Wilton & Bain NYC CSR: Hour Children

Across America, families and communities are deeply impacted by the repercussions of mass incarceration. According to a recent CNN article by Drew Kann, “if the US prison population were a city, it would be among the country’s 10 largest”. With so many people behind bars, one has to wonder “what happens to these individuals after?”  68% of formerly incarcerated people were rearrested within 3 years, and the percentage increased greatly as time moved forward, stated the Bureau of Justice in their 2018 update report.  The source of recidivism is a synthesis of many factors such as economic and personal elements, however Hour Children, an NYC based organization with whom Wilton & Bain has partnered with, has been actively combating the recidivism rate with their myriad of programs which have helped 98% of their participants (women who have previously been incarcerated) live healthy, independent and secure lives out of prison, reunifying with their families and community.

It was an extremely fulfilling and high energy day for all. One participant states, “It’s not easy to admit when you need something, but the people I met with today provided me with everything I needed”. Another participant remarked, “I don’t have enough words to thank you for this amazing event. It was one of a lifetime. I learned enjoyed, and most importantly networked with extraordinary people”

The workshops consisted of seminars and activities such as:

-A Body Language Seminar & Activity lead by Rachel Conway, Associate and our in-house body language specialist, who went through how to communicate confidence, openness and success while also detailing what actions to avoid.

-An Interview for Success Seminar & Mock Interview Activity lead by David Heron, CEO, where he imparted what makes an interview a successful one— from first impressions, answering the tough questions, and advertising one’s top skills in a clear, confident, empowering manner.

-A Networking Seminar lead by Lisa Peacock-Edwards, Managing Partner, where she sat down with the participants for an in-depth conversation about how to break the ice, leave a great impression, and how to follow up accordingly in a networking setting.

–One-on-One Career Coaching sessions where each participant had the chance to pair up with various Wilton & Bain colleagues to speak about how best to navigate their career ambitions, and how to make those dreams a reality.

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David Heron, CEO, reflected that the workshop was “an extraordinary, and humbling day. Probably the most rewarding experience in my career. Awesome to meet these inspiring ladies, awestruck with Hour Children and so proud of the Wilton & Bain team for being brilliant” and that it was a “genuine reason to reflect on the privilege we have in our lives, and the opportunity we have in our roles to help people to shape their future”.

We are very much looking forward to the next time we can connect with these resilient, compassionate, and hardworking women.

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Written by Wilton & Bain Head of US Social Impact & Corporate Responsibility, Alysia Peach.

For more information please contact Alysia on alysia.peach@wilton-bain.com

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Works Cited

Alper, Mariel, et al. “2018 Update on Prisoner Recidivism: A 9-Year Follow-up Period (2005-2014) .” Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, May 2018, www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/18upr9yfup0514.pdf.

Kann, Drew. “5 Facts behind America’s High Incarceration Rate.” CNN, Cable News Network, 21 Apr. 2019, www.cnn.com/2018/06/28/us/mass-incarceration-five-key-facts/index.html.

“Who We Serve.” Hour Children, 11 Nov. 2016, hourchildren.org/?page_id=418.