Ubuntu Village Nola

Program Title: INSTEAD (Integrated Navigation Services to End Arrest and Detention) Narrative: It is a program to develop alternatives to prosecution and incarceration that holistically heal families and communities while eradicating racial injustices. Realizing the need to address the root causes of why individuals have committed crimes, INSTEAD provides individualized care and resource navigation in the community for people who have been in contact with the criminal legal system (CLS). Currently, incarceration rates are on the rise, and there has not been a resulting decrease in the amount of crime. Much of the burden of increased incarceration has fallen on Black and Brown people in America and those living in, or near, poverty. This can lead to long-term punitive effects of incarceration, such as reduced access to education, jobs, housing, and social welfare programs. Impact: INSTEAD's approach is designed to be flexible and responsive to immediate needs, long-term goals, and unforeseen obstacles and setbacks. Our social workers become part of our participants' journey and help them navigate their day-to-day challenges while assisting them in accessing established providers in the community that can respond to their areas of need. Once engaged in a referred program, INSTEAD continues to provide individualized care, knowing some programs cannot meet the holistic needs of individuals. Through this process, INSTEAD believes the participant's exposure to pro-social relationships through their social worker and progress made through connected services will lead to participants establishing their community support network.

Program Title: PLEA @Disasters Narrative: At Ubuntu Village NOLA, we believe that community members can best assess their vulnerability level and make the best decisions for their well-being. The Parent Leaders Educate for Action around Disasters (PLEA @ Disaster) is an offshoot of our main PLEA program, a parent participation in leading juvenile justice reforms. The project served the New Orleans East and Central City communities in Orleans Parish, economically disadvantaged communities facing low income, limited access to education and healthcare, high crime rates, inadequate infrastructure, and limited employment opportunities. It addressed uncertainty around inequities during disaster response and recovery and the vulnerability associated with community members. Impact: One of the project's notable short-term impacts was the formation of the Parent Leaders Educate for Action around Disasters group, which has now become a permanent program at our organization. The survey provided valuable insights, and distributing magnets with QR codes (with information on resources) to 250 community members enhanced preparedness. By doing away with paper brochures, this method aligns with current digital habits and helps the environment. Our dedication to long-term impact is shown by continuously disseminating information throughout the year, even after the project ends.

Program Title: Parent Navigator and the PLEA (Parent Leaders Educate for Action) Narrative: These programs educate parents impacted by the juvenile justice system on the court process and train them to be peer parent navigators. We supported a core group of impacted parent leaders, worked with them to analyze the juvenile justice system, and encouraged peer-to-peer support among the parents. The parents could access the decision-making process, own their plans, achieve their identified outcomes, and commit to them. Through Ubuntu's leadership training, the parents became leaders in the courthouse and their neighborhoods. These parents have been through the process and are best equipped to guide their peers. Impact: Ubuntu sees parents as equal partners in educating, improving practice, and bringing about social change through advocacy and policy. We expanded our Parent Leaders Educate for Action (PLEA) program and have connected and worked with 225 parents and caregivers. In addition, we conducted group orientations and one-on-one assistance to parents/caregivers navigating the system to provide them with accurate, informed guidance about their rights, the risks of incarceration, appropriate rehabilitative alternatives, and efficient advocacy strategies.