Freedom Project Safe Returns Programs address our community’s need for genuine safety through supporting the transition of returnees and educating the community on ways to enhance their successful re-integration.
As participants of our prison workshops are released, we seek to support returnees through the challenging transition of reentering society and founding new lives.
Safe Returns Mentoring Program: Freedom Project’s new Safe Returns Mentoring Program, officially approved in 2008 by the Department of Corrections, provides extra support for an inmate’s transition from prison back to the community. This program provides mentors for prisoners during the months before and after their release from prison to build the skills, plan, and confidence necessary to start a new life beyond bars. There are many hurdles to successful reintegration and a mentor can provide support and connection with the community that can help a person navigate the challenges of finding housing and employment, budgeting money and taking on family responsibilities.
As of fall 2008 we began to train mentors and match them up with prisoners being released from the Minimum Security Unit at the Monroe Correctional Complex. If you are in the Puget Sound area and interested in volunteering with this program send an email to operations-manager@freedom-project.org.
Freedom Project’s Community Circle offers an opportunity to practice NVC and mindfulness in open dialogue for returnees and community members wishing to learn from, understand, and support each other.
Over the longer term, and with increased human and financial resources, we have a commitment to supporting communities most affected by incarceration. We would enjoy the opportunity to offer more programs to serve families and friends of returnees; youth at risk of incarceration; survivors of violence, especially violent crime; and direct service providers (for example: parole officers, youth educators, community advocates for women’s safety). |
