“Volunteering was always something I wanted to do, but life was just too busy until I came back to NZ some 15 years ago. The decision to take just a year out of the work force to volunteer changed my life! I never did go back to paid work….
Two years ago, Freedom Philosophy – who deliver a practical philosophy programme in prisons around NZ –advertised for tutors and assistants on the Volunteer Canterbury website as they were starting the programme in two Christchurch prisons. It caught my attention, in part because NZ’s high rate of recidivism worried me, but also because I had never studied philosophy and I liked the idea of learning. I remember clearly, Rob, the Chair of Freedom Philosophy saying to me “Yes, you will enjoy the mental stimulation, but I wonder how long it will be before it gets your heart.” And, it didn’t take long.
Working with our students is stimulating, challenging, rewarding, humbling and more. As I say to family and friends, we often have better conversations in the prison than we do around the dinner table. Besides some more philosophical conversations, we teach them practical stills too such as “stop, pause, ask yourself, what would a wise person would do?” when something triggers them. I’ll never forget the pride I felt when one student – who, like many of our students, had violence as the only tool in his kit – said he was feeling 9.5/10 because when an incident had gone down in the yard, he stopped, paused and walked away. The whole room celebrated!
One of our students who completed all six courses said on his feedback form:
“We need to be better men when we are released, better than we were when we came in, we all have issues, everyone. Freedom Philosophy gave you all the tools to start the conversation for us to carry on. We as men need to be brave enough to take responsibility for our own future and the walk the good path in life, Freedom is the first step.”
This is why I volunteer “behind the wire”.
