HDS - OMS - Field Education Handbook

230 Central St.
Auburndale, MA 02466
Phone: (617) 795-2725
Web address: www.partakers.org

Project: Partakers is a faith-based, non-profit organization that is committed to advancing restorative justice, rehabilitation, and the healing transformation of prisoners and society. Our mission is to reduce prisoner recidivism through education and civic engagement.

College Behind Bars provides support to prisoners obtaining college degrees from Boston University while in prison. Prisoners are mentored by people from local seminaries and faith communities who offer them educational and spiritual/emotional support as they study toward completing their degree. Our volunteers visit prisoners on a monthly basis (as well as write regularly), providing mentoring that allows them to engage more fully in their studies, but also to repair broken family ties, continue their recovery process (80% of prisoners are addicted), and prepare to return to society with the life skills necessary to live as productive, law-abiding citizens.

Partakers works to reform state-level criminal justice and prison policies. Each legislative session, Partakers partners with like-minded organizations and interest groups to educate legislators and the citizenry in an effort to effect change. We have historically worked toward reforming mandatory minimum drug sentencing and the states use of isolation units. This legislative session, Partakers supports diversion and treatment as an alternative to incarceration, mandatory minimum drug sentencing reform and CORI reform.

Student Involvement: We are looking for a field education student who will provide strong leadership to the Partakers Harvard Prison Education Project at HDS. This involves community organizing and the coordination of this student group including scheduling mentoring visits to the prison, recruiting and educating new members to HPEP, and planning events and theological reflection meetings. This student will also be involved in various projects based on the students interests (could include involvement in anti-racism workshops and advocacy initiatives). There will also be the opportunity to explore pastoral counseling skills through mentoring a prisoner in our College Behind Bars Program.

Arts of Ministry Competencies: Pastoral Care and Counseling. Administration and Program Development. Public Leadership, Community Organizing and Planning.

Harvard Divinity School

Ministry Studies

Field Education Handbook