Across Michigan, Nation Outside connects with people returning home from incarceration to rebuild their lives with dignity, opportunity, and connection. The statewide nonprofit, led by formerly incarcerated people, works to eliminate barriers to reentry through advocacy, peer navigation, and programs that center lived experience.
Since May of 2024, Nation Outside has served more than 886 participants statewide, delivering over 11,600 services. Thanks to their trauma-informed, peer-led approach, 97% of participants have avoided reincarceration.
Laying the Foundation for Digital Equity
With support from the Song Foundation, Nation Outside is launching From Prison to Pro: Bridging the Digital Divide, a new initiative delivering technology and computer training to returning citizens.
The Song Foundation’s grant provides the critical support needed to lay the foundation for this program and ensure it can grow statewide in the future.
Many of Nation Outside’s peers, trained navigators that have also experienced incarceration, know firsthand how difficult it can be to reenter a world that has advanced technologically while they were away. According to the Council on Criminal Justice, Michigan has one of the longest average incarceration times in the country, meaning many people return home unfamiliar with the digital tools that now shape daily life.
The From Prison to Pro program aims to close that gap. Through 8-week course cohorts across key target areas, Nation Outside will help participants learn the essentials such as setting up email accounts, managing online banking, using smartphones, and paying bills online before advancing to more complex tools like resume building, digital resource navigation, and leveraging AI.
Beyond practical skills, the program empowers participants by reducing intimidation and stigma around technology. “When someone has been disconnected for years, technology can feel very intimidating,” said Cecilia Zavala, executive director of Nation Outside. “This program gives people the comfort to navigate a digital world and to see tech as a pathway, not a barrier.”
Peer Support as a Path to Success
What makes Nation Outside unique is its peer navigator model, which has proven results across Michigan’s largest population centers, including 4,576 services in Wayne County, 3,024 in Oakland, and 2,109 in Genesee. Each returning citizen is paired with a trained peer to provide hands-on support during reentry – from rides to appointments and housing assistance to emotional and practical guidance.
The From Prison to Pro program builds on that model by integrating digital learning into the broader reintegration process. By combining technology education with community support, Nation Outside helps ensure that participants not only learn new skills but also have the encouragement and accountability to apply them.
Looking Ahead
Nation Outside plans to begin implementation of the curriculum in Jan. 2026, starting in Wayne County. Throughout the remainder of the year, they will introduce the curriculum in Washtenaw, and Genesee County as well.
With the Song Foundation’s investment, Nation Outside is laying the groundwork for a future where every returning citizen has the chance to rebuild, reconnect, and redefine their potential.
To learn more about Nation Outside, visit their website.