Re-Entry:
The Partakers Empowerment Program (PEP)
…It is that evolved relationship with my mentors that has really allowed me to regain my sense of humanity…
~PEP Graduate
What Is The Partakers Empowerment Program?
The Partakers Empowerment Program (PEP) is a Mentor-centered reentry program that supports formerly incarcerated and soon-to-be-released individuals as they return to their communities. Through a 14-week workshop series in partnership with the Brandeis Educational Justice Initiative at Brandeis University, PEP participants receive the skills, support, and community they need as they return home after incarceration. PEP participants are paired with Partakers Community Mentors who provide the critical support and personal connection essential to navigating the many challenges of reentry and have the skills they need to thrive.
I could not have traveled this far or done this well on my own while navigating such a negative environment. Thanks to Partakers, no one has to make this journey alone.
~PEP Graduate
PEP brings together Partakers Mentors, alongside Brandeis University graduate and undergraduate students, with those leaving incarceration to form a safe and supportive reentry network.
Community is key. Mentor relationships are at the center of the Partakers Empowerment Program experience.
Partakers’ unique relational model sets PEP apart from all other reentry programs. Mentors build supportive, trusting relationships with participants and are committed to their success and well-being. The goal is to build a strong support network—connecting mentors, Brandeis students, and peers —to instill confidence and provide stability throughout the reentry journey. We strive to bridge communities and shift the harmful narratives and stigma surrounding women and men impacted by incarceration, offering connection, hope, belonging, and long-lasting relationships. In the process, we are also impacting the cycle of recidivism.
PEP provides essential reentry skills through weekly, skills-based workshops that cover topics such as employment, housing, education, civic re-engagement, physical and mental health, financial literacy, professionalism, technology, and more in a safe and communal environment. We focus on the immediate and long-term needs of people returning home from incarceration, not only reducing barriers for those returning home but also impacting the cycle of recidivism. A key focus of PEP is to not only assist individuals in successfully reentering their communities but to inspire them to work to positively impact those communities.
Since its inception, PEP has served over 130 participants and has welcomed over 150 mentors from communities throughout Massachusetts.
What I got out of the PEP program is a sense of belonging. Like I belong to something. Because when you’re in prison you don’t feel like you belong to something and when you come home, you can’t pick up where you left off. [PEP] has opened my eyes to the fact that my life isn’t completely over. I came home to a support system. Some people [in my PEP cohort] didn’t know how to go on Mass Health or get an ID...We need this program. It makes you think that you’re not alone and that
you can give back.~Former PEP student and teaching fellow
How the PEP Program Works
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PEP is a virtual program. Workshops are held weekly on Wednesday evenings from 6:00pm–7:30pm (1.5 hrs) via Zoom and are guided by facilitators from Brandeis University, as well as various subject matter experts. Workshops focus on developing key skills needed for returning home, such as obtaining their Massachusetts identification, building resumes, navigating job applications, finding housing, registering to vote, connecting to community, and other critical needs for returning citizens.
An integral component of the PEP program is the experience of working with dedicated mentors, who offer personalized support throughout the program. Participants are matched with trained mentor teams,. Meetings with mentors are individually tailored to accommodate each participant’s schedule, occurring once per week throughout the program.
Participants are provided laptops and a support stipend, which they receive upon completion of the program, in addition to a graduation certificate.
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PEP serves people from all walks of life and education levels who are returning home from incarceration. Often, our College Behind Bars (CBB) students will enter the program upon graduation and release. Many of our PEP alumni have started businesses, joined or founded nonprofit organizations, told their stories to legislators, advocatedd for policy changes, gone on to complete degree programs, and give back to their communities.
If you’re interested in being a participant in our program, contact us for an application by emailing apply@partakers.org or you can apply directly through our online application, found HERE.
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Our PEP Mentors come from all walks of life and experiences from across New England, forming a vibrant, intergenerational community of people committed to growth, connection, and transformation. While mentors support and guide mentees through the reentry journey, mentors consistently find that their own lives are deeply impacted through the process. They enter the program to give—but they stay because of what they gain: a renewed sense of purpose, deeper empathy, a broadened understanding of the carceral system, and most especially a heart-centered connection and relationships that remain.
Mentors come from various communities including faith-based congregation partners, corporations, government entitites, community and social justice organizations, university partners, or individuals who simply heard about the program through word-of-mouth. From young professionals to retirees, justice-impacted individuals to artists, activists, and lawmakers—our mentors bring diverse perspectives and walk away with lasting relationships, personal insight, and a strengthened belief in the power of human connection.
If you’re interested in mentoring with us, please reach out to our Recruitment & Outreach Specialist, Cassie Huck at cassiehuck@partakers.org.
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According to a 2024 report from the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, recidivism rates have dropped in MA from 29% to 26%, a trend that the report attributes to the success of re-entry programming and initiatives (see the summary of the report here).
Reentry programs such as the Partakers Empowerment Program create a smoother transition from incarceration into society by providing essential skills training, a supportive social community, and individualized mentor attention.
All PEP participants are matched with our volunteer community mentors to help support and guide them as they navigate their reentry journey. Studies show that mentorship is a key indicator of reentry success, as “mentors provide participants with a social support that is outside of a criminal network and reinforces positive change during the re-entry process” (Umez et al, 24).
Mentors offer a support system of friendship, guidance, and encouragement for their mentees. Participants also receive individualized attention from workshop facilitators, build community within their cohort, and make connections with each other and with other reentry organizations.
Since its inception in 2020, PEP has served over 130 participants has welcomed over 150 mentors from throughout Massachusetts.
Being part of Partakers is humbling, frustrating, inspiring, and enriching. We are humbled to see how hard it is to make a better life for oneself after incarceration. It is frustrating to learn, yet again, how unfair so many of our social systems are. It is inspiring to meet women who are determined to move beyond their pasts and to build futures for themselves in a world that does not make re-entry easy. And it is enriching to work as a team and to make a difference…in the lives of women who have been battling injustices their entire lives, for whom a safe space, a listening ear, and a shoulder to cry on are too often ideas and not realities.
~Ellen and Susan, PEP Mentors
Click Below to Watch Our PEP Reentry Graduation Ceremonies and Hear from Our Grads, Mentors and Valedictorians
For the longest time, I believed that education and opportunities…were beyond my reach. I had settled with the fact that incarceration was all I knew… Partakers has allowed me to visualize a different and better path for my life… to regain my sense… of fulfilling my social role as a constructive member of an accepting community who believes in change and opportunity after incarceration.
~ John, Partakers Student And PEP Member