What is a Critical Adventure?
Critical Adventures pair recently released individuals with a guide, setting them on an independence-building journey that reinforces social bonds and skills. They’re educational experiences wrapped in bonding activities.
We have two wishes for everyone: that they can navigate life independently and that they don’t have to do it alone.
A Critical Adventure can be any activity that gives someone in-person social support while they are reaching “critical learning goals” during their reentry process, such as:
- Getting to know your area, navigation, and becoming familiar with tools like Google Maps and rideshare apps
- Paying for things, banking, and budgeting
- Interacting with community, building trust, and creating relationships
- Finding new healthy hobbies and interests
- Mitigating claustrophobic reactions to crowds, streets, and stores
- Choosing healthy foods and not being overwhelmed by choice at groceries and restaurants
Once people have a sense of comfort and mastery with navigating their lives, we bring them into leadership roles — leading adventures and building mentorship skills. Each one, teach one.
Our Critical Adventures program has been a success, and we are improving it by codifying its processes, policies, and systems with a three year plan:
- Create a series of “Bonafide Guides” to document our team’s extensive knowledge and lived experience identifying, accessing, and sharing resources and referrals.
- These guides will enhance training for new staff, will contribute to our formal curriculum, and will be shared with partner organizations, criminal justice agencies, funders, media, and other key constituents seeking to understand reentry and/or implement best practices.
- Expand participants’ access to wraparound support by formalizing our referral system to meet the full range of needs of the community, including housing and jobs.
- Increase the reach and capacity of the program by adding new team members, including two Program Associates (staff) and several Adventure Leaders (contractors).