Community
Volunteer Teachers educate prisoners
Volunteer teachers at NorthwardPrison from L-R: Siobhan Dempsey, Susan Kast, Lynn Campanario,Gwen Winchester, Anne Pease (partially hidden), Geraldine Lewis,Madge Tomkpkins, Linda Barlow. Not pictured: Tansey Macky, PaulArcher, Wendy Clausen, Madge Tomkins, Terri beckett, PatriciaBell, Diana Jones and Ellen Adamson
A Volunteer teachers work one onone with inmates during a reading/language arts class.
Prison Education Coordinator Adam Mcintyre addresses a class ofinmates.
An image of Northward Prisonthat does not usually spring to mind was the focus there on Monday,5 March. Upwards of 20 prisoners were seated in a classroom,heads down, hard at work on their studies. And this is a regularoccurrence.
Three days weekly, including public holidays,a small band of dedicated volunteer teachers can be found at Northward,teaching a group of enthusiastic inmates critical skills theywill carry with them at their release.
The Prison Director, his education staffand this small team of volunteers are committed to helping theseinmates improve their education. Northward Prison provides arange of classes not only in basic literacy and numeracy, butalso in assertiveness training, parenting craft, anger management,life skills, human relations, and art. Mathematics and Englishare also offered at GCE O'Level. Many inmates have grasped thisopportunity and are active students in the programme, gleaningvaluable knowledge and skills that they will need to become productivecitizens in the future.
However, the task of delivering such a programmeto incarcerated individuals, who have been dispossessed of theiridentities, have low self-esteem and a high level of resentmenttowards authority, poses a thorny challenge. How does one breakdown the barriers and get offenders to confront their inadequacieswithin the inhospitable context of a prison?
Prisoners are saddled with anxiety as theyworry over families, pending court appearances, economic prospectsand the inherent dangers of serving time with other charactersof similar or worse background. Prison is one of the most difficultplaces to instill positive values as the abundance of negativeinfluences seems to create insurmountable hurdles sometimes blockingthe learning process.
Amidst these challenges, the prison educationprogram operates and Northward gratefully recognises this specialgroup of people who have responded to their call for help andwho freely give their time to teach inmates. Staff from the Labourand Education Departments have also given unflagging support tothe programme, assisting many inmates who are pursuing high schooldiplomas with international correspondence schools. In addition,a Rotary sponsored initiative has collaborated with Cayman IslandsReading Aids and Baraud Computer Training Services for over twoyears, making it possible for some fifteen volunteers to teachat Northward. Mr. Charles Watler and Hampstead Ltd. donatedthe first five computers four years ago, enabling inmates to haveaccess to computer technology.
Mrs. Susan Kast, one of the volunteer teachers,has 'adopted' the prison education programme and has been tirelessin her pursuit of support from the private sector.
Speaking for all of the volunteers, Mrs.Anne Pease, one of the teachers, explained, "Learning isa two-way process. Even as we teach, we learn from our students. This is why we do it, and why we will continue to do it."
Adam McIntyre, Prison Education Coordinatorand a pioneer in prison education in Cayman, was quick to praisethe volunteers; "The inestimable contribution of these unsungheroes often goes unacknowledged, but they have given hope andconfidence to the many inmates with whom they interact. Theyhave inspired them to examine and change their inappropriate actions. These courageous teachers have raised the inmates' awarenessof their own potential to excel while providing them with therequisite skills to do so. The sincerity, enthusiasm and professionalismwith which they serve is an example of uncommon generosity andconcern for the welfare of our most precious resources, people. Now we can accommodate many more students and are able to giveindividual attention and confidentiality to some special needspupils. The students are keen, highly motivated and courteous."
However, Mr. McIntyre also cautioned thatmuch more support is needed from the community to assist releasedpersons to internalize and expand on what they learned in prison. "Society needs to be aware that rehabilitation cannot endinside prison walls. Inmates require nothing less than the collectivecare and attention of every good citizen in Cayman if they areto lead law-abiding lifestyles," he said. He stressed thatrecent events should have jolted people from the complacency inwhich they have securely tucked themselves and noted that everyonehas an inexcusable obligation to enlist with the group of concernedcitizens who work diligently to protect Cayman's youth.
Meanwhile, the prison education staff pledgesto continue working with offenders in the pursuit of educationand they will combine with other community agencies to facilitateprisoners' integration after their release.