The Intake Initiative Participant Manual

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The Intake Initiative Participant Manual serves as more than just a workbook; it is a structured, trauma-informed curriculum designed to provide incarceration support for families and prepare individuals for successful reentry. Rooted in dignity, resilience, and empowerment, this prison preparation program equips participants with the tools needed to navigate correctional systems, safeguard their mental health, and strengthen family bonds during difficult times.

What the Curriculum Covers

Our six-session framework incorporates real stories, reflection prompts, and practical strategies to meet participants where they are in their journey:

Session 1: Orientation & Systems Knowledge

Teaches clients how to approach intake with calm, respect, and preparation — reducing disciplinary risks and establishing a stable foundation for their experience.

Session 2: Safety & Relationship Navigation

Introduces unwritten respect codes, de-escalation tools, and strategies for building safe alliances within the correctional environment.

Session 3: Mental Resilience & Trauma Coping

Provides coping techniques for managing stress, depression, and anger, while fostering stability through routines, journaling, and exercise, crucial for those engaged in justice reform nonprofit efforts.

Session 4: Family & Communication Coaching

Strengthens family ties by offering guidance on communication, trust-building, and maintaining healthy relationships during incarceration, essential for effective parenting from prison.

Session 5: Goal Setting & Education Planning

Helps participants set achievable goals, pursue educational opportunities, and prepare for reentry with a sense of purpose and direction.

Session 6: Legal & Rights Primer

Equips clients with knowledge of grievance systems, rights awareness, and practical advocacy tools to protect themselves inside, ensuring they are informed of their rights as they navigate the system.

Rising from the Ashes is a comprehensive reentry preparation guide inspired by the success principles of Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich. Authored by Kelvin Collier, this program adapts timeless lessons on mindset, determination, and personal growth into a practical roadmap for individuals rebuilding their lives after incarceration. It also serves as a vital resource for families seeking incarceration support, providing insights into parenting from prison and fostering connections that aid in successful reintegration.

Curriculum Themes

- Fiery Determination: Cultivating resilience and passion to overcome obstacles and pursue meaningful goals.

- Mental & Emotional Anchors: Strengthening relationships, finding joy in everyday life, and building supportive networks, which is essential for justice reform nonprofits working with returning citizens.

- Personal Growth & Fulfillment: Encouraging hobbies, education, and skill development to foster confidence and purpose.

- Service & Legacy: Inspiring participants to contribute to their communities and leave a lasting positive impact.

- Health & Wellness: Promoting physical fitness, mental health care, and spiritual practices for balanced reintegration, crucial for those in a prison preparation program.

- Ambition & Achievement: Guiding participants to set goals, pursue passions, and celebrate milestones as proof of progress.

Why It Matters

This curriculum empowers returning citizens to rise above past challenges, embrace new opportunities, and create a prosperous future. It blends motivational philosophy with practical reentry support strategies, helping participants transform adversity into strength and vision, ultimately benefiting their families and communities.

Navigating New Worlds employs the metaphor of space travel to shed light on the challenges and opportunities of reentry after incarceration. Written by Kelvin Collier, this guidebook serves as a vital resource within the realm of incarceration support for families, helping participants view their transition as a mission that requires preparation, resilience, autonomy, and comprehensive support systems to ensure a safe and successful landing back into society.

Curriculum Themes

Reentry as Space Travel: Comparing release to a launch into unknown territory, emphasizing the need for planning and structured support, which is essential for effective reentry support.

Autonomy & Self-Governance: Encouraging participants to take control of their trajectory, rather than relying solely on external "mission control," aligning with principles of justice reform nonprofit efforts.

Navigating Obstacles: Providing practical strategies for overcoming barriers such as employment, housing, transportation, and relationships, crucial for those involved in a prison preparation program.

Resilience Under Pressure: Building mental and emotional strength to withstand the "atmospheric resistance" of stigma, setbacks, and stress that often accompany reentry.

Support Networks: Highlighting the importance of reconnecting with family, mentors, and community resources as stabilizing forces, which is vital for effective parenting from prison.

Personal Transformation: Encouraging participants to embrace growth, act with purpose, and leave a positive legacy.

Practical Tools: Offering journaling prompts, "Captain’s Logs," and reflection exercises to track gratitude, goals, moods, and personal development.

Why It Matters

This curriculum reframes reentry as an adventure of discovery and resilience, helping participants shed the weight of past traumas, avoid self-sabotage, and chart a new course. By blending metaphor with practical guidance, Navigating New Worlds empowers individuals to see themselves not as returning to old patterns, but as explorers of new possibilities, supported by the resources available through reentry support.