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Imagine if you were defined by the worst mistake you made for the rest of your life

And denied of opportunity, growth and personal success at every turn. That’s how it is today for more than 200,000 incarcerated women in the United States. They, like all of us, made a mistake. Only their lapse in judgment came with a different consequence.

At Televerde, we believe in second chances and impact sourcing. We help disempowered people find their voice and reach their human potential.

Visit The Televerde Virtual Roundtable and sit face-to-face with the talented women who partner with us, hear their personal stories, and observe how opportunity and support can help people grow, change, and achieve extraordinary things.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Does Televerde use inmates as callers?

We have a socially responsible business model that uses the talent and potential of incarcerated women. What this means for you is results. Our agents have an average tenure of 4.5 years, have amassed incredible skills, and are passionate about learning your business. Yes, it is great to empower women with marketable skills to transition back into the communities, but what keeps clients like SAP and Marketo with us are the results they deliver. Since 1994, Televerde has generated more than $12 billion in revenue for our clients.

What is the education level of your callers?

Our agents come from varied backgrounds and careers. From bankers and professors to women with little to no business experience.

We have a minimum education requirement of a high school diploma, so many women get their GED in prison to qualify for consideration into the Televerde program.

We teach all our agents the basics of marketing including how to utilize personas, create and adhere to messaging and tips to finding final decision makers and influencers within target organizations. Sometimes referred to as a “mini MBA,” we teach callers how to be consultative business partners for clients.

We use a combination of in-class, online and study group-based learning to give women multiple avenues to develop and sharpen their skills. We use real-time coaching and review 100% of deliverables to clients to ensure conversations are of the highest caliber. We also offer certifications and advanced career opportunities in all Televerde departments including executive level positions as women progress in their lives and experience.

All agents are trained in the most cutting-edge technology on the market (e.g., Salesforce, Eloqua and Marketo), as well as the hard and soft skills needed to close deals, communicate with c-suite executives, and collaborate with Televerde clients’ sales and marketing teams. This level of knowledge and job experience increases their marketability and provides a clear advantage over others in the hiring process when they’re released.

How does Televerde pay its incarcerated employees?

We pay state minimum wage for the right to work with the women in the states where we operate. Each state makes some deductions for a personal savings account to help with reentry upon release, and if applicable, for restitution, child support, and the cost of incarceration. As a company, we add to that monetary compensation by providing access to earn online certifications, college courses, and other higher learning opportunities through Televerde and Televerde Foundation. We also offer career pathing into other areas of the business so women can grow as they learn. Today, Televerde employs more than 100 formerly incarcerated women at our corporate office and has witnessed hundreds more gain successful employment with the skills developed during their tenure with our organization.

How does the business model help incarcerated women?

The women of Televerde earn college credits for completing company-sponsored training programs at our contact centers. Between the sales and marketing training they receive as part of the job and the company-sponsored programs at our contact centers, our women are well prepared for a career post-release. They have the opportunity to work for Televerde post-release, and we employ more than 100 formerly incarcerated individuals at our corporate office. They work in every department at every level of the organization, including the c-suite. Hundreds more have gained successful employment at other companies, including many of our clients, because of the hard and soft skills and business acumen developed during their tenure with our organization. Since 2006, Televerde has provided pre- and post-release programs for its incarcerated workforce through a non-profit organization. In 2020, the Televerde Foundation was launched to provide more robust personal and professional development opportunities throughout the duration of a woman’s prison sentence and for two years following release. The foundation’s program focuses on workplace readiness, career development, financial literacy, personal leadership, health and wellness, and community reintegration.

Of the facilities Televerde operates, how many are based in correctional facilities and which facilities are involved?

Televerde has partnerships with the States of Arizona, Florida, and Indiana to provide job opportunities to incarcerated women.

We examine incarceration rates, education levels, and correctional industry experience, with private-sector partners and prison operations. This due diligence ensures we are working with the right partners and that we can support our clients in a way that drives the highest success rates in their demand generation, inbound customer support, and customer acquisition programs.

Televerde also has two call centers located in Argentina and Scotland that are not based in prisons.

What is the success rate for women of Televerde?

Televerde’s commitment to working with disempowered populations has produced remarkable results both for clients and communities over the past 25 years.

Arizona State University’s Seidman Research Institute recently released findings that reviewed the economic, social and fiscal impact of Televerde’s prison workforce development program on individuals, families, and the state of Arizona.

The results reveal that participants of Televerde’s program go on to attain employment, earnings, and education at higher rates and reoffend at significantly lower rates than other formerly incarcerated females in the United States.

  • The study shows a recidivism rate that is 91 percent lower than the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ national rate among females released from state prisons.
  • The report states that 94 percent of Televerde graduates are still employed after five years post-incarceration, earning four times the salary of other formally incarcerated females who did not go through the program.

A digital version of the study is available here.

How is the Televerde business model perceived by responsible business organizations?

Televerde is viewed as a “business as a force for good” by the most responsible business organizations and non-profits in the world.

Televerde joined the United Nations Global Compact, a voluntary leadership platform for the development, implementation and disclosure of responsible business practices. Launched in 2000, the United Nations Global Compact is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world, with more than 9,500 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries. Members of the United Nations Global Compact have visions that align with the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations General Assembly.

Televerde is part of the Global Impact Sourcing Coalition, a global network of businesses dedicated to creating a market for inclusive employment by raising awareness of Impact Sourcing and demonstrating how inclusive hiring practices lead to greater business growth and social impact.

Televerde was named a 2020 Global Impact Sourcing Award (GISA) recipient. The awards, jointly given by IAOP and The Rockefeller Foundation, recognize organizations impacting local communities by creating jobs in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry in underserved communities.

Our Model Invests in Human Potential

Televerde has both on shore and near shore call centers. In the United States, Televerde has partnerships with the states of Arizona, Florida and Indiana to provide job opportunities to incarcerated women at the Arizona State Prison in Perryville, Homestead Correctional Institution in Florida, Rockville Correctional Facility in Indiana, and Madison Correctional Facility in Indiana. In EMEA, Televerde partners with the UK Ministry of Justice to provide job opportunities to women at Her Majesty’s Prison Styal in Cheshire, England.

By investing in people through education, job training and opportunity, we help those who are disempowered successfully re-enter their communities, reunite with their families, and build meaningful and rewarding careers.

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Range of recidivism rate state-wide

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Range of recidivism rate for those given training, education and placed in jobs

Generating Revenue While Changing Lives

We’re committed to transforming lives and process efficiency by running our business as a force for good. We provide life-changing opportunities to disempowered communities, enabling them to reclaim their independence and reenter the global workforce, all while generating revenue for our clients.

“Look behind the prison walls and see the true human potential of those of us in here. You see me. I’m in orange. I am a felon. But I’m also confident, dedicated, empowered and encouraged. Would you hire me?” -Christin Swansinger, BDR

We Work With Our Partners to Reduce Recidivism

Our business model couldn’t work without the support of the Departments of Corrections in Arizona and Indiana. Together, we show how business and government can work together to deliver results and solve some of the most pressing societal issues facing us today such as mass incarceration, recidivism and drug addiction.

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recidivism rate among our graduates

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graduates continue to work with Televerde after they’re released from prison

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employees at the Phoenix corporate office are former inmates

“The ‘Televerde Effect’ goes beyond the marketable skills and career opportunities the company gives these women. It translates directly to safer prison yards. Televerde is a coveted, high-status employer and the opportunity to work for the company instills women with incentive to stay out of trouble and make good choices. This sentiment is felt across Perryville and is a testament to Televerde’s way of doing business.”

— Karen Hellman, Division Director of Inmate Programs and Reentry, Arizona Department of Corrections

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Our Impact Delivers Growth in More Ways Than One

Our sales and marketing professionals are the cornerstone of the work we do. They are remarkably bright, extraordinarily hard working, and have an intense desire to never go back to prison once they leave. So when they’re given the opportunity to shine, they unlock their full potential. Because of this passion, we experience a very low rate of attrition.

While initially trained for sales roles, advancement continues in departments like IT, marketing, finance and HR, and many have been promoted into management positions. At Televerde, we have people in every department and in every level of the organization who began their careers on the inside. Many women are also hired by our customers post-release, working in a variety of sales, marketing, and technical positions.

“Televerde’s lead quality—just like its reps—exceeded my expectation. I hear on a weekly basis from Inside Sales that the leads are much stronger and more qualified than others in the past. I attribute this to the unbelievable energy that the Televerde reps have put into learning the product they are representing.”

— Mark Craven, Vice President of Sales, Pulse Secure

Our Promise

Transformation is constant; it doesn’t end upon release. We offer continued support, resources and a network of successful graduates to tap into, all leading women to a stronger future. Through the Televerde Foundation, women learn how to transition back into society, address everyday challenges, form meaningful relationships, discover hidden talents, go on to higher education, and strengthen confidence in themselves to reach their goals.

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