Welcome to The Academy of H.O.P.E (Healing Opportunities and Personal Enrichment). We provide a supportive environment for individuals recently released from long-term incarceration. Our residents, who have earned state certification as counselors through Options Recovery Services’ in-prison programs, are given the resources they need to successfully reintegrate into society. The Academy offers stable housing and essential services to help ease their transition.
We partner with organizations such as the Department of Violence Prevention (OAK), EKG, Above Adequate Life Coaching, My Story Matters, and Alameda County Probation to provide training and referrals for at-risk youth. Our programs cover life skills such as digital literacy, job readiness, financial literacy, and navigating essential systems like housing and healthcare.
The Y.O! (Youth with Options) program pairs our residents, who serve as mentors, with at-risk youth to provide support through evidence-based curricula, including Motivational Interviewing, Conflict Resolution, Life Skills, and Gang Prevention. We collaborate with community organizations to serve youth at Oakland Tech High School, Emiliano Zapata Street Academy, and potentially Berkeley High School.
Graduates of Y.O! may also earn paid on-the-job training, continuing the “lived experience” model that helps break cycles of violence, recidivism, and substance abuse. This approach equips youth with the skills to navigate legal challenges, education, and peer relationships, while giving back to future participants in the program.
