Beyond the Box pilot shows employer‑focused support can place and retain justice‑impacted workers, program seeks scaling

Presenters told the Tompkins County Public Safety Committee on July 22 that a one‑year pilot of the Beyond the Box reentry employment initiative helped one small employer place and retain people with criminal records and that organizers are seeking county support to scale the model.

Tali Magambe, a presenter for the Ultimate Reentry Opportunity collective, described the program’s approach as “humans humanizing humans,” explaining the pilot combined employer assessment, management training, workplace policy review and a dedicated navigational specialist who supports employees week‑to‑week. “Trainings…