Even before Jon Jones started probation, he was hula-hoop racing at Boys and Girls Club

Jon Jones has taken the first step on the road to rehabilitating himself in the eyes of the state.

This past week, the ex-UFC light heavyweight champion gave his first round of speaking engagements that were ordered as part of probation following a guilty plea for his role in an April hit-and-run accident.

Jones (21-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC), who avoided jail time when a judge granted him a conditional discharge, needs to complete 72 speaking engagements within 18 months, but could be released earlier from probation with good behavior.

So far, the ex-UFC light heavyweight champion appears to be off to a quick start, his PR rep told MMAjunkie. Jones spoke at two juvenile detention centers, a school and a martial arts studio.

But while the work is court-mandated, it’s nothing new, said Denise White, CEO of EAG Sports Management. She forwarded the video above of Jones at the Albuquerque Boys and Girls Club, which he visited on several occasions.

“He’s been speaking at schools and kids organizations for quite some time,” White told MMAjunkie. “His message is a little different now.”

The recent appearances were warmly received and led to invitations from other organizations, including outreach organizations for troubled youth, White said. This week, she said, Jones is set to speak to a high school baseball team, an elementary school and another martial arts organization.

“His message to kids now is one that is very poignant,” White said. “He just has a great message to tell these kids about coming back from adversity and righting your wrongs and not making the same mistakes twice.”

Jon Jones

White not only serves as Jones’ PR rep, but her firm also serves as the 28-year-old fighter’s crisis management team. She said EAG signed on shortly after the events that briefly landed Jones in jail and resulted in the UFC stripping him of the light heavyweight title.

White said the UFC is still reviewing Jones’ legal situation and hasn’t taken him off the indefinite suspension it handed down in the wake of the accident.

“I’m sure they’re going to be reinstating him; I don’t have any doubt about that at all,” she said. “But they want to make sure they’ve gone through their due diligence before they do so.”

The number of required appearances should keep Jones busy as the UFC decides its next move with the ex-champ. UFC President Dana White already has said “Bones” would get an immediate title shot when he is promoted to the active roster. Daniel Cormier (17-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC), who won the vacant title at UFC 187 after a loss to his heated rival, teased a rematch at UFC 198 on April 23 in Madison Square Garden.

Jones’ PR rep said it’s premature to talk about Jones’ return to fighting until his suspension is lifted and he meets with the UFC. But, she added, “He loves what he does, so he absolutely wants to return.”

Following Cormier’s first title defense earlier this month at UFC 192, Jones made that clear when he took to Instagram to post a brief video.

“I think I miss it,” he said.

Not surprisingly, Denise White said part of her job has been to advise Jones about his online behavior; the ex-champ repeatedly has gotten in hot water for his posts. She declined to talk about his social media strategy, but said “absolutely” when asked if it obviously included being on his best behavior.

“Really with Jon right now, it’s getting him where he needs to be and doing the things he needs to do for the court so he can come back and be a productive citizen (like) before all this happened,” she said.

Jones is already on his way to that goal, she said.

“Way before this all happened, but a lot during his time off, people wondered what he was doing,” she said. “What he was doing was a) training, and b) going and hanging out with the kids at the Boys and Girls Club, which I thought was really good for him. Obviously, he has something to tell them.”

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.