Co-Parenting iKiGAi

Co‑Parenting Ikigai’s mission is to strengthen families and reduce cycles of incarceration by delivering co-parenting education for mothers/guardians and children impacted by parental incarceration, supportive re-entry programming for returning men, and empowerment and leadership-focused cognitive development for at-risk young men.

Empowering families impacted by incarceration through co‑parenting education workshops for both mother/guardians and children, mediation, and ongoing support to rebuild trust, strengthen communication, and stabilize family systems during and after reentry. By serving households where a parent is currently incarcerated or has been recently released, Co‑Parenting Ikigai addresses the needs of the more than 7 million children in the United States with an incarcerated parent, who face heightened risks of trauma, disrupted caregiving, and long‑term instability; without intentional co‑parenting education and support, nearly one in three of these children experiences lifelong social, emotional, and economic challenges.

Reducing intergenerational justice involvement by supporting men and youth at critical intervention points through targeted healing, mentorship, and leadership development. Co‑Parenting Ikigai addresses the reality that nearly 68% of formerly incarcerated individuals reoffend within three years without structured support, and that early justice involvement significantly increases the likelihood of future incarceration. Through its MAN TIME division, Co‑Parenting Ikigai provides a dedicated men’s support space for individuals experiencing post‑incarceration syndrome, offering peer‑led support, cognitive‑behavioral development, emotional regulation, and fatherhood reunification planning to promote healthy decision‑making, accountability, and family stability. Complementing this work, YOUNG KINGS TIME serves at‑risk youth and juvenile offenders through an intervention and mentorship program grounded in leadership‑focused cognitive development, school engagement support, and restorative, pro‑social skill building—an approach shown to make youth up to 38% less likely to reoffend when paired with consistent mentorship—thereby interrupting first‑time and continued offending trajectories before they become lifelong cycles of incarceration.