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  • Policy Change | SuccessMapInitiative

    Advancing Justice Through Policy and Partnership At the Success Map Initiative, we proudly lead policy advocacy efforts to create equitable opportunities for justice-impacted individuals. Partnering with organizations like Communities Not Cages and FWD.us , we played a critical role in mobilizing employers to champion transformative legislation, including the Clean Slate and Second Look bills. With Clean Slate now signed into law, we're thrilled to witness the start of a new era that reduces barriers to employment and fosters second chances. Together, we're building a more inclusive workforce and driving meaningful reform.

  • Justice-Impacted Services | SuccessMapInitiative

    Justice-Impacted Services Providing pathways to success for formerly incarcerated individuals. Through reentry programs, entrepreneurial training, and workforce development, we help people rebuild their lives and contribute to their communities. Business Bootcamp Success Map’s entrepreneurship bootcamps support justice-impacted individuals in developing both the mindset and skill set required to build sustainable futures. Delivered in person and virtually, our bootcamps combine personal leadership development with a practical, step-by-step introduction to entrepreneurship—helping participants learn to think like the CEO of their own lives. Participants engage in hands-on business education covering core entrepreneurship fundamentals, decision-making, goal setting, financial literacy, and execution strategies, while also strengthening confidence, discipline, and accountability. This dual focus ensures entrepreneurship is approached not as motivation alone, but as a structured pathway to economic mobility and long-term stability. Our entrepreneurship bootcamp curriculum is accredited through SUNY Higher Education in Prison, reinforcing the academic rigor and credibility of the program while positioning business education as a legitimate postsecondary and workforce pathway for justice-impacted individuals. Workforce Redemption Program Success Map’s justice-impacted workforce programming is designed to prepare individuals for real careers—not just reentry. Delivered across correctional, probation, and community reentry settings, our workforce pathways combine practical skill development, leadership mindset training, and employer-aligned preparation to support successful transitions into sustainable employment. Participants engage in a structured workforce curriculum that emphasizes career navigation, decision-making, accountability, communication, and workplace leadership, while also addressing the personal development required to operate with confidence and professionalism in today’s workforce. Our approach helps individuals move beyond survival thinking and begin approaching their careers with a long-term, executive mindset—learning to think strategically about growth, advancement, and opportunity. By aligning workforce preparation with employer expectations and real labor market needs, Success Map supports justice-impacted individuals in progressing from entry-level roles toward leadership, advancement, and economic stability. Across every setting, our model is grounded in lived experience, reinforced through mentorship, and focused on outcomes that lead to lasting workforce success. Justice Involved Youth Success Map delivers workforce and career pathways for justice-impacted youth embedded directly within youth detention centers, probation and parole-connected programs, group homes and residential placements, and community-based reentry environments. Our programming is designed to meet young people at critical transition points—ensuring access to career preparation, leadership development, and economic opportunity regardless of system involvement or placement setting. Through structured workforce readiness, career exploration, and mentorship circles grounded in lived experience, youth develop the skills and mindset needed to navigate both immediate challenges and long-term goals. Our approach emphasizes accountability, decision-making, communication, and professional identity—helping young people shift from short-term survival thinking to future-focused planning. Across detention, supervision, residential, and community settings, Success Map delivers a consistent model that aligns education, workforce preparation, and personal development. By embedding career pathways into youth justice and residential systems, we support successful transitions back into school, training, employment, and long-term economic stability. Working With the Best Clients and Partners 2024 Impact Report Click Above

  • Youth Services | SuccessMapInitiative

    Youth Career & Technical Education (CTE) Pathways Empowering Future Leaders Leadership Development We cultivate essential leadership skills in youth, focusing on ethical decision-making, communication, and teamwork to prepare them for leadership roles in their communities, careers, and life. Career Exploration and Development Help discover career interests, build professional skills, and create pathways to success in the workforce. P.O.P Program (Positive Outcomes Program) Designed to inspire and uplift, this program fosters resilience, self-confidence, and a growth mindset to help justice involved youth overcome systematic challenges and reach their full potential. "Hustle For Freedom" Business bootcamps introduce foundational business concepts, entrepreneurship, and business best practices, empowering youth to turn their ideas into actionable plans. Inspiring the next generation through education, mentorship, and skill-building. From business bootcamps to workforce readiness programs, we equip youth with the tools they need to succeed in life, school, and work. 2024 Impact Report Click Above Working With the Best Clients and Partners

  • Podcast | SuccessMapInitiative

    Prison Bosses Podcast The Prison Bosses podcast is a transformative series that showcases the journeys of formerly incarcerated individuals who have risen to leadership and success in business and life. Hosted by Trent Griffin-Braaf , the podcast shares stories of resilience, personal transformation, and entrepreneurial triumph, providing hope and practical guidance to listeners. Featured nationally in over 1,500 correctional facilities through partnerships with Edovo and CoreCivic, Prison Bosses reaches over 1.5 million incarcerated individuals . The podcast delivers powerful insights, inspiring listeners to envision a brighter future and empowering them with the tools to achieve it. Check it out! On your favorite podcast platform including YouTube .

  • Employer Services | SuccessMapInitiative

    Employer Services Success Map supports employers with workforce solutions that strengthen teams and expand opportunity. Through talent pipelines, leadership training, and proven workforce strategies, we help organizations reduce turnover, develop better leaders, and build sustainable, high-performing workplaces. Leadership & HR Trainings A groundbreaking program designed for employers, equipping them with the tools, strategies, and training needed to successfully hire, support, and retain youth, disabled, and justice-impacted individuals. Through workshops, leadership development, and practical resources, our trainings helps employers build winning cultures and teams while fostering lasting change and business growth. Driver Staffing & Job Placements Connecting skilled talent with meaningful opportunities, our Placement Services help employers fill critical roles while empowering individuals to thrive in the workforce. From identifying top candidates to supporting long-term retention, we provide tailored solutions that drive success for both employers and employees. Reentry Simulator An immersive experience designed to help employers understand the challenges justice-impacted individuals face when reentering the workforce. This powerful simulation fosters empathy, shifts perspectives, and equips leaders with actionable insights to create supportive, inclusive workplaces that drive retention and success.

  • Home | SuccessMapInitiative

    From classrooms and correctional facilities to employer pipelines and credentialed career and higher education pathways, Success Map Initiative equips diverse talent with the skills, credentials, and support needed to succeed in today’s workforce. We design and deliver career, technical, educational and entrepreneurship pathways that connect talent to opportunity—strengthening individuals, employers, and communities. OUR STORY Trent Griffin-Braaf’s leadership is shaped by experience at every level of the workforce. He began his career in the hospitality industry as a janitor and worked his way up to General Manager—gaining firsthand insight into entry-level labor, talent development, and business operations. After launching his own company, Trent’s work gained national recognition, including features in Forbes and Bloomberg, and he was named the 2023 New York State Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. This journey—spanning frontline work, executive leadership, and entrepreneurship—drives Success Map Initiative’s ability to build pathways that work for individuals and employers. OUR SERVICES Youth Career & Technical Education (CTE) Pathways Career preparation delivered across the systems young people move through. Success Map delivers Youth CTE Pathways inside the real environments where young people are already engaged. By embedding career and workforce preparation directly into education, justice, and community systems, we ensure youth have consistent access to skill-building, mentorship, and future-facing opportunities—no matter where they enter the pathway. Our Youth CTE Pathways are delivered in: K–12 school classrooms and alternative education settings Youth probation and court-involved programs Youth detention and residential facilities Community-based youth organizations Postsecondary and college-access environments Across each setting, our approach remains the same—grounded in lived experience, reinforced through mentorship circles, and aligned with workforce and entrepreneurship pathways that prepare youth for school, work, and life. Justice-Impacted Reentry & Workforce Pathways Career and workforce pathways delivered across youth and adult justice systems. Success Map delivers justice-impacted reentry and workforce pathways for both young people and adults by embedding career preparation, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurship directly into the justice-involved systems individuals move through. Our programming operates within youth probation and court-involved programs, youth detention and residential facilities, adult jails and correctional settings, community reentry and transition programs, and probation-based workforce environments—ensuring access to opportunity regardless of age, setting, or point of system involvement. Grounded in lived experience and reinforced through structured mentorship, our approach builds trust while aligning participants with real pathways to employment, credentials, and long-term economic stability. Across every setting, we deliver the same consistent model—focused on preparation, accountability, and outcomes—to support successful transitions from system involvement to education, work, and economic mobility. Disability-Inclusive Workforce Pathways Expanding access to opportunity across workforce and employment systems. Success Map builds disability-inclusive workforce pathways that connect overlooked and underrepresented talent to meaningful employment opportunities. In partnership with NYSID , our work operates within workforce development systems, employer pipelines, and community-based employment settings to ensure individuals with disabilities have access to training, support, and career pathways aligned with their strengths. Our approach is grounded in data, lived experience, and systems awareness. Through workforce preparation, identification of unmet support needs, and employer collaboration, we help individuals access appropriate resources and accommodations while supporting organizations in building inclusive, effective teams. Across every setting, our model focuses on dignity, capability, and outcomes—turning inclusion into access, and access into long-term workforce participation and stability. Employer Workforce Solutions Helping employers build strong teams, reliable pipelines, and effective leaders. Success Map partners with employers to strengthen workforce performance while expanding access to opportunity. Our Employer Workforce Solutions are designed to support organizations navigating hiring challenges, retention issues, and leadership development needs—by aligning talent pipelines, workforce training, and inclusive practices with real business goals. By connecting employers to prepared talent from youth, justice-impacted, and disability-inclusive pathways, supporting access to available workforce incentives, and equipping supervisors with the skills to lead diverse teams effectively, we help organizations reduce turnover, lower hiring costs, and build workplaces they’re proud of. Across every engagement, our approach balances performance and purpose—proving that doing the right thing can also be good business. Entrepreneurship & Business Bootcamps Building ownership pathways through practical business education. Success Map delivers entrepreneurship and business bootcamps that equip individuals with the skills, mindset, and structure needed to turn ideas into income. Designed for youth and adults across education, workforce, and justice-involved systems, our bootcamps position business ownership as a viable pathway to economic mobility, leadership, and long-term stability. Our bootcamps are delivered in person and through virtual learning environments, allowing us to meet participants where they are while maintaining a hands-on, results-driven approach. Grounded in real-world business experience, participants engage in practical instruction focused on business fundamentals, goal setting, financial literacy, execution strategy, and decision-making—not theory or motivation alone. Through guided instruction, applied exercises, and mentorship, participants build the confidence and discipline required to launch, grow, or strengthen a business concept. Across every setting, our approach emphasizes accountability, action, and sustainability—ensuring entrepreneurship is not just explored, but realistically pursued as a pathway to economic independence. Policy, Data & Systems Leadership Using lived experience and data to strengthen education and workforce systems. Success Map’s impact extends beyond direct service delivery. Because we operate inside schools, justice settings, workforce programs, and employer pipelines, we bring real-world insight to policy conversations, data initiatives, and systems-level collaboration. Our work helps ensure that programs, funding strategies, and workforce solutions are aligned with the realities of the people and systems they are designed to serve. Through data collection, evaluation, and cross-sector engagement, we support partners in identifying gaps, improving access, and strengthening outcomes—particularly for populations that have historically been overlooked or underserved. This systems-level approach allows Success Map to translate lived experience and on-the-ground practice into actionable insight that informs decision-making across education, workforce, and public systems. Across every environment, our focus remains the same: accountability, alignment, and impact. By grounding systems leadership in real practice, we help shape pathways that work—not just on paper, but in real lives.

  • Contact Us | SuccessMapInitiative

    Contact Us Let's Chat Phone 518203-8748 Email admin@successmapinitiative.org Social Media First Name Last Name Email Message Send Thanks for submitting!

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