Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Poetic Justice!

We couldn’t do this work without our amazing and committed community of volunteers. Not only will serving as a volunteer have a profound impact on the women and institutions we serve, but many volunteers will attest to the fact that this work is just as transformative for volunteers as it is for our students. We hope that you find this to be true for you as well. If you have any questions or interest in volunteering with us, please feel free to reach out to us:

Oklahoma Volunteering: volunteerok@poeticjustice.org

California Volunteering: volunteerca@poeticjustice.org

“Thank you to all the volunteers and all the writers and all the people that sign up. You make me feel like I am still meaningful, and this program connects people in such meaningful ways.” -Distance Learning Participant

Current Volunteer Positions:

Distance Learning Volunteering:

During the height of the pandemic in 2020, we transitioned all of our programming to Distance Learning. This model increased the reach of our programming and made it possible for Poetic Justice to provide classes even while prisons were completely closed to outside volunteers. Because of the success of this program, distance learning is now part of our normal programming. Volunteers are partnered with a participant on the inside and correspond with one another sharing writing prompts and personal stories. At the end of a session, participants receive an anthology of their writing and a graduation certificate.

Distance learning volunteers commit to attending training(s) as needed, typing up poems from their participant, and letter writing for a full 12-16 week session for a total time commitment of about an hour a week.

In Person Class Volunteering:

These volunteers attend our writing workshops or arts programming in person at the various women’s prisons and jails we serve. There is no requirement for volunteers to have a background in teaching, writing or art. Although volunteering in person is more of a time commitment than other volunteer opportunities, it is one of the most rewarding.

In person class volunteers commit to facilitating classes, class preparation and debriefing, and travel time to various facilities for a full 8-10 week session. The time commitment per week varies depending on which facility the volunteer is at.

Fundraising:

We are always looking for volunteers who are excited and engaged with our mission who want to help us raise money for our programing. This could include grant writing, fundraising event planning, and donor communication.

Admin:

We always welcome volunteers who can provide help with admin tasks. This could include data entry, typing up poems, stuffing envelopes, and helping with our social media and webpage.