How can you help?
PEP volunteers help by investing their time and sharing their personal experiences and knowledge. Volunteers expose in-custody students to substantive content that allows them to transform their lives. Each volunteer commits to one 60 or 90-minute session per week for seven weeks. Volunteers give presentations in groups in modules such as:
Academic Orientation, Life Skills, Enrichment.
What is Prison Education?
Academic Orientation Module: Introduction to College, Introductory Courses in Math, Writing, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology, Astronomy, and STEM Fields
Life Skills Module: Career Development, Soft Skills, Financial Literacy, Forgiveness & Healing, Building Healthy Relationships.
Enrichment Module: Creative Writing, Creative Expression, Screenwriting, Film Studies, Shakespeare, Yoga & Meditation, Modern Dance, Creative Expression, Mindfulness
There are three 7-Week PEP semesters during the year: Fall, Spring, Summer. There is a mandatory orientation session for new volunteers at the beginning of each PEP semester. See PEP Course Outlines. Approximately 40% of PEP courses are taught virtually via Zoom. If you are interested in teaching a course with PEP during our 6-Week Summer Session 2024, which will begin on June 3, complete our Interest Form. Our Fall 2024 Semester Orientation will be held virtually on August 25, 2:00-3:00p.m. Fall courses will begin on September 23.
PEP student volunteers are from various colleges, including: USC, UC Irvine, Harvey Mudd College, San Diego State, Cal State San Bernardino, UC Davis, Sacramento State, Claremont McKenna, Western University of Health Sciences, Cal Poly Pomona, Pepperdine, Pitzer College, Cal State Los Angeles, UC Riverside, Cal State Fullerton, Pasadena City College.
