Re‐Entry Opportunity Program for Entrepreneurship in Newark (RE‐OPEN)

The REOPEN program is a collaboration between the City of Newark and Rutgers University-Newark. It aims to create a reentry ecosystem in Newark that focuses on enhancing public safety, promoting technology literacy, improving mental health, and fostering entrepreneurship. This is achieved through integrating services and collaborating with existing programs in the city and at the university.

The program builds on effective community engagement strategies and supports public, nonprofit, and private sector entities to engage underrepresented urban communities in various activities such as health research, scholarship, policy-making, service delivery, and community engagement. It aims to assess the needs of returning citizens and opportunity youth.

The project aims to benefit disconnected young people aged 16-24, many of whom have been impacted by the criminal justice system and need opportunities for sustainable livelihoods. The plan includes hiring experts in creative problem-solving and community policing to identify alternatives for low-level offenders, including community service and counseling sessions.

Furthermore, the program aims to support the successful re-entry of formerly incarcerated individuals in Newark. This not only reduces victimization and recidivism but also provides training programs and opportunities for these individuals to realize their potential, earn living wages, and explore entrepreneurial talents. This, in turn, creates job opportunities, increases the local tax base, and supports family stability and community investment.

The partners involved in this initiative include the Newark Opportunity Youth Network (OYN), New Jersey Scholarship and Transformative Education in Prisons (NJ-STEP) program, City of Newark Office of Anti-Violence and Re-Entry, Newark Community Street Team, New Community Corporation, New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, RU Flourishing, and Rutgers University-Newark.

The collective knowledge and experience of these partners contribute to a holistic approach to solutions for the challenges and opportunities of re-entry. Through partnerships in the Newark community, the program aims to provide education, training, and professional development opportunities, especially in entrepreneurship and research, as well as access to support services for returning citizens and opportunity youth.