Volunteering with the Freedom Project

Freedom Project’s paid staff statistics hide the true strength of its model:  a team of highly trained, skilled and committed volunteers conducts the bulk of the training for the prison populations we serve.  Each year, the Freedom Project’s prison volunteers contribute thousands of hours planning and leading workshops, developing customized curriculum, and maintaining a strong culture of community and hope for those previously without either. 

Each Freedom Project volunteer trainer commits to a rigorous personal and professional regimen to attain the facilitation and teaching skills necessary for success in prisons—among the most challenging and stressful of environments.    Volunteers come from a broad spectrum of professional backgrounds encompassing law, education, social work, clinical counseling, criminal justice, and other fields.  Each contributes hundreds of hours to become fluent in the art and practice of being non-judgmental and self-aware, and the resulting addition of time and skill to the Freedom Project is immeasurable.  

Each hour of training delivered to prisoners reflects an average of two hours of preparation and training.  Together, the staff hours and expertise of our volunteer trainers represents an enormous organizational asset.

Out in the community, Freedom Project is developing volunteer programs to staff each aspect of our returnee programs to provide a safe and secure network that allows recently released prisoners to quickly adjust.  Our volunteers continue their engagement with returnees as well, ensuring that, over time, all returnees stay on a positive and productive path.  Finally, our volunteers are also essential assets in the more traditional non-profit roles of outreach, fundraising and operations.