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Program Overview The acronym L.I.F.E. represents Learn Inside From Experience. This is a specially designed program for at risk youths. The program was created in 1998 at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans, Vermont. Due to the constant problems with the youth of our community getting into trouble and the courts sending juveniles for tours of the prison we began developing THE GET A L.I.F.E. PROGRAM INC. a registered Non profit Organization. The large number of requests that continue to be received from various counties has exemplified the need for this program in Vermont. The program is intended to serve as a dramatic wake-up call for juvenile law-breakers, most of whom are at serious risk of actually going to prison unless they make radical changes in their behavior and their overall outlook on life. For that reason, THE GET A L.I.F.E. PROGRAM INC. pursues two main goals. Its first goal is to expose the juveniles involved to the harsh reality of life in a high security prison as one of the consequences of criminal conduct. Of at least equal importance is the second objective, which is based on the educational efforts of the group of inmate volunteers seeking to provide a form of counseling. This counseling derives its perspective and power from relying on direct and personal experiences. The overall emphasis is on "CARING NOT SCARING". Facility staff make recommendations and any inmate wishing to get involved can by submitting a letter of interest. From that point, each inmate's file is reviewed for histories of unsuitable behavior, i.e. specific psychological diagnosis, recent history of management problems, disciplinary reports, etc. Next is a series of interviews with the program board of directors. During these interviews, inmates are expected to be open and honest about their criminal behaviors. They are also asked detailed questions in regard to their family and their environment in which they were raised. This information is then used in determining if the inmate is suited for helping the at risk youths that go through our program. Weekly training sessions are conducted for the inmate participants. These sessions have consisted of: "group think" activities; public speaking skill enhancement; and nonverbal communication skill enhancement. They are tasked with developing their own short presentation and coordinating that presentation into a group production. This production is incorporated into the program's group session with the youths. These weekly training workshops provide the inmates with numerous opportunities to expand their communication skills. It should be noted that the inmates involved in this program do not receive any special treatment, recommendations, incentive pay, etc. for participating in the program. They participate for the self-satisfaction of knowing they are trying to keep someone from taking the same road in life that they did. It is also important to note that while the cold, harsh reality of prison is extremely frightening in it’s various aspects; THE GET A L.I.F.E. PROGRAM INC. does not lend itself to the "Scared Straight" approach to counseling the youths at risk. The inmates in the program put forth the caring for these kids that would be as there own. We do not want to see these youths make the same mistakes we made in our days of being on the outside. THE GET A L.I.F.E. PROGRAM, INC. is designed to help deter troubled youth from living a life of crime. It is all about CHOICES and the consequences of making the wrong choices. It is about affecting people in our lives, and people we do not know, because of our choices. It is about family, education, peer pressure, and responsibility. When a School, Probation Officer, Youth Center, Parents, etc. schedule a tour the kids are brought to the Northwest State Correctional Facility to meet with Coordinators Mark Prest and David Ibey of THE GET A L.I.F.E. PROGRAM. The kids are given a brief description about the tour, which consists of being brought into the Booking area of the Facility. The Booking officer will explain the booking process to the kids. Then the inmate Facilitator’s take over and lead the kids through a complete tour of the Facility. They are shown the maximum confinement area, Living area, Visiting area, Dinning area, and yard. The kids are then taken to an activity room where the Facilitators show a video of different aspects of life in prison. The message is clear, criminal life is not glamorous. Through personal life experiences from THE GET A L.I.F.E. facilitators, it is our goal to show these kids the truth about crime. "CRIME DESTROYS LIVES". We accept everyone and anyone that needs our help. Anyone interested in more information, or going through a presentation or setting up a tour please contact Mr. Mark Prest or Mr. David Ibey by way or phone or E-mail. Lets help the youth of our community from making bad choices. Respectfully; Joseph A. Cammarano President THE GET A L.I.F.E. PROGRAM, INC. |
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