Empowering Communities, Together.
“The measure of a leader is not where they start, but how they use their ascent to lift others.” We help justice-impacted Delawareans rise — through leadership development, vocational training, and real pathways to education and careers.
From Solutions to Wholeness
For decades, our founder, Edwin R. Lucus, worked deep within the systems designed for workforce development and reentry. From that vantage point — seeing both the policy and the personal struggle — he recognized a critical, recurring gap: most programs stop where the real work begins. The Heritage Ascent Group was built to close that gap.
Strategic Rigor
Government-grade strategy and compliance discipline, brought to community work. We build programs designed to last and to scale with guardrails.
Academic Depth
Direct pathways from our academy into postsecondary education, backed by board expertise in adult learning and institutional innovation.
Operational Excellence
A 30-year standard of excellence in execution — because our participants deserve programs run as well as any enterprise.
Wholeness first. A job is the start, not the finish line.
We empower justice-impacted individuals in Delaware through a holistic “continuum of care” that integrates intensive leadership development, high-demand vocational training, and postsecondary education pathways.
Our vision: a Delaware where every returning citizen is met with a roadmap to leadership — transforming personal redemption into collective progress.
The Rising Leaders Academy
Most workforce programs stop where the real work begins. Our academy walks with participants across the entire journey — from pre-release planning to education, employment, and leadership.
Pre-Release Bridge
Transformation begins inside. “Day One” planning and identity restoration start before release — so the first day out is a step forward, not a scramble.
Educational Pipeline
A direct pathway from prison to postsecondary education, with hands-on enrollment support and high-demand vocational training.
Reentry Navigation
Expert guidance through the critical reintegration window — mentorship, stability, housing navigation, and career momentum.
Meet the Architects of Restoration
Most teams specialize in either policy or people. We specialize in both. Our founding board brings together academic strategy, public policy, financial governance, community organizing, and lived expertise.
“Workforce development isn’t just about labor; it’s about life.”— Edwin R. Lucus, CEO & Founder