Singapore Prison Service Volunteer - Secular

You can volunteer as an individual in an academic programme or with an organisation conducting enrichment programmes.

Offenders are given opportunities to advance their educational qualifications, so that they can strive to be responsible and contributing citizens upon their release.

You will support them by supervising or tutoring them in their weakest subjects so they can improve achieve academic success. Not only will you help offenders academically, but you will also provide encouragement and motivation as a mentor and friend..

Equipping offenders with relevant skills is a vital part of ensuring that they can successfully reintegrate upon release.

Prisons engages organisations and volunteers to provide skills training and workshops in areas such as anger and emotion management, financial planning, and speechcraft.

These programmes help offenders develop the necessary skills, positive habits and social values, so as to augment rehabilitation efforts and allow effective integration into the society.

Current organisations volunteering with Prisons include:

• Industrial and Services Co-operative Society Limited (ISCOS)

• Lay Canossian Association

• Singapore After-Care Association

• Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association

• Teen Challenge Singapore

• The Salvation Army

• Toastmaster’s Prison Volunteer

• Tzu Chi Foundation

• Women in Recovery Association

• Xin Chi Reading Club

As a new volunteer, you will undergo Basic Prison Training to familiarise you with the prisons environment and the dos' and don'ts during your volunteering.

You will also be equipped with the skills and knowledge to conduct effective and purposeful session with the offenders.

You can look forward to attending developmental courses certified by the Social Service Institute (SSI). These training opportunities will allow you to specialise in specific skills in volunteering and working with people.

You will also be invited to attend regular dialogue sessions with prison staff supporting the institutions which you are based at.

The dialogue sessions allow the institution's staff and volunteers to discuss issues related to your volunteering stint.

As a Home Team volunteer, you will be trained and supervised, working in partnership with regular officers in the execution of their duties. Our philosophy of involvement includes giving you the necessary orientation, ample opportunities for personal development, as well as awards and recognition for good service.

In appreciation of your contribution to rehabilitation efforts, you will also be invited to an annual appreciation luncheon at the end of each year.

We also recognise the contributions of our volunteers with the Long Service award.