Are you interested in volunteering that can change lives and help someone in South Nowra jail get their life back on track?
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The Justice Volunteer Mentoring Service is run by Red Cross and pairs mentors in the Shoalhaven community with mentees in custody who are preparing for release.
Volunteers take participants on monthly excursions outside the prison as part of their Sponsored Leave, helping them to practice being in the community.
This might involve taking them to a job interview, sharing a meal, teaching them how to use an Opal card, or introducing them to services that can support them.
Through this relationship, you can help your mentee to gain confidence, resources and a sense of connection to their community, all of which can make their release a smoother process and reduce their chances of returning to custody.
A minimum time commitment of 12 months is required and mentors need to maintain contact with their mentor at least twice a month pre-release.
Red Cross is looking for volunteers who:
- Come from a diverse range of identities and backgrounds (any gender, culture, religion, LGBTI identity, etc.)
- Have experience or passion for supporting people who have been through disadvantage, health issues or trauma .
- Are non-judgmental with strong communication skills.
- Can volunteer for 1-8 hours per fortnight, for 12 months.
- Have an unrestricted driver's licence and can travel to South Coast Correctional Centre.
- Applicants with experiences of incarceration are welcome.
