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Current Volunteer Needs

Description:
SCDC is currently seeking volunteers interested in helping others, while working in a challenging environment, by assisting incarcerated men and women with educational/ vocational programs, arts and crafts, and life skills courses.

One of our primary goals as an institution is to attempt to rehabilitate those incarcerated.
Volunteers at SCDC serve as an interface between the faculty, clients and the public and help provide opportunities for clients to have a more productive life upon their release.

Who Are Volunteers?
People like you! People, who are skilled, educated, professional, trained, talented and creative individuals helping us to meet the mission of our organization.

Your involvement will help our organization to improve current programs and create new ones such as family enrichment, counseling, vocational training, arts and crafts, spiritual growth and more. Your services will not only benefit our client population, but will help to benefit "everyone" in the community as a whole.

Why Volunteer?
To meet people, explore new learning, test leadership skills, to be part of a group, to give to others, gain recognition, keep active, to get involved and give back to the community.

Teaching clients the proper life skills: how to make decisions, setting goals, planning financially, continuing education, exploring talents and growing spiritually will offer them a second chance in society while investing in your own future for the purposes of humanity. Help us raise awareness and the public's perception of institution life by becoming a teacher, tutor, counselor, mentor, role model, leader, helper or friend.

Service Responsibilities:
Must complete an application (PDF File). Pass a background investigation. Submit in writing an outline or a description of the service(s) you wish to provide to include purpose, preferred hours, days and length of commitment. Complete an orientation & tour at the institution (offered every second Saturday of each month from 10AM-12PM, except the month of January). Receive approval & Identification badge. All active members are required to attend an annual in-service training (held once a year) any Saturday in the month of January for four hours: 8AM-12PM or 1PM-5PM. Training certifies volunteer for the year and renews expired identification badges from the previous year.

Address:
Shelby County Division of Corrections
1045 Mullins Station Rd.
Memphis, TN 38134
(901) 385-5169 / (901) 377-4573 Fax (901) 385-4747

Directions:
Take I-40 East to Nashville. Exit Sycamore View and turn right. Continue on Sycamore View, cross Macon Rd., and turn left when road dead ends. Continue down two-lane street, pass the Health Center, to a stop sign and turn right. Cross a set of railroad tracks and turn right into parking lot. The building will be on the left side "Building K".

Contacts:
Chaplain & Volunteer Services Department
Paula Wilson, Volunteer Coordinator 901-377-4573
George Matthews, Lead Chaplain 901-377-4553

Comments:
The Division of Correction recruits from all cultural socioeconomic segments of the community to meet identified needs. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age. Volunteers may provide professional services only when certified or licensed to do so. Ex-offenders may become certified volunteers upon recognition of the Administration/Coordinator.

Current Needs:

The Division of Correction welcomes all skilled and talented individuals with creative ideas to design new programs and/or improve current programs for the benefit of SCDC clients and staff. The following is a list of our most needed programs/activities.

Literacy, Education/Vocational Programs:
GED, Time-to-Read, Sign Language classes, Creative writing, Basic Math, Poetry reading/writing, Computer classes, English/Spanish classes, and Librarian (law & circulation library),

Recreational /Arts & Crafts:
Drama, dance, music, sketching, painting, drawing, crocheting, knitting, macrame, woodworking, simple crafts, an aerobics instructor, choir/director, chess club and book club facilitators.

Life Skill Courses:
Certified and/or Licensed person(s) needed for the following:
Domestic Violence, Parenting, Prerelease, Health Awareness, Nutrition, Financial Planning, Interviewing Techniques, Job Placement, Family, Marriage, Alcohol Anonymous, Self Esteem, Behavior Modification, and Peer Pressure.

Public Relations person(s) needed:
To create newsletters, brochures, and public announcements. To help in recruiting and spreading the word about SCDC volunteer program.

Data Entry person(s) needed:
To assist in inputting information into database. Help to maintain and update volunteer files, schedules, and events.

Clerical person(s) needed:
To assist interoffice departments with shredding, filing, answering the telephone and assisting with day to day operations.

Film productions person(s) needed:
To assist in making orientation video(s) for volunteer training sessions (Orientation and In-Service).