Putting incarceration time to good use is a challenge. These opportunities in life learning, education and recovery offer structure and support to help incarcerated individuals realize personal and intellectual goals.
Classes for Life Learning
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Anger Management |
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Substance Abuse Education |
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Expressive Arts |
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Conflict Resolution |
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Working World: Starting Your Own Business |
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Health Awareness |
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Impact of Crime |
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Money Management |
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Parenting |
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Stress Management |
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Employability Readiness |
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Life Skills for Spanish Speakers |
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Literacy and Computer Literacy |
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Creative Writing |
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English as a Second Language |
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GED Instructional Support |
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Volunteer Mentors and Tutors
Mentors and tutors work with incarcerated individuals on an individual basis. These trained community volunteers are supervised by professional staff, and are assigned on a case-by-case basis to interested clients.
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Tutor
The tutor’s skills are matched with the needs of incarcerated individuals to support basic literacy learning, math skills, English as a Second Language, and GED preparation. |
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Mentor
Mentors offer encouragement, support, and problem-solving assistance. Working on a strictly confidential basis with incarcerated individuals, mentors visit weekly, help incarcerated individuals set specific and objective goals, and problem-solve to find solutions. |
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Learning More About Jail Based Programs
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Contact the program coordinator by submitting a request to your housing unit counselor. |
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Call the volunteer services office at 703.228.7031. |
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Or contact the program coordinator via email at volunteer@OARonline.org
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Comments from OAR Staff Instructors and Volunteers: |
"Impact of Crime" is based on a restorative justice model that includes the offender, victim, and community in renewing community peace harmed by criminal actions. Offenders are required to understand and help heal the wrong they have committed. Participants write reflective essays, discuss case studies of offenses, and examine the impact on victims and the community. Each group completes a community service project as restitution to the community and to educate citizens on the consequences of crime.”
Gail Arnall, Executive Director
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The "Awareness" classes I teach are participatory sessions requiring active participation of the inmates. Topics include blame, acceptance, the grieving process, perceptions, paths through life, feelings, forgiveness and depression. When I first began volunteering I had the standard prejudices and attitudes about persons incarcerated. But the participants have been eager to grow and learn and to stop the current cycle of their lives. The experience has taught me much about our common humanity.”
Ben Perchik, Volunteer |
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Volunteer
as a Group Facilitator, Mentor or Tutor |
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