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compassion for people
regardless of their backgrounds

 

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

We help disempowered people find their voice and reach their human potential.

“We want to stand at the intersection of technology and humanism.” -Steve Jobs

“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, Business Development Rep

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our model invests in human potential

The inmates at Perryville and Rockville who make up our Televerde family aren’t any different from you and me. They are women–daughters, sisters, wives, mothers, aunts, grandmothers. They seek personal and professional fulfillment. They want their children and families to be proud of them. They, like all of us, are working to better themselves in every area of their lives.

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.


31% – 70%

Range of recidivism rate state-wide


3% – 8%

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

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 better outcomes and solve some of the most pressing societal issues facing us today such as mass incarceration, recidivism and drug addiction.

“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

<7% recidivism rate

among our graduates

25% graduates

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

40%employees

at the Phoenix corporate office are former inmates

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.

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 our partnership with Arouet 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.

“Most people look at prison as a bad thing, but for me it was a blessing. Televerde gave me the skills I needed to grow in self-worth, confidence and trust. Along with Televerde came Arouet. Arouet gave me the resources to further advance my knowledge in many areas of life. I’m forever grateful to Televerde and the continued support that Arouet provides.”

Jolene Ratliff

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you use inmates as callers?
We have a socially responsible business model that utilizes incarcerated women. What this means for you is results – our agents have an average tenure of 4.5 years, have amassed incredible skill, 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.
What is the education level of your callers?

Our agents come from a variety of backgrounds and careers. From bankers to professors to ladies with little to no business experience – we teach all of 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 believe in going beyond teaching our callers how to qualify and close. Instead, we teach them how to be consultative business partners for our clients.

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

How does Televerde pay its incarcerated employees?

The women of Televerde are paid a fair market hourly wage, receive pay increases at regularly scheduled intervals and earn overtime when applicable. They have immediate access to a portion of those wages for discretionary spending (used for day-to-day living expenses and restitution fees if applicable) while the remaining portion is set aside in a savings account for their release. The savings accounts allow these women financial resources to assist with reintegration into society upon release.

In addition to wages, the women of Televerde also earn college credits for completing company-sponsored training programs, have the ability to take online college classes at our facilities and the opportunity to work for Televerde post-release. Today, Televerde employs more than 100 ex-offenders 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?

In addition to being paid fair market hourly wages, the women of Televerde also 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, and we employ more than 100 ex-offenders at our corporate office, working in every department at every level of the organization. Hundreds more have gained successful employment at other companies, including many of our clients, with the skills developed during their tenure with our organization.

In 2011, Televerde incorporated a 501c3, the Arouet Foundation, to assist incarcerated women with their transition back into mainstream society. Pre-release, the Arouet program educates women about health/wellness, education/career preparation, community and family integration and goal attainment. Post-release, Arouet provides mentorship, coaching, family reunification, financial literacy/budgeting, scholarship funding and career placement. Both the company and our non-incarcerated employees contribute financially and through volunteer efforts to assist Arouet with their mission to assist the women in changing their lives.

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

Televerde has partnerships with the State of Arizona and the State of Indiana to provide job opportunities to incarcerated women at five locations (four at the Arizona State Prison in Perryville and one in Indiana at the Rockville Correctional Facility).

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 are able to support our clients in a way that drives the highest success rates on their demand generation and customer acquisition programs.

Televerde also has three call centers located in Argentina, Scotland and Australia respectively that are not based in correctional facilities.