One important aspect of green jobs has been the need to train underserved communities, which will provide these Americans with a pathway out of poverty. One woefully underserved community is ex-offenders.

 

Individuals who have served time for committing a crime are often left with less than ideal job prospects. However, these individuals have served out their punishment and many are ready to return to society and contribute. Unfortunately, they aren’t always welcomed with open arms. Their criminal background is often seen as a stamp of disapproval by possible employers.

 

Thanks to American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding, more than 650 green jobs will be created specifically for previously incarcerated individuals in the Chicago area. Mayor Richard M. Daley sees this program as an opportunity for these ex-offenders to begin rebuilding their lives while becoming a contributing member of society.

 

The mayor’s office just recently announced the program and it isn’t even covered on the official website yet. However, Daley’s office has published a video of the press conference on YouTube. Unfortunately, embedding has been disabled so you’ll need to click through to find out more about Green Jobs for the Formerly Incarcerated in Chicago.