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The day an inmate walks out of a correctional facility should be a day of hope and new beginnings. Too often, however, it is a day fraught with anxiety, vulnerability, and a devastating absence of support. New Leaf Foundation’s Re-Entry Support Program exists to change that reality — to ensure that release day marks not just the end of a sentence, but the beginning of a genuinely new chapter.
“The most critical 72 hours in the life of a released inmate — and we stand there with them.”
The Re-Entry Program is particularly focused on inmates serving minor sentences — individuals whose offences, while serious enough to result in incarceration, do not disqualify them from swift and successful reintegration with the right support. Many of these individuals are first-time offenders, young adults, or those imprisoned for economic crimes driven by poverty rather than violent inclination. With proper support, these individuals have the highest potential for successful reintegration and the greatest risk of being failed by an absent system.
Inmates identified for the Re-Entry Program begin receiving structured support up to 18 months before their scheduled release date. This extended preparation period allows for meaningful skills acquisition, documentation assistance, and the development of a personalised re-entry plan.
• Enrolment in the Skills Empowerment Academy to gain a certified vocational or digital skill
• Life Skills Workshops — budgeting, healthy relationships, conflict resolution, parenting
• CV and job application preparation with career counsellors
• Documentation assistance — ID cards, certificates, and other critical identity documents
• Pre-release psychological and emotional readiness assessments and counselling
• Family communication facilitation where appropriate
On the day of release, NLF ensures that no participant exits the correctional facility alone and unprepared. Depending on available resources and logistics, release day support includes:
• Reception at the facility gate by an NLF volunteer or staff member
• Provision of a New Leaf Starter Pack — including basic hygiene items, a small amount of transportation funds, a copy of their skills certificate, and a personal encouragement letter
• Transport assistance to their home community or to transitional accommodation
• Same-day registration with the post-release mentorship program
The six months following release are statistically the most critical for determining long-term re-entry outcomes. NLF’s post-release mentorship pairs each participant with a trained community volunteer who provides:
• Regular check-in meetings (weekly for the first month, fortnightly thereafter)
• Employment support — job leads, employer introductions, and interview preparation
• Financial guidance — basic financial planning and micro-enterprise startup support
• Spiritual accompaniment — connection to a local faith community
• Crisis support — immediate response for participants facing housing, safety, or health crises
NLF maintains an active partnership network of employers, social enterprises, and self-employment support organisations who are committed to giving NLF graduates a fair opportunity. Partner employers receive a briefing on NLF’s program quality and participate in a simple onboarding process. NLF graduates are matched to vacancies or enterprise support programmes in their vocational areas.
