When Betty McCay finished a 27-year prison sentence, she was 63 and needed help finding work. The Oakland, California, chapter of the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), an organization that helps formerly incarcerated people find jobs, got her a position picking up trash on California highways. CEO sends texts to its clients to solicit their feedback about the program, but McCay was skeptical that the organization really wanted her opinion. “In prison,” she said, “feedback isn’t necessary. Feedback isn’t sought.”

But McCay discovered that an idea she had to improve the program for everyone was not only heard, but also implemented within a week by CEO’s senior program innovation analyst, Nate Mandel.

"He was actually concerned about what I felt," McCay said. "When you feel that you're being listened to, and that what's happening with you matters, it makes you want to give them more."

Watch the full video about improving employment service through prisoner feedback at the Stanford Social Innovation Review.