Volunteer Programs at the Berks County Jail System

One-to-One Mentoring - Volunteers are paired with residents of the Berks County Jail and Community Reentry Center in one-to-one relationships. The volunteer provides the support of friendship and acts as a proper role model for the resident in order to help them prepare for their release back into the community.
Educational Tutoring - Volunteers work as tutors in four major areas to improve the literacy and education of prison residents: teaching illiterate persons to read; teaching English as a second language; tutoring remedial reading, writing and spelling skills; and G.E.D. tutoring.
Group Fellowship Events - Ongoing monthly events allow community-based volunteers to have informal social visits as well as planned educational and seasonal activities for the inmates.
Mother’s Voice Program - Allows incarcerated mothers of small children to record a story on tape. The child receives the tape and book as a gift from their mother. The child can then listen to the tape of his/her mother reading while following along in the book.

Volunteer Programs at the Berks County Youth Center

FUNdamentals - Youth participate in educational programs, community service projects and as the name implies, they have FUN, going on field trips and attending several community activities sponsored by BCPS. The program seeks to instruct and educate them on a variety of life skills encouraging responsibility, self-worth and self-reliance and focuses on youth housed at the Berks County Youth Center.

Volunteer Programs in the Community

Holiday Gift Drives - BCPS enlists volunteers throughout the community to provide holiday gifts for children of individuals who are incarcerated or involved in the local criminal justice system. Many volunteers choose to deliver the gifts themselves, while other gifts are collected and distributed at a special holiday event courtesy of the West Lawn United Methodist Church.
Family & Friends Coping with Incarceration - BCPS staff and volunteers lead a monthly support group for the families and friends of individuals involved in the criminal and juvenile justice systems. Meetings are usually held on the 1st Thursday of the month at the Mental Health Association of Berks County offices at 122 W. Lancaster Avenue in Shillington from 7 to 9 p.m.

Volunteer participation can be as little as helping with a Holiday Gift Drive a couple of hours a year, or as involved as being a One-to-One Mentor for up to two hours a week. We are very accomodating of busy schedules and provide orientation and ongiong support!
Activities at the Berks County Jail require orientation and pre-clearance by the Jail staff, and many activities require pre-registration.
If you would like to get involved, please fill out the form below or call Kristen at 610-478-6920 x3940.