We meet with our program Participants (the individuals incarcerated in the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center) on a weekly basis during their incarceration as well as when they are released for a period of 6-12 months. We work with them to establish goal setting and action plans, link them to local resources, and advocate when necessary. Most importantly, we seek to develop a long-term, supportive relationship with our program Participants since the majority either have unhealthy relationships with their family systems or lack a family system entirely. The most common issues we experience with our program Participants are homelessness, substance abuse, mental health issues (depression, anxiety), trust issues, poverty, lack of family support, lack of guidance/direction.. Our program is completely volunteer run and our volunteer Navigators are paired with our program Participants for as long as 6-12 months. There is a weekly time commitment of 1.5-2 hours per week. Our meeting times are completely flexible from mornings to evenings. Anyone who is interested can volunteer, though we prefer those who have experience with this population or a similar population (whether it be personal or work experience). We provide training for all volunteer Navigators. We also provide ongoing, weekly support from program staff. If someone is interested in our program but cannot make the time commitment there are other volunteer opportunities available such as: Serving on our Steering Committee (meetings once per month) Helping with Social Media Volunteer Recruitment Weekly Jail Visits Canvassing and much more.
