Several months ago I wrote a column called "Life Doesn't Fit in a Box" about the box on job applications that asks about criminal convictions.

I had no idea so many people could relate to my story. I received several e-mails from citizens and local community advocacy groups.

I have found that sometimes changing your life or the lives of others requires a bit of faith.

So when Gilda Womble and Nicole Beatty, the founder and career employment specialist for InStepp, invited me to their offices, I gladly obliged.

Tucked away in a small office on West Main Street, the nonprofit InStepp has worked for the past four years mentoring and training "justice-involved" women and victims of domestic violence to take control of their lives.

Womble incorporated InStepp in 2004 and began serving clients in 2007 after recognizing that local women with significant employment barriers had few gender-specific programs to turn to.

Women with criminal records or dealing with domestic abuse often carry burdens that hinder their entry or re-entry into the workforce. Some employers won't give them a chance, and some women let their pasts define them.

InStepp serves an eclectic mix of women from all ages and walks of life. Some don't have a GED, while others have master's degrees. No one is turned away.

"We're redefining women," Womble said. "We focus on economic empowerment in order to show these women they have the power to make choices about their lives. We're shifting them to a state of valuing themselves."

InStepp serves up to 30 women at a time, with an average age of 36. Eighty percent have some criminal history; the rest are domestic violence victims.

The free services help clients reclaim self-esteem and learn job skills. The Employee Re-entry Assistance (ERA) Program teaches how to write a cover letter, how to dress appropriately and basic computer skills, and puts them through mock interviews.

Clients are expected to complete 20 to 25 hours of employability skills training and meet regularly with a mentor, all female and close in age or older than the client. They provide advice throughout the process and help clients think long-term and to prioritize.

Beatty contacts potential employers in food, cleaning and health-care services, and writes referrals for clients. Once a client gets a job, InStepp and the client's mentor follows them for one year making sure everything stays on track.

The length of time it takes an InStepp client to find work depends on the nature and age of the offense and the type of the job.

Attitude, including optimism, is often the biggest factor.

Beatty said the agency's goal is to "end the cycle" and to get the women into a financially sustainable career.

For Womble, InStepp is about a better community. A woman's situation has a "cascading effect" on her children, she says, and improving her situation can improve the community for everyone.

When I was growing up, my mother was a minister and often talked about faith. "Sometimes you have to step out on faith," she would say.

"Stepping out on faith" means seeing what cannot be easily seen.

As I left Womble's office, a painting of a dark-skinned angel stepping off a high cliff caught my eye.

The painting is a reminder about stepping out on faith she said.

If you are interested in learning more about InStepp mentor, including becoming a mentor, go to www.instepp.org or call 919-680-8000.