Tutors and Assistants

Overview:

Freedom Philosophy is looking for volunteers – tutors and assistants - to help deliver an innovative and highly practical philosophy programme inside Rolleston Men’s Prison. You’ll join a small team of volunteers who help our incarcerated students improve their lives, and to rehabilitate into society more easily. Not only do our students say they gain a lot from the programme, our volunteers say they do too. It’s a rare and meaningful opportunity to contribute to systemic change in society.

What we do:

Freedom Philosophy runs an innovative programme of six tailor-made, easy to follow, practical philosophy courses in prisons around New Zealand. Each course consists of six sessions that are 75 minutes in duration. We volunteer at Rolleston Men’s Prison on Tuesday mornings. We encourage you to visit our website to find out more about the courses, and the feedback we receive from both our students and volunteers.

“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.” Feedback from a student who completed all six courses.

Your role:

The roles vary slightly but both tutors and assistants are required to: • Attend in-prison sessions weekly as part of a team to facilitate the programme • Offer calm, consistent presence and support • Reflect, listen, and encourage students during sessions Tutors facilitate the programme and Assistants support the tutors.

New volunteers partner with experienced volunteers to deliver the programme. You need to familiarise yourself with the materials prior to the class. No experience is required; what matters most is your supportive presence and ongoing commitment. We prefer volunteers to commit to a minimum of 6 months for consistency.

"Working with our students - we have a policy of no labels so we aren’t volunteers and they aren’t prisoners, rather we are all 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.” Comment from a tutor

About you:

We are looking for volunteers who are: • Mature with life experience - maybe recently retired or working part time - but most importantly, willing to help others learn and improve; • Calm and emotionally grounded, consistent and reliable; • Excellent listener, and non-judgmental; • Comfortable in structured environments and sensitive situations; • Open minded, and maybe even a little philosophically curious; and • Able to work in a team and follow procedures

Next Steps:

Once we hear from you, we will be in contact to discuss the opportunity, and the paperwork that needs to be completed to work “behind the wire”. A Ministry of Justice check will be required.