Fair Chance Champions is an Honest Jobs series highlighting organizations and employers across the U.S. that are creating opportunities for justice-involved individuals. By embracing fair chance hiring and reentry support, these changemakers are breaking down barriers and proving that everyone deserves the opportunity to succeed.
Reentering society after incarceration comes with many challenges, and one of the biggest is finding meaningful and sustainable employment. But for some, the key to success isn’t just finding a job—it’s building their own business. The Growing Opportunities (GO) program, a program of the Arizona Small Business Association (ASBA), is helping justice-involved individuals do just that by providing entrepreneurship training and business development support to help them launch and grow their own ventures.
Empowering Justice-Involved Entrepreneurs
The GO program was founded on the belief that everyone deserves a fair chance at economic independence. The program equips formerly incarcerated individuals with the knowledge, tools, and resources they need to build and expand their own businesses. Through hands-on workshops, mentorship, and access to funding opportunities, participants gain the confidence and skills to turn their business ideas into reality.
Whether they are starting a new venture or growing an existing business, the program helps participants navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship, ensuring they have a strong foundation for long-term success.
Building a Path to Financial Independence
For many justice-involved individuals, traditional employment can be difficult due to background checks and hiring restrictions. By creating their own opportunities, participants in the GO program take control of their future, breaking down barriers to economic mobility and reducing their risk of recidivism. The program not only provides business education but also connects entrepreneurs with mentors, networking events, and funding sources to support their journey.
Advancing Fair Chance Hiring
In addition to supporting justice-involved entrepreneurs, ASBA is actively helping small businesses implement fair chance hiring practices. Many employers are unfamiliar with the benefits of hiring individuals with past convictions, and GO/ASBA provides training, resources, and consultation to help businesses create more inclusive hiring practices. By educating employers on the value of fair chance hiring and guiding them through the process, they are helping to expand job opportunities for returning citizens across Arizona.
Learn more about their Fair Chance Hiring initiative here: https://growingopportunitiesaz.com/fair-chance-hiring/
Why Honest Jobs Supports the GO program
At Honest Jobs, we are inspired by initiatives like the GO program that empower justice-involved individuals to achieve financial independence and self-sufficiency. Entrepreneurship is a powerful tool for breaking cycles of incarceration and poverty, and by equipping individuals with the right skills and support, the GO program is changing lives and strengthening communities.
Additionally, their work in promoting fair chance hiring aligns directly with our mission. By educating and equipping employers with the tools they need to hire justice-involved individuals, they are creating more opportunities and reducing employment barriers nationwide.
By highlighting programs like this, we hope to encourage more businesses and organizations to support fair chance entrepreneurship and create a world where everyone has the opportunity to succeed—regardless of their past.
To learn more about the GO program or get involved, visit GrowingOpportunitiesAZ.com.