RISE OS is a digital literacy and workforce development initiative created to serve Maryland residents navigating recovery and reentry.
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RISE OS is a recovery- and reentry-informed workforce development operating system designed to help people rebuild stability, gain digital and professional skills, and move toward long-term economic and civic independence.
Operating Philosophy
Digital literacy as a pathway to reintegration and independence.
Service Population:
Recovery, Reentry & Justice-Impacted Individuals in Baltimore City
© RISE OS — A Program of Odenkyem-Wade Limited (OWL)
Built to advance recovery-friendly, digitally inclusive systems
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This program is a novel response to the challenges these particular vulnerable populations face when limited access to technology, quality training, and trusted support systems restrict their ability to secure employment, navigate healthcare, and sustain recovery.For people navigating reentry, substance use, economic instability, or long-term disconnection from digital systems, these gaps are not isolated—they reinforce one another.
The intersection of digital equity and criminal justice reform presents an unprecedented opportunity for transformative change. The future of digital equity lies in empowering ALL community members to become active participants in the digital landscape.
Mission
RISE OS aims to empower Baltimore residents in recovery and reentry with digital skills, workforce readiness, wraparound support, and sustainable pathways to independence and digital inclusion, through an integrated network of community partnerships.
Vision
RISE OS envisions a Baltimore where every resident returning from incarceration or navigating recovery has the skills, tools, and social capital to access living-wage work, live independently, and participate in shaping the city’s digital future.
We are building RISE OS in Baltimore, to start, because the city is actively working to close one of the widest digital divides in the nation. Guided by the Baltimore City Digital Equity Framework (2024–2029), RISE OS is designed to extend these efforts directly into communities impacted by the criminal justice system and engaged in recovery.
At its core, RISE OS is built to address both individual barriers (digital access, confidence, readiness) and systemic gaps (inclusive hiring practices, recovery-friendly workplaces), aligning workforce development with healing, dignity, and long-term community impact.
RISE OS integrates digital access, workforce readiness, and recovery-informed support into a single operating system—transforming fragmented services into clear, dignified pathways to opportunity.
Reintegration
Social Emotional Learning & Community Building
Independence
Stability & Self-Efficacy
Skills
Workforce & Digital Readiness
Empowerment
Agency & Systems Impact
© RISE OS — A Program of Odenkyem-Wade Limited (OWL)
Built to advance recovery-friendly, digitally inclusive systems
Quick Links
Curriculum Resources
Funding & Policy Opportunities
Accreditation & CEUs
Proposed Collaborative Partnerships
Partnership Opportunities with RISE OS
RISE OS is designed as a collaborative, multi-sector initiative. Our impact depends on strong partnerships that align resources, expertise, and systems to support individuals navigating recovery, reentry, and workforce reintegration.
We Are Seeking Partners In the Following Areas:
Curriculum & workforce Development Partners
Recovery & Reentry serving Organizations
Fiscal Sponsor / Funding Partners
Funding Opportunities
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Projected Outcomes
Year 1 Targets
Enrollment: 60 participants across 3 cohortsDemographic Distribution: 60% reentry population, 40% recovery population
RISE OS is designed to generate impact at both the individual and systems level. Within the first six months, participants build strong digital confidence, advance from basic to intermediate computer skills, secure reliable access to devices and internet, and strengthen peer connections that reduce isolation and support stability. Participants also exit the program with professional portfolios, job search tools, and increased interview readiness, positioning them for meaningful employment.At the employer and community level, RISE OS intends to advance advocacy and education around second-chance and recovery-friendly workforce practices. We anticipate that most employer partners will adopt inclusive hiring policies, with some offering ongoing workplace accommodations, professional development opportunities and mentorship for affected populations.Together, these shifts contribute to broader systems change—improving employer attitudes, supporting policy advocacy, and fostering long-term community healing through equitable access to opportunity.
Completion Rate: 80% (50 participants complete full program)
Digital Literacy Achievements:
Basic Proficiency - 85% achieve foundational digital skills
Employment Readiness: Professional portfolios, job search skills, interview confidence
90% Improved digital confidence & reduced isolation and digital shock.
Expansion Vision
2025:
Partnership Development, Marketing, Research & Recruitment
2026:
Onboarding of first cohort, Program Official Begins.
2028:
Review impact data for the first 2 years, Reports Generated and Policy Implications Discussed
2030:
Expansion of Cohorts and Program Sizes within nearby counties and the State of Maryland.
2035:
Reproducible Program Curriculum and Training Series Created & Promoted Nationally.
© RISE OS — A Program of Odenkyem-Wade Limited (OWL)
Built to advance recovery-friendly, digitally inclusive systems
Quick Links
Curriculum Resources
Funding & Policy Opportunities
Accreditation & CEUs
Curriculum
RISE OS is delivered through a flexible, blended learning model designed to meet participants where they are. The program combines guided, self-paced coursework hosted on trusted platforms such as MONET - by Marylanders Online, Alison, Udemy, and Google with facilitator-supported learning, regular check-ins, and proctored milestones to ensure progress and accountability.Participants reinforce what they learn through knowledge-check quizzes, hands-on in-class projects, and collaborative activities, culminating in a capstone or digital portfolio project that demonstrates real-world skills, readiness, and growth. This approach balances independence with support—building confidence, competence, and momentum toward personal and professional goals.
Resource Partners
MABPCB Domains
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Skills Gained
Facilitation and instruction in RISE OS are led by professionals who were either trained to facilitate the Marylanders Online MONET curriculum through the University of Maryland Extension or hold RPS and RCP certifications through the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Professional Board (MABPCB) and CCAR Addiction Recovery Training.This combination ensures instruction is not only digitally competent, but also recovery-informed, ethical, and participant-centered, supporting trust, safety, and meaningful engagement throughout the program.
Participant Portal
The RISE OS Google Classroom environment is intentionally designed as a clear, welcoming, and easy-to-navigate digital home base for participants. Organized around visual tiles, simple pathways, and consistent structure.All coursework, external learning platforms, resources, and support tools are centralized in one place, allowing participants to move seamlessly between self-paced learning, facilitator guidance, and peer engagement.
Meet: EMBER
Ember is the RISE OS guide—here to walk alongside you as you build skills, regain stability, and move forward with confidence.
Renderings made for preview.
© RISE OS — A Program of Odenkyem-Wade Limited (OWL)
Built to advance recovery-friendly, digitally inclusive systems
Quick Links
Curriculum Resources
Funding & Policy Opportunities
Accreditation & CEUs
Digital Literacy Skills & Digital Peer Navigation
RISE OS grounds participants in Digital Navigation and Digital Literacy as a core mentoring and education function. Participants build practical computer, internet, and productivity skills while learning how to navigate digital systems related to employment, healthcare, benefits, and recovery services. Peer-informed facilitation emphasizes shared experience, trust-building, and mutual accountability, ensuring participants develop both technical competence and relational confidence as they move through life transitions.
MONET consists of 12 self-paced online modules designed to equip community members to become prospective digital navigators with the essential tools needed to effectively teach digital skills and provide tech support within their communities.
WHY DIGITAL PEER SUPPORT MATTERS
Digital peer support is evidence-based and strengthens recovery by increasing the ability of both peer specialists and participants to engage technology confidently and safely.Research shows digital peer support contributes to improved:
Mental health outcomes
Physical health outcomes
Social connection and community engagement
Required CEUs earned
Trauma Informed Life Skills & Wellness
RISE OS integrates Trauma-Informed Life Skills with Mindfulness, Self-Awareness, and Social Awareness to support ethical engagement with self and others. Participants learn skills related to boundaries, communication, emotional safety, and self-regulation, grounded in principles of choice, respect, and dignity. This domain also includes Holistic Wellness and Sexual Health Coaching, equipping participants with tools to make informed decisions, maintain healthy relationships, and care for their physical and emotional health.
Transformative SEL & RISE OS
RISE OS integrates Transformative Social Emotional Learning (SEL) as a foundational framework across all program domains. Grounded in equity, healing, and lived experience, Transformative SEL ensures that participants build not only technical and workforce skills, but also the emotional, relational, and decision-making capacities necessary for long-term stability, recovery, and success.
Recovery & Reintegration Skills/Support
At the core of the program is peer-led and recovery-centered coaching, delivered by Registered Peer Supervisors (RPS) and Recovery Coach Professionals (RCP). This coaching emphasizes lived experience, mutuality, trust, and accountability. Participants receive guidance in goal-setting, self-advocacy, emotional regulation, relapse prevention, and navigating systems such as healthcare, employment, and public benefits. Peers and Recovery Coaches focus on strengthening self-efficacy, supporting recovery maintenance, and reinforcing practical skills for daily stability.
Recovery & Life Skills Coaching
The peer-based approach is complemented by clinically informed support from licensed professionals, including a Clinical Psychologist and a Social Worker, who provide oversight, consultation, and targeted interventions when appropriate. Their role is not to replace peer support, but to ensure the program is trauma-informed, ethically grounded, and responsive to complex mental health and psychosocial needs. Clinical partners support curriculum design, staff training, referral pathways, and crisis-responsive protocols, helping participants access higher-level care when needed.
Advocacy, Workforce Readiness & Career Pathways
To support sustainable employment outcomes, RISE OS provides Job Readiness and Professional Development Skills, including communication, workplace expectations, digital professionalism, portfolio development, and advocacy.
Participants who complete the core curriculum gain access to an Advanced Training Pipeline, connecting them to external opportunities such as NPower, Per Scholas, and BCCC, Udemy, Alison, etc. These pathways support continued skill-building, certifications, and entry into technology and workforce advancement programs, as well as opportunities for entreprenuership.
At a broader level, the Advocacy domain is policy-informed and future-facing. Participants are introduced to the principles of recovery-friendly and second-chance workplaces, behavioral health supports, and inclusive employment practices.
Aligned with the Maryland Addiction and Behavioral-Health Professionals Certification Board (MABPCB) Advocacy domain, this component emphasizes ethical advocacy, systems literacy, and empowerment rather than confrontation. Participants explore how policies, organizational practices, and institutional norms impact access to opportunity, stability, and well-being—building the skills needed to engage employers, service providers, and systems constructively.
© RISE OS — A Program of Odenkyem-Wade Limited (OWL)
Built to advance recovery-friendly, digitally inclusive systems
Quick Links
Curriculum Resources
Funding & Policy Opportunities
Accreditation & CEUs
Let's Partner
If you’re a funder, partner, or community stakeholder interested in advancing digital equity, workforce reintegration, and scalable impact, we invite you to connect with us. Use the form below to start a conversation about collaboration, investment, or shared learning with RISE OS.
© RISE OS — A Program of Odenkyem-Wade Limited (OWL)
Built to advance recovery-friendly, digitally inclusive systems
Quick Links
Curriculum Resources
Funding & Policy Opportunities
Accreditation & CEUs
Thanks
Thank you for reaching out and for your interest in RISE OS. Your support will help to strengthen the partnerships and investments that make digital equity, workforce reintegration, and community healing possible.We look forward to exploring how we can work together to expand opportunity, advance justice, and build a more digitally inclusive future—starting in Baltimore and reaching beyond.
© RISE OS — A Program of Odenkyem-Wade Limited (OWL)
Built to advance recovery-friendly, digitally inclusive systems
Quick Links
Curriculum Resources
Funding & Policy Opportunities
Accreditation & CEUs
