AMS has long been committed to a high level of integrity and community service in its hiring practices. The commitment is evidenced in the community organizations AMS works with including those that represent individuals with disabilities, formerly incarcerated individuals, veterans groups, seniors, and the homeless.
We know that in many instances the greatest help one can give an individual in an underserved group is to offer a job and training on the job, and AMS has made this a practice for a number of years.
To this end AMS has created an apprenticeship program, an on-campus classroom in cooperation with College of the Canyons, a clerk mentoring program, safety training program, ESL and citizenship classes and other such programs. Most important in this effort is the community groups that AMS works with in order to give opportunity to underserved individuals.
Recently Ken Wiseman, AMS CEO and Betty-Lou Wiseman, Executive VP of Client Services attended a “Women’s Leadership Series” event at Getty House Foundation, organized by the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, Office of Reentry.
The event featured a dialogue moderated by Mayor Eric Garcetti. Panel members were Dr. Stephany Powell, Executive Director of Journey Out; Dr. Kathryn Icenhower, co-founder and CEO of SHIELDS for Families; Romarilyn Roslyn, Program Coordinator of Project Rebound and Boa Smith, Program Officer for Just Detention International.
One of the groups involved in this effort to serve the underserved is Five Key Charter Schools. This organization has the contract with LA Sheriff’s Department to provide education, counseling, and employment opportunities to individuals that were formerly incarcerated. AMS has enjoyed successful employee referrals through this organization.
Five Keys Charter Schools is a nationally recognized education management (non-profit) corporation that operates accredited charter schools and programs for youth and adults across California. Their goal is to restore communities through education and other programs that respond to the students’ and community needs. Through Five Keys, young women and men who are incarcerated can receive their high school diploma, career and technical education, digital literacy, ESL, cognitive behavioral, recovery programs, case management, correctional education consulting and college access.
Some statistics presented at the Mayor’s Women’s Event that truly impacted Ken and Betty-Lou, were as follows: 90% of all women entering prison have suffered from domestic or sexual abuse; 66% of women that come out of prison that do not enter employment, will end up back in jail; while only 3% of women that come out of jail and into employment ever return to prison.
AMS will continue to work with the SCV Sheriff’s Department and Five Keys Charter Schools to focus on the third statistic – that only 3% of women who come out of jail and into employment ever return to prison.
Ken, Betty-Lou and the AMS corporate family would like to thank the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, Office of Reentry, The Getty House Foundation, Five Keys Charter Schools and all of the excellent presenters and participants at the enlightening and inspiring Mayors Women’s Event.