MANSFIELD — Ashley Jessee said the Creating Lasting Family Connections THRIVE program changed her life.
Jessee and five other women graduated from the four-week program on Friday, celebrating their success with family and staff.
The program is part of a statewide Children of Incarcerated Parents initiative, teaching the women skills to help them more effectively raise their children.
Jessee said friendships she made during the four weeks with the other women helped her to become vulnerable and open.
“It was just talking to one another, getting everything out, being able to openly talk about stuff going on in our lives and feeling safe that you could disclose it in there,” Jessee said. “We had a lot of laughs and cries, but the program was amazingly helpful.”
Scott Snead and Connie Morris were the co-facilitators of the program and held bi-weekly meetings with the women where they focused on three modules: developing positive parental influences, raising resilient youth and getting real with themselves and their families through roleplay.
Morris said that while she was unsure of how the program would go, she has been beyond pleased with the results and growth the participants have shown.
“Always starting something new for facilitators I feel that we’re a little nervous, but we’re so super excited,” Morris said. “It’s been a learning curve, but it’s been great to have the participants willing to participate and engage and just watching them grow.”
Going beyond the lessons, participants were given the chance to win vouchers for gas, Goodwill and miniature golf – a way for participants to foster bonds within their families.
Snead, who also said he was also unsure of how the program would go, said he was quickly validated that what he and Morris were teaching was working.
“One of the individuals came into class one day and she was all excited,” Snead said. “She said ‘man, I tried what you said yesterday with my child, and it worked, and it was great.’
“It was nice for [Connie and me] to see it doesn’t take six, eight weeks for the program to take effect, if you use it, it takes effect immediately.”
Jessee’s two children, 13-year-old Lacy and 6-year-old Konner, both said they were proud of their mom as Jessee smiled at them from across the table.
Jessee was accompanied to the graduation by her boyfriend, Robert Manning. In between the many pictures Manning proudly took of Jessee with her certificate, Manning said he could not be happier to see Jessee becoming the person she was always meant to be.
“I’ve just seen her blossom,” Manning said. “She’s spreading her wings and turning into the woman that she really is. It’s just neat to see it come out. I’m so proud of her, I just can’t tell you.”
In his address to the participants, Dan Dickman, director of Success Unlimited, thanked the women for being willing to take a chance and be the first to go through the program.
Dickman stood right in front of the participants as he explained how the program has given him new-found hope for the next generation.
“You’re our future, and that future looks brighter to me in knowing that you’ve gained some more skills that you can work with your families on and with each other,” Dickman said.
“ … I truly believe that the strength of this program wasn’t just in Scott and Connie, but the strength of the program was each one of you and believing that you could make that difference.”
The success of the program will continue in August when a new group of participants will go through the classes led by Snead and Morris.
Beyond that, Dickman said he is looking at the possibility of introducing a program for the children of incarcerated parents to help them deal with any barriers or stigmas they have faced.
Brychelle Mullins, a participant of the program, said is already spreading the word about the program and how it has helped her in raising her five kids.
“[The program] was really great, ” Mullins said. “I’ve already started telling people about it and trying to send people Dan’s way to get signed up for it. I’m excited that they’re going to do it again.”
