Current Projects
TRC helps those we serve to develop relationships, find a sense of purpose, empowerment, structure and routine, enhance their self-esteem, and feel included within the community.
TRC engages with individuals who are experiencing homelessness and poverty. Chronic serious medical conditions, mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence, and incarceration are closely intertwined with homelessness and trauma. 100% of our participants have experienced, or are experiencing homelessness and identify trauma in their histories. Trauma causes intense physical and psychological stress reactions that can negatively impact individuals for many years. Very low self-confidence is common among those who have experienced trauma. As a protective mechanism, individuals with low self-confidence are likely to adopt defensive or argumentative attitudes, and other self-sabotaging behaviors that lead to disconnection from healthy community life and relationships. TRC believes and proves that stable relationships within the community and employment are critical to help vulnerable individuals progress on their road to recovery and to better health.
Community Supported Employment Program
TRC believes employment and purpose crucial to feel included in the community. TRC’s pilot program, Supported Employment, targets unemployed, disenfranchised individuals who demonstrate the desire to obtain stable employment. We intentionally recruit participants who have experienced homelessness and/or who must overcome often-connected employment barriers, such as domestic violence, a criminal record, or mental health/substance abuse issues.
Nearly all TRC Participants have experienced trauma as a result of their life circumstances. TRC targets the Hospitality, Retail and Manufacturing sectors to develop Employer Partnerships.
Our Supported Employment Program:
- Helps participants quickly secure competitive employment
- Provides long-term support to help participants remain employed
- Provides ongoing 1:1 coaching and development of life skills.
The Supported Employment Program also provides Employer-Partners with the training/support needed to incorporate the principles of trauma-informed care and safe structured supervision throughout their workplace to help facilitate a shift in the culture of workplaces towards empathy, diversity, and inclusiveness for sustained ability to successfully to employ and connect.
COMMUNITY INTERNSHIPS (PAID)
ESCAPE THE PETRI DISH
Reciprocal Community Resource Program
In 2018, TRC saw the need for strongly develop community connections beyond employers/partners to best support our participants, developing The Reciprocal Community Resource Project. Many of the individuals we encountered in the community thrived with the support we offered through their employment, but still faced significant challenges in their lives outside of work that could easily destabilize them. Utilizing existing resources, we connect our participants to the medical and mental health community, food and nutrition education, family wellness, spiritual camaraderie, avenues for creative expression, healthy animal interaction and more. TRC has found that these connections have decreased the isolation of our participants and allowed them to gradually find their way back to health and stability with disenfranchised individuals.
TRC Table Outreach created in response to the COVID19 Pandemic is an expansion of our Community Resource Program, dynamically reaching deeper into the community to provide access and opportunity to our most vulnerable citizens. Through our respect for basic human dignity, we are committed to earning trust by consistently reinforcing each other with reliable compassion, vulnerability and transparency.
TRC added our Community Ally Program in 2019, Linking Participants to an Ally from the larger community. Our Participants typically lack a positive support network and have been disconnected from healthy community. To support the end of their isolation, TRC has developed a network of community allies based on ABCD, Asset Based Community Development. Allies commit to serving one year and to spend 4-5 hours per month engaging with their matched participant in mutually enjoyable activities. ABCD is truth that all members of the community have gifts to share with others.
YOUTH AT WORK
Invest in Us.
The Reciprocity Collective does not seek funding through government sources and nor will we in accordance with our mission and strategic plan. TRC believes that the strength of the community lies in the connections and relationships we build and nurture. Reciprocity is defined as: a mutual, dependence, action or influence...a mutual exchange of privileges. That means that we all contribute and invest, in big ways and small and we all benefit by being a part of a community that we are all proud to be a part of.
The Reciprocity Collective
information@thereciprocitycollective.org
720-446-6224