Volunteer
Training
Ongoing volunteer training is vital—to ensure that our volunteers abide by all TDCJ rules, to keep everyone safe when they are in the prisons, and to maximize the effectiveness of our volunteers as they minister.
Volunteer Resource Packet - We've prepared a Resource Packet for volunteers that answers the questions volunteers typically have. Even if you're an experienced volunteer, we encourage you to study this information.
Mentor training - Once you're an approved volunteer, we encourage you to take the next step and take the training to become a TDCJ-approved mentor. The TDCJ mentor training is
online and takes only about an hour to complete. Once you've completed mentor training, you have additional privileges, such as being able to contact the inmate's family to help with their transition back into the free world.
Retraining - Approved volunteers must take retraining every two years after their initial training. TDCJ now offers this retraining online. TDCJ will not typically keep track of the date when you need retraining, so it's recommended that you keep track of this yourself, and take the online training within two years of your previous training. Otherwise, you may be
denied entrance to the prison.
Below is a summary of a recent presentation by our training director, Travis Gray, on "How To Be an Encouraging Barnabas Coach (for male inmates) or Life Coach (for female inmates)." These same guidelines apply to all prison volunteers, regardless of their role.
Objectives
- Understand the meaning of Barnabas
- Understand what the God of Hope is looking for in Barnabas Coaches and Life Coaches
- Learn what it means to encourage
- Be equipped with tools for encouraging inmates
- Define things a Barnabas Coach or Life Coach isn’t (avoiding the traps)
In Bible times, names indicated an individual’s character, function or destiny. When someone names another, it is a token of command and authority.
Acts 4:36-37 - "Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet."
The key point is that his name was Joseph (Yosef) meaning "He will add." Barnabas means "Son of Encouragement." Joseph gave to the Apostles. They were encouraged and called him Barnabas.
What is GoH looking for in Barnabas Coaches and Life Coaches?
Men and women to encourage, as in these Biblical examples:
Isaiah 1:17 - "Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow."
Titus 2:6 - "Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled."
Acts 15:32 - "Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers."
What does it mean to encourage?
from the dictionary:
en·cour·age (n-kûr-j) - 1. To inspire with hope, courage, or confidence; hearten. 2. To give support to; foster, as in "policies designed to encourage private investment." 3. To stimulate; spur, as in "burning the field to encourage new plant growth."
from the Bible:- Titus 2:6 - "Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled."
- Acts 15:32 - "Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers."
- Instill in the inmates that you are there because it is what the Lord would have you do, an expression of God’s love for them!
- Respond to the inmates' needs and interests, not your own.
- Express appreciation when an inmate's behavior has been commendable.
- Be a good listener. You don’t have to have answers to everything, but let them know that God does!
- Teach inmates to pray and encourage them to see answered prayers.
- Always follow institutional rules when you are visiting.
- Always follow the 7 core values of The God of Hope Ministries.
- Commit as little as possible, and make sure you keep those commitments.
- Listen more than talk. Ask questions that are not too personal, but create opportunities for healing.
- If inmates request letters of recommendation to judges and other criminal justice authorities, inform them you will pass this request on to the chaplain for evaluation and possible action.
- Pray, Trust God, and Show Up!!
- Be friendly, but not overly familiar.
- Never commit to giving anything materialistic unless you have permission, and it is provided by The God of Hope Ministries.
- Whatever you bring in, take out, and never take out something you didn’t bring in!
- Avoid solutions to problems that do not lead inmates to Christ.
- Never tell inmates you will contact someone on the outside for them. If the request is made, take it to Robert Dorrough.
- Never allow inmates to manipulate you with over-dramatized stories of being falsely accused, unjustly incarcerated, or inhumanely treated.
- Never make inflammatory statements or careless remarks to staff or inmates about political groups, ethnic groups, other religious groups, prison staff, individual residents, or other prison ministry volunteers.
- Never assume an inmate is innocent or guilty and do not give legal counsel or advice. You are not a lawyer or judge.
- Never reveal personal details, if you are privy to them, about the lives of staff or other inmates.
- Never inquire as to why the inmate is in prison.
- Don't expect thanks. Don't be disappointed if you never receive thanks or any show of gratitude from the inmates.