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Volunteers' Descriptions and Details
The life blood of any prison ministry is its volunteers.
A good prison ministry does not work without volunteers.
Thank you for your interest in Barabbas Ministries. To read additional information about our volunteering opportunities simply click on the title below. After reading the details please use the contact form at the bottom of the page to request additional information. God bless you and thank you for visiting Barabbas Ministries website.
Days & Times:
1. Facilitator/Teacher - Once, every other week (Session = 1½ to 2 hours)
2. Accountability Tutors - Once, Every Other Week (Sessions = 1½ to 2 hours each)
3. Intercessory Prayer Warrior - (As available)
4. “Welcome Back” Transportation Mentors – One Full Weekday (Once or twice a month)
5. Special Transportation Mentor – ½ Day (2 to 4 times per month)
6. Church Transportation Mentors – 2 to 4 times per month (Up to ½ Day Tasks )
We stress that you will not work too often because we don’t want to burn out our volunteers.
We are committed to this!
What we know that is best to have you serve once every other week. But occasionally, because of a lack of available volunteers, you will be asked to serve once per week.
Position Descriptions:
1. Facilitator/Teacher – Once, every other week (Sessions = 1½ to 2 hours each):
A Facilitator/Teacher will work inside of the prison in the Faith Based Dorm. All courses are designed for volunteers that are mature believers in Jesus Christ. Please note that age does not have much to do with maturity. We have relatively young men who are very mature and great Facilitator/Teachers.
All Life Skills curriculums are foundational and simple teachings of holistic discipleship. We keep the Bible and discipleship teaching simple. They are designed to ground these new believers and to be interdenominational from a theological perspective. We very intentionally leave the deep theological issues out of our courses and let their receiving home churches handle those issues.
The 1½ to 2 hours sessions are held seven days a week, but the majority of the classes are Monday thru Friday starting at 7 a.m. and ending at 9 p.m.
2. Accountability Tutors - Once, Every Other Week (Sessions = 1½ to 2 hours each):
The volunteer’s primary task is to see to it the homework assignments are done by the students. This is both a challenging and rewarding job. It is also carries some very important responsibility because you will be holding the student accountable. An accountability tutor will work mostly inside the Dorm, with a much smaller need outside of the prison. Volunteers in this position should be mature believers. Please note that age does not have much to do with maturity. We have relatively young men who are very mature and great Accountability Tutors.
The 1½ to 2 hours sessions are seven days a week but the majority of the classes are Monday thru Friday in the evening.
3. Intercessory Prayer Warriors (As available):
Our Intercessory Prayer Warriors are just what the name implies, intercessors that will do battle through prayer. That is say they are consistent and strong prayer partners that will make themselves available via email to pray for the men, their families, the ministry, and all its workers, volunteers, & their families too. These individuals must be willing to pray regularly and faithfully and most importantly with extremely confidentiality. This is the most important volunteer position we have!
4. “Welcome Back” Transportation Mentors – One full weekday (Once or twice a month):
The Welcome Back Transportation Mentor will perform a full day task which normally starts at 9 a.m. and ends around 3:30 p.m. and is always on a Monday thru Friday. It is one of the most important volunteer jobs we have. You are the first person to meet and pray over the individual when they are released! We know from experience that the first 72-hours is critical. This is a very rewarding volunteer position!
Your job is to:
- pick up the men on release from prison, welcome them and pray with them,
- take them to lunch. (This is lots of fun! These guys are like kids in a candy store with their first meal on the outside.),
- evaluate the men’s minimal clothing needs, first attempting to obtain free clothing. If free clothing is not available, purchase the basic necessities1,
- transport them to obtain required identification2 ( if they do not already have the proper ID to be employed in the USA),
- take them to apply for a job,
- take them to their 1st interview at one of our 2nd chance employers, as necessary,
- take them to their previously assigned halfway house or approved residence housing,
- pray over them just before you leave them.
Notes: 1) These items will be paid for utilizing a credit card or gift card supplied by Barabbas Ministries.
2) In the USA, you must have a SS card and valid picture ID to fill out the I-9 form required for all legal employers. If the ex-offender does not have the necessary employment ID when he is released, you would notify the mentor team Leader.
Transportation Mentors are unsung heroes. Some of the best mentoring moments comes in these times. Also many times the government agencies are not user friendly. Having a mature individual along side prevents someone from taking advantage of their downtrodden position.
5. Special Transportation Mentor – ½ Day (2 to 4 times per month):
a. Special Transportation Mentors perform ½ day tasks & the assignments are random & almost always on a Monday thru Friday. They can be either morning or afternoon. If they involve any type of government agency, morning is STRONGLY recommended. These involve helping the individual get ID, savings account, job applications, medical, dental, and any brief task that needs a mentor as well as transportation.
6. Church Transportation Mentors – 2 to 4 times per month (Up to ½ day tasks):
The assignments are usually on Sunday; however, Friday & Saturday evenings services are becoming very necessary due to required Sunday work schedules for many of our men. The assignment is just like it sounds, you’re driving them to and from church. Ideally you would be attending church with the mentee (and possibly his family), but there are cases when one volunteer takes them to church and another drives them home.
Would you like additional information?
We are always thankful for your careful consideration in regards to serving in this ministry. Please feel free to use the form here to ask any additional questions regarding our volunteering program. We look forward to hearing from you. God Bless
