Geelong not-for-profit the Power In You Project, now in its seventh year, has built a new model for assisting individuals in reentry that extends beyond conventional support systems and takes participants through four stages of recovery and development including establishing hope, trust and understanding, restoring self-worth, creating opportunity and finding purpose.
In this presentation, Founder Kane Nuttall will discuss a new and comprehensive framework for reintegration that prioritises rekindling hope and community connection; harnessing the power of individuals who have navigated similar challenges; providing through-care in the form of programs and assistance from peers and specialists, both during incarceration and on release, and for as long as is required; and finally, exploring strategies to break down societal barriers and encourage community participation, ensuring individuals feel accepted but actively embraced by the communities they return to.
In the last 12 months, the Power In You Project has supported 43 participants post-release with just 10 returning to prison. Of the 33 successful participants, 16 have reunified with family, nine are meaningfully employed (four have been employed for more than 12 months) and 22 are living in stable accommodation. We also have two young men who are now employed in leadership roles within the Power In You Project.
Kane’s presentation aims to inspire other communities to adopt a proactive and compassionate attitude, recognising that reintegration is a shared community responsibility, and by highlighting that a focus on hope and creating positive connection can support individuals seeking to rebuild their lives after incarceration.
Presenters
Kane Nuttall founded The Power in You Project in 2017 as a peer-led mentoring program, after having been addicted to drugs for the better part of 12 years.
He was able to pull himself out of addiction – largely due to the unwavering support of his parents – and through his own experience noticed a critical gap in the system for individuals seeking treatment; he then sought to bridge that gap himself.
After seven years of operation, Kane and the Power In You Project have now supported more than 500 participants, developed partnerships with several major organisations, purchased two properties including the main Drop-In Centre as well as a residential property that provides a safe space for individuals who have recently been incarcerated, or are at risk of incarceration, and also have a satellite office in Warrnambool which supports individuals in regional and remote areas with little access to the resources they need.
Offering a unique lived experience, Kane understands first-hand what it is like to be in the grips of addiction and has grounded The Power In You Project firmly in the principle that, if someone has built up the courage to ask for help, they need that support immediately and should not be placed on a waitlist.
