Dear Applicant,Thank you for showing interest in Harvard Organization for Prison Education and Reform. There are three branches of HOPE--education, advocacy and policy--along with an executive board. HOPE is looking for volunteers in our education and advocacy branches, and we have two positions open on the executive board. HOPE has two programs, Advocacy and Tutoring. If you are interested in both, be sure to go back to the first page and apply to the other program as well.
--EDUCATION--
HOPE offers prison tutoring programs in 3 correctional facilities:
(Adult Facilities):
Suffolk Jail: Also known as South Bay House of Corrections, Suffolk Jail is medium security jail located in Boston, MA. Tutors work with women and men once a week on Monday and Tuesday evenings.
Times: Monday & Tuesday 3:00PM-6:45PM and 6:30PM-9:45PM.
(Youth Facilities):
Sargent House: A transitional living facility for young men between 18-21 years of age. Activities are mainly group mentoring projects that are life skills oriented (i.e. cooking, public transportation systems exercises, games involving math, etc.).
Times: Monday & Wednesday 5:30PM -7:30PM
Judge Connelly Center: A secure youth detention center located in Boston. We participate in GED prep and academic skill development, but also have group discussions and mentorship activities.
Times: Monday 5 - 7:30PM and Tuesday/Wednesday 6:15 - 8:30PM
--ADVOCACY--
A committee of individuals who steer HOPE's campaigns and advocacy efforts. Each October the committee coordinates an event called 7x9, a protest against solitary confinement, in which we tape the dimensions of a solitary confinement cell (7x9) on the science center plaza. We then recruit 23 volunteers to sit in the box for one-hour long shifts to signify the 23 hours incarcerated individuals typically spend in solitary confinement each day. We are also involved in a campaign called Abolish the Box, in which we ask universities, including Harvard, to remove the box on the application asking prospective students about their penal histories, a discriminatory practice. Committee members are encouraged to work on campaigns about which they are passionate, and the committee is open to any and all ideas. The committee is also in charge of planning speaking events with formerly incarcerated individuals and to ensure that those voices are highlighted in all the work that we do.
--EXECUTIVE BOARD-
In what follows, please elaborate on your background, skills, interests and relevant experiences, so that we can get a better understanding of who you are. Based on this application, we will decide whether to call you for an interview to discuss your application for tutoring or advocacy in person. Accepted tutors will be required to complete a background check with their individual facilities to receive clearance and begin tutoring. All HOPE members will partake in a training workshop.
A successful tutor is, among other things, comfortable tutoring in a variety of subjects, sensitive to the challenges of tutoring in different environments, and a team-player. A successful advocacy member is passionate about prison reform, eager to continue learning about intersectionality, comfortable working with diverse groups of people and interested in making change on campus and beyond. We look forward to getting to know you better and reading your applications.
We welcome you to apply even if you have no prior experience or knowledge of prison reform. HOPE is a welcoming, inclusive community and we invite you to join us in learning about these issues and advocating for change. Feel free to reach out to any of us with questions or concerns. We look forward to meeting you!
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Suffolk: Emma Gray and Mari
Connelly: David Yang and Esteban Ortiz
Sargent House: Eunice Michieka