Benefits & Responsibilities of Partnering Faith Communities

Program Description
A Center for Relational Living [ACRL] in collaboration with the Alternatives to Violence Project/Delaware [AVP] has developed the Baylor AVP Re-Entry Program for women.  This program partners faith communities with released female inmates in a mentor role.   This relationship is expected to last for 2 to 2 ½ years, during which time the Partnering Faith Community mentor will meet with the inmate weekly before and after release in order to provide emotional, informational and resource support.

Partnering Faith Community [PFC] Responsibilities
· Inform congregation/membership about program.
· Organize AVP training for at least 10 community members, which will be facilitated by the program staff.
  These trainings will be available to all members of the PFC.
· When possible, each AVP training will have participants from at least two PFC’s.
· Select 3 mentor candidates from which actual mentor will evolve.
· Establish mentor support committee, which will meet at least monthly.
· Mentor support committee receives Mentor Orientation Seminar [3-5 hours].
· Mentor meets weekly [or as needed] with mentee before and after release.
· Mentors from various PFC’s meet monthly in a support group.
· Mentors and mentees from all PFC meet every other month as a support group.
· Arrange educational and dialog opportunities for ACRS staff to provide workshops on Healthy
  Congregations and on systemic causes leading to incarceration of poor and minority groups.

Benefits for Partnering Faith Community
· Active and meaningful participation in the improvement of the quality of life in the community.
· Participate in multi-faith project within larger community.
· Receive transformational AVP training, learning skills that will benefit faith community, family and work life.
· Exposure to and involvement in the transformation of the criminal justice system.

Re-Entry Program Responsibilities
· Provide AVP workshops to the PFC’s.
· Provide Mentor Orientation Seminars.
· Facilitate monthly Mentor and bimonthly Mentor/Mentee support groups.
· Assist returnees with housing, employment and support needs.
· Assist returnees with developing AVP trainings for local schools.
· Facilitate educational and dialogic programming organized by PFC’s.