New Heights Pilot Program

Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC), Bayaud Enterprises (Bayaud) and the Denver International Airport (DEN), which is part of the City and County of Denver local government.

The CDOC is working closely with Bayaud Enterprises to recruit and identify eligible participants who are preparing to exit the justice system or are already in transitional halfway programming. Eligible participants must already be engaged in CDOC transitional programs toward employment readiness among other CDOC requirements.

The CDOC and Bayaud work closely with regular communication to ensure appropriate and proactive planning efforts are intact to include participation in recruiting events and initiating relationships with the current and previously incarcerated population. Individuals that are selected must meet CDOC eligible criteria based on existing program guidelines that the CDOC follows for their internal job readiness program efforts. If there are more than 10 people interested, Bayaud will establish a waitlist and provide career finding services while the individual is waiting.

All participants receive compensation for hours worked on a weekly basis at the rate of $23.75 per hour, which reflects the City and County of Denver’s prevailing wage requirements. Compensation is paid daily to program participants.

• The program will serve up to ten participants at a time, (total of approximately forty individuals over a year) in rotating work crews. An additional day will include job seeking support and job retention classes to support employment transition for ninety days.
• As individuals transition to long-term employment, disengage, or complete their twelve weeks, their positions will be filled with new participants with the goal of maintaining a cap at ten participants at any given time.
• Bayaud will communicate with the CDOC in order to have a queue of participants who are work ready in order to build a consistent program workforce as individuals transition from the pilot program. Participants will work as employees of Bayaud.
• DEN Maintenance will serve as an onsite co-supervisor with Bayaud and provide the worksite designation, workrelated equipment (uniforms, boots, safety glasses, tools, etc.) and onsite operational training.
• Details of worksite assignment will vary based on DEN Maintenance operational needs including seasonal priorities. Duties will include landside functions outside of the secure areas such as landscaping, minor road repairs, snow removal, and trash clean up.
• Participants will be provided daily breakfast and lunch, supplementary clothing items and hygiene products, and van transportation to the daily worksite, including an RTD Eco Pass where needed. Additionally, there are ongoing resources available through CDOC and Bayaud that support all facets of employment transition including case management.

Job duties include litter abatement, graffiti abatement, vegetation control, work on structures (i.e., cleaning expansion joints, drains, bearings, inlets, catch basins, pipes, etc.), facility snow removal, facility post storm cleanup, snow fence repair/build, parking lots fence maintenance, delineator replacements and repair, powering washing and assistance on other landside related projects.

Training and site supervision is provided in partnership with the DEN Maintenance site supervisor and Bayaud lead workers.

Bayaud takes an individualized approach with full-scale services and resources to ensure there is a customized and equitable approach to serving wide-ranging needs. This includes using an equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility lens to meet every participant where they are in their unique circumstances and ensure a tailored and culturally sensitive approach is engaged.

The pilot program participants will conduct site work outside of the secured badging areas of DEN. As the employer, Bayaud also coordinates closely with the CDOC to ensure that there is clarity on building a customized approach for employment support for each participant that includes review of their in-state background checks so they can best collaborate with the participant on their Individualized Plan for Employment.