintegration into the community.” This webpage provides video guidance and other materials for individuals leaving the DOC.
Check out their brochure with their 2020 updated agency partners here.
DC RAN: Washington DC's Reentry Action Network
By: DC RAN and Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants (OVSJG)
“The DC Reentry Action Network (RAN) is the District’s leading voice on reentry issues, and the only coalition exclusively for reentry service providers and their clients.”
Find additional information on education and life skills enhancement and workforce development and employment. Information on upcoming meetings can be found here.
General Resources:
DCPS Career and Technical Education
By: District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) in cooperation with DC CAN and NAF
DCPS’ Career and Technical Education Office offers high-quality CTE programming. The high schools offering CTE programming can be seen here and a list of programming with descriptions can be found here.
DCPS Career Ready Internship Initiative
By: District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) in cooperation with DC CAN
"The DC Public Schools (DCPS) Career Ready Internship initiative is managed by the DCPS College and Career Programs Division. The Career Ready Internship initiative allows highly qualified Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) applicants to interview for paid internships with leading industry employers in their career field of choice. These internships are designed to expose students to the world of competitive employment and help guide students through the career exploration process.” Students, host employers, and teachers can browse the site to find relevant opportunities and resources.
The D.C. Reentry Navigator: Empowering You to Succeed with a D.C. Criminal Record
The Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia | January 2021
PDS recently released this 900-page, 16-chapter book that provides a comprehensive compilation of expert knowledge and reentry resources for those impacted by the justice system in the District of Columbia. One can use the table of contents (starting on page xvii) to navigate through the various chapters. A plethora of resources related to being released from BOP and DOC facilities; important tools for reentry and collecting one's identity documents; transportation questions; public benefits, healthcare, and housing resources; and specifics on education and employment are included.
Chapter 13 is focused on employment (page 555) and includes preparation assistance, access to employers who have employed individuals with records, and sample resumes. PDS has done a terrific job providing organizations' contact information, and enrollment and eligibility requirements in each of the sections.
Directory of Youth and Family Services
By: The Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS) | 2016
A valuable tool as it relates to resources and support for young people in the care of the District and Prince George's County. For "Employment/Vocational Training," pages 146-155 provide a list of resources, descriptions, and contact information.
Career One Stop's "Get My Future"
By: U.S. Department of Labor
This program combines academic and technical classroom instruction with work experience. Resources for students, career-focused activities for teachers, and additional resources are provided.
Students Impacted by the Child Welfare System:
Know Before You Go: Get that Job and Keep It
By: Children's Law Center of California and Alliance for Children's Rights
A toolkit designed for young people transitioning out of the child welfare system who are looking to join the workforce. This toolkit features easy to follow explanations, examples, worksheets and links to ensure a young person is prepared for obtaining a job, keeping a job and for future planning. Go to the table of contents on page 3 and click any topic to jump to that section.
O*Net Career Interest Assessment
This online tool asks individuals 60 questions to identify one's personality type and find the jobs or careers that may be best suitable for them. Want to skip the online assessment or need a summary to print out? Foster Forward provides an outline of each of the categories with brief descriptions and some associated professions here.
Further career planning resources, such as this two-page planning worksheet, from Foster Forward can be found here.
Students Impacted by the Justice System:
The READY Center
By: Department of Corrections
“The Resources to Empower and Develop You (READY) Center is a consolidated location where formerly incarcerated District of Columbia residents can access services from Community Based Organizations (CBOs), the Department of Corrections (DOC), Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Department of Employment Services (DOES), Department of Human Services (DHS), Department of Behavioral Health (DBH), and The Mayor’s Office on Returning Citizen Affairs (MORCA), to ensure successful reintegration into the community.” This webpage provides video guidance and other materials for individuals leaving the DOC.
Check out their brochure with their 2020 updated agency partners here.
DC RAN: Washington DC's Reentry Action Network
By: DC RAN and Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants (OVSJG)
“The DC Reentry Action Network (RAN) is the District’s leading voice on reentry issues, and the only coalition exclusively for reentry service providers and their clients.”
Find additional information on education and life skills enhancement and workforce development and employment. Information on upcoming meetings can be found here.
Improving Transition Outcomes for Youth Involved in the Juvenile Justice System: Practical Considerations
By: National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability | March 2010
Start on page 5 to see the "Guideposts for Success for Youth Involved in the Juvenile Corrections System."
Reentry Education Tool Kit
By: RTI International with support from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE)
This tool kit provides extensive downloadable guidelines, checklists, tools and other resources related to providing a robust career pathways continuum.
Career One Stop's "Get My Future"
By: U.S. Department of Labor
This platform may be a useful tool for students with various postsecondary, career and workforce training goals.