Getting Out and Staying Out (GOSO) equips court-involved youth in New York City with the support and resources needed to successfully transition from incarceration to employment and stability. The program focuses not only on reducing recidivism but on improving post-incarceration outcomes in education and work. GOSO engages participants during incarceration, primarily those held on Rikers Island or in upstate facilities, and continues support through reentry and community reintegration. Most participants join GOSO’s East Harlem program after release, where they receive counseling, wraparound services, and help completing education, job training, and securing employment.
One of GOSO’s most successful programs, GOSOWorks, includes direct collaborations with employers to enable successful paid internships and job placements. Participants complete intensive career readiness training in a tiered model based on immediate needs, as well as their level of work experience. Ninety-one percent of GOSO participants stay out of prison or jail and 95% of participants who came to GOSO seeking employment achieved an internship and/or direct employment placement. Further, of those participants who achieved an internship in the last year, 38% were hired directly into a part-time or full-time employment position, earning an average wage of $21.88 per hour.