Education in incarceration
There are a lot of ways to better your community, and as a campus of spirited and able-minded students smack-dab in the middle of the Bay Area, one might even go so far as to call it a responsibility. UC Berkeley has plenty of organizations available for students to join and make an effort to “give back,” as it were, but today I’d like to focus on one in particular that helps incarcerated youth access education: the Prison Education Project (PEP). This initiative is a nationwide organization devoted to bringing the resources and education of the University beyond the bounds of the classroom. The UC Berkeley chapter of PEP is a registered student organization which boasts anywhere from 20 to 40 members at a given time. They work at the nearby juvenile detention facility, making sure that anyone who wants to can get started on their academic path, from anywhere. I spoke to one of the PEP’s Operations Managers here on campus, Calvin Duenez, a senior History major here at Cal, to understand the program’s conviction to their mission.
Chapter head Shreya (left) and Calvin (right).
Volunteering with PEP
Can you tell me a bit about the Prison Education Project and what its goals are?
“The Prison Education Project (PEP) is the largest volunteer-based prison education program in the United States. We partner with universities, correctional institutions, and probation departments to expand educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals through volunteer-led programming. Our main goal is to create a “Prison-to-School Pipeline” providing incarcerated students with the cognitive and academic tools necessary to reintegrate successfully into society as productive citizens. We want to educate, empower, and transform lives while reducing recidivism and contributing to the public good. The key word is to inspire.”
What does that look like in practice?
“We operate mainly from college chapters, where college students volunteer to teach a soft skill course, like philosophy or civics, to a local detention center. Volunteers create a seven-week course outline and organize course materials, and facilitate lectures either in-person within the detention facility or via Zoom. The chapter here in Berkeley operates in association with the San Mateo County Juvenile Hall, teaching groups of up to six students, whose ages range from 13 to 21. Additionally, every spring we host a reintegration academy where we work with 15-20 formerly incarcerated adults. The transition from leaving prison to readjusting to life outside is very challenging, so we offer eight-week personal development classes, bringing in guest speakers. We also work on developing a resume and give participants a laptop/tablet by the end of the eight weeks to further their career development.”
Prison Education Project Berkeley Chapter group photo.
What does it take to be a volunteer?
“Our volunteers are mostly UC Berkeley students, and we also have some Berkeley alumni and community volunteers who teach with our club. Volunteers come from all different majors, and a lot of times are learning about the topic as they teach a class. We don’t have formal requirements on qualifications or anything. What matters most is we have volunteers who are willing to show up for our students.”
How did you find the program?
“One morning, I was walking to class. It was the first couple of weeks of school. I saw a table that had a large cloth saying ‘Prison Education Program.’ I was immediately interested because I already teach at an elementary school. I went up to the table and was greeted by Shreya [the head of the Berkeley Chapter]. Instantly, I was eager to get involved and join. Since then, I have been involved with PEP. I was able to facilitate two classes, Intro to Civics and Intro to Philosophy. I even got the opportunity to spend one week in Scotland facilitating courses in HMP Edinburgh.”
Give back, get back
There are a million ways to make the world a better place, and there are a lot of places that could be better. But doing good doesn’t end at a location; it goes onward and upwards, from one person to another, and from there even further. If you’re looking for something to do, why not do something that gives someone else the option to do good, too? “Teach a man to fish…” and all that, you know. Excelsior.
Vincent Vidana, Class of 2026, is majoring in English. Cover photo by Calvin Duenez.
Want More?
- Interested in other ways to help the formerly incarcerated on their way to education? Take a look at the Underground Scholars of Berkeley.
- Check out the Writing Opportunities @ Cal.
- Stargaze with the Undergrad Astronomy Society.