Inmates Teaching Inmates’ Developing and Enhancing Soft Skills in a Prison Setting

Abstract: Offenders who develop strong soft skills in prison have a better chance at reducing their sentence, having a successful re-entry, and gaining meaningful employment. An effective soft skills program requires careful selection and focus on the needed skills, adaptable resources, different teaching methods, consistent assessment, and specific individualized feedback and encouragement. In a correctional setting, inmate facilitators can help extend soft skills programs outside the classroom. Inmate facilitators can also help correctional educators relate lessons in soft skills to other inmate learners. This webinar will present the evolution of a Pace Life Skills Program at Folsom State Prison (Represa, CA)—a leisure-time activity that has boasted a waiting list of over 200 inmates! Join us to learn about teaching and evaluating soft skills in a correctional setting, including thoughts from Edwin McMillan, a recently-released former Pace Life Skills Facilitator.​