Towards a Better Tomorrow: Enlisting Mental Health and Entrepreneurship to Empower Formerly Incarcerated Youth and Their Families
October 29 2024
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Amman, October 29, 2024
“It transformed our son’s life and made him an independent young man,” shared Um Hasan, a participant in the pioneering holistic model that supports formerly incarcerated youth through mental health services, employability training, and entrepreneurship opportunities. Um Hasan described how the project shifted her family’s perspective on family dynamics, even winning over her initially skeptical husband. She also added that the program enabled her and her son to open a small shop, with her family expressing that their project should only grow onward, bringing them closer together.
In a structured methodology implemented by the Community Development Institute (CDI), the Institute for Family Health, and the Information and Research Center, in collaboration with public institutions, the project focuses not only on empowering individuals but also on strengthening entire families to foster lasting social cohesion.
From October 2022 until October 2024, the project has reached 160 youth and their caregivers, providing mental health sessions and life skills training in Irbid and Amman. These efforts have led to the establishment of 50 family businesses, including green micro-enterprises—empowering families to build sustainable futures.
Recently, the partners celebrated the admirable achievements by highlighting an evidence-based evaluation of the "Towards a Better Tomorrow" project. This enduring impact, supported by the U.S. Embassy Amman Public Affairs Office, stands as a testament to the power of multisectoral collaboration.