NEW APPRENTICE PROGRAM STEP: Brief RepOrt : Correctional Program, Lexington, Fayette County.

We now (finally) have volunteers leading a program every weekday and Saturday, and a full residential unit pod of ten inmates. We give reports on our meetings to one another via email, and since there are names involved, we prefer not to post these reports here. We will mark the main developments here. Copies of anything we do are available for using elsewhere.

One of our volunteers, a very experienced Program Director from another NPO is now heading up that program at OWL, planning coordination with all community agencies and transition programs to work and living, as well as coordination of new outreach programs from churches coming on board for prison ministries. See http://www.owlinc.net/

We have been studying Accountability in our Fierce Landscape program and decided that this needed to be strengthened. Today we started an Apprentice Program, required completion by all inmates. Some resistance.

The first month, would be Apprenticeship for the graduate or leadership program, successful completion necessary to qualify and remain for the second month.

A new 6 page guidebook was developed for completing the Apprentice Program, checklists, for review one on one with one of the volunteers, was given to each. They had questions. We said these were GUIDES but we expected them to use them not slack off.

As a demo of the tendency to slack off, I asked about half of them for their favorite scritpure quote and only 1 out of 3 could give one. I recalled that the main problem reported from most of them (hands 7 out of 10 today admitted) was pre-occupation with addictive thoughts and behavior.
Now what is the only two means beyond prayer and grace by which they can handle addictive thoughts when they have created a craving in their hearts for that life style? they did not know. 1. Staying busy, we discussed that. they agreed. I pointed out that the workbook provided many exercises nad inventories that they were not using.

What was #2? Falling in love. discovering a new Passion. Commitment of their heart, whole heart to a new way of being. They needed both. Thei workbook has a page teaching c. Addiction and another on Positive Addictions. More application and focus on what tools we were offering is an urgent remedy.
At the end each gave me a time when they expected to be ready for their apprentice review. Most gave me mid March.

To our volunteer Team:
We need this step for accountability. Otherwise we can have great talk, in the meetings, good meetings even on their own, but they can and will slack off on their own. Instead, at least, following up on the lead of Mercier, when they know they will have a one on one review and will be expected to review their progress according to several very specific checklists, they have a spur to do some real personal work, and not just drift or b-s their way.
Their essential work challenge is accountability. Unless we require it in this program, we can be being conned once more, and contributing to their shrewdness in being able to do so. Not Talk but Walk. ...
This was reviewed with Chaplain Howell and he agreed. The need for better accountability has emerged from my conversations with Mercier. Besides if others are going to use or adapt our program, they must be ready also to have markers to get accountability.

Cover:

BECOMING
A SPIRITUAL WARRIOR
IN A FIERCE LANDSCAPE:
MY APPRENTICE REPORT

"Work as if everything
depended on you;
Pray as if everything
depended up God's
mercy and grace--
both are true!"

Completed by _____________________
on (date)____________

The Apprentice Warrior is expected to complete a study and review of the entire workbook within one month from entry and participate fully in all the activities of the program and all meetings. A review of this Apprentice Completion shall be scheduled with one of the Volunteers, after reviewing it with an inmate mentor, in order to qualify for help in our Advance program, becoming a team leader, transitioning with OWL and qualifying for your Certificate of Completion.