Transfr, the leader in virtual reality (VR) skills training, is proud to announce its partnership with the Allen County Juvenile Center (ACJC) and the Jim Kelley Career Pathway Center (JKCPC) of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne (BGCFW) to provide justice-involved youth access to career training and exploration simulations. Initiated by ACJC, this award-winning joint initiative aims to reduce recidivism rates in Indiana by powering meaningful career pathway exploration and facilitating successful reentry into society.
“When the ACJC approached us about partnering with Transfr to empower and rehabilitate justice-involved youth in our community, we immediately saw the vast potential Transfr’s technology had to make a meaningful difference in the lives of these young individuals,” said Joe Jordan, president and CEO of BGCFW. “With Transfr’s VR technology, students can explore their interests, develop new passions and gain a real understanding of the opportunities they have to build fulfilling and productive careers. Together, with local schools, community groups and industry partners like Transfr and ACJC, we are transporting kids to places they would have never known otherwise, sparking their imaginations and reshaping their outlook on life.”
Through its partnership with Transfr and the ACJC, the JKCPC now offers a comprehensive suite of 330 training simulations. These VR simulations equip students and justice-impacted youth with immersive experiences that allow them to explore various career paths and develop essential vocational and job readiness skills.
“Ultimately, our goal is to plant seeds of hope so that these young offenders realize they have options, they can change and they now have a reason to change,” said Cheryl Bartnick, Juvenile Probation Officer at the Allen County Juvenile Probation Department.
While the ACJC is the first juvenile justice center in the state to implement this joint initiative, plans are already underway to scale the program statewide. With the goal of launching Transfr in all 30 Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative counties in Indiana, this movement has the potential to generate substantial cost savings for the state by reducing the number of individuals reentering the justice system. The partnership has also sparked a national collaboration between Transfr and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). Since partnering with Transfr, BGCA has trained over 750 students at 142 BGCA locations across 28 states, totaling more than 4,440 simulations completed.
“As a mission-based business, we’re passionate about enabling kids from disadvantaged backgrounds, who have not had the appropriate support system, to reach their full potential and build a sustainable career,” said Kate Kimmer, business owner, Special Populations, Manufacturing, & Construction, at Transfr. “Our hope is that our technology helps get kids excited about their futures and provides them with resources and opportunities to learn valuable skills and explore new pathways to success. We want them to know the possibilities are endless.”
Beyond training and exploration, Transfr also plays a pivotal role in assisting students in obtaining viable and rewarding careers after incarceration, bridging the gap between education and real-world employment opportunities.
This partnership has also earned Transfr a spot on the coveted Inc. 2023 Best in Business list in the Correctional Re-Entry Services category. The 4th annual list recognizes 215 private companies that put purpose ahead of profit, honoring those who have made an extraordinary impact in their fields and on society as a whole.
For more information about Transfr and its partnership with organizations like the ACJC and BGCA, please visit www.transfrinc.com.
About Transfr
Transfr is an emerging leader in virtual reality (VR) based vocational career exploration and pre-apprentice training. Transfr provides hands-on and immersive-simulation training for high growth in-demand careers that give real-world experience in the skills needed for job success, development, and retention. Using a headset, trainees are guided through simulations by a digital coach to engage in career exploration, job training, and practice and assessment use cases. Transfr’s innovative platform promotes ever-improving quality and lower development costs of VR simulations. For more information, please visit https://transfrinc.com/.
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