I recently sat down with Robin Berger, fellow OWA Communications Committee member and VSP Project Manager Associate, to discuss her passion for working with convicted felons at Folsom Prison.
Folsom Prison, once a Level 3 men's prison, has become a Level 1, minimum security prison. And with this change, and a reorganization of the Californian prison system, a portion of the prison was transitioned into a women's facility. The women in Folsom prison are "short-timers," and they are some of the most educated prisoners at Folsom, many holding Master's and/or Doctorate's degrees.
Robin, along with hundreds of volunteers, teaches life skills to the prisoners to help them transition to life outside. Focuses include dealing with life and emotions without resorting to drugs, alcohol, theft, or violence. They also teach the prisoners how to be independent and self-reliant, rather than being dependent upon other individuals or drugs — as many of the women are there as a result of such dependencies.
"People often complain about the rehabilitation of prisoners but do not seem willing to do anything about it." Robin states, in explaining how and why she began to serve at this notorious prison. Robin is a "Brown Card Holder" which means she can work with prisoners unescorted — a standing within the prison she had to work up to.
Robin explained in greater detail some of the work she is involved in. They work with a group of women, "what started out as five or six women has turned into 40-70 at a time." They work with the groups on learning these crucial life skills before they are released. She says that while they never really know if they are having an impact or not on each individual — when the volunteers don't see the same ladies back in the system, they hope they have made a difference.
"As with any other volunteer opportunity, the more I give to others, the deeper the rewards I get in return." Robin says her spirit is lifted when she volunteers, and she knows she did something, rather than just complain about the rehabilitation of prisoners.
Thank you Robin for your inspiring story and for sharing your passion with us!
Editor's Note: See the "Volunteer & Grow" article in this issue for more on the benefits of volunteering.
Back to: June 2014 : June 2014 Newsletter