Winter Newsletter 2020
Posted by Anna Debenham, February 4, 2020
A big welcome to our new team member
Welcome Lindsay Jensen, our new Operations Manager! Lindsay is the newest member of our team and we are very excited to welcome her. She brings a wealth of experience in the nonprofit world, most recently serving in an Executive Director role. We know she will be an amazing asset to The Insight Alliance and we are excited to see where we go from here with her help and expertise. Here’s the link to her bio on our Who We Are page.
Youth program developments
We got the media release to post this photo of our last graduating group of youth from MacLaren Youth Facility. Our program is developing a strong reputation for creating real transformation with the youth participants in just one year. I am so proud of these guys.
Youth turnaround story
At the beginning of our 10 week program it was hard to connect with DE. He was always distracted and couldn’t concentrate. He missed a couple early classes for being in the hole for bad behaviour or dirty UA’s (urine test). At about week seven he started to see something. His energy was softer and he started listening. It felt like something shifted in him but he didn’t talk much about it till graduation. He was present, getting clean UA’s (everyone was shocked!) and he hadn’t been in trouble for a month. He said:
“ This course has impacted my relationship with my thoughts and feelings by knowing my thoughts don’t always deserve a reaction. Something I learned that is very helpful to my life is that I am OK no matter what I have going on. My wellbeing is in tact.” DE
Youth mentoring
We had three youth who came back for a second 10 week program as they want to be able to mentor other youth on their units.
“It has helped me to understand that I experience the world from the inside not the outside. I started to judge myself less and realize that my feelings are a reflection of my thoughts. It has helped me to get out of my head quicker when I’m feeling low. It has helped me to mentor other youth on the unit I live on. Insight Alliance is kick ass. We should have this program offered to all facilities.” Ezequiel
Rebels for Peace
The guys love the relationship they are forming with the youth from Rebels for Peace at One Solution in Chicago. They are excited to start a chapter of Rebels For Peace here in Oregon. And we’re all excited that we now have permission from Dan Berger, the superintendent of MacLaren to use the video we made of them all in conversation together.
New Community 10 week Program
We’re starting a first 10 week program at PCC Cascade campus this Tuesday 2/4. We’re honoured to be partnering with Rakeem Washington and Opening Doors, a program specifically designed to help people who have been previously incarcerated get into college. Please look at the events page on our website to find details.
Great news in the Women’s prison
Last week there was so much hope at Coffee Creek. It was like a wave swept the corridors. Governor Kate Brown finally granted clemency to the first women since 1979. This woman has done 24 years of a 30 sentence. She’s going home. YES!
Stay tuned for all sorts of other developments and partnerships. I have a good feeling about 2020!