The contribution volunteers have made to the Otago
Corrections Facility (OCF) will be recognised and celebrated
at the prison this afternoon.
As part of National Volunteers Awareness Week, the Department
of Corrections is hosting a series of morning and afternoon
teas to thank the 3000 people who volunteer in its prisons.
Some special awards are expected to be presented at the
Milburn gathering.
National volunteer co-ordinator Russell Underwood said the
number of people giving up their spare time to make a
difference in the life of a prisoner was increasing.
"We've seen the number of volunteers entering our prisons
increase by 6% since the beginning of the year, which is
fantastic from our point of view."
Volunteers came in many shapes and forms, with many belonging
to specific organisations while others were individuals, Mr
Underwood said.
"Our volunteers represent a total of 443 voluntary groups,
and 85% of those of those that volunteer in prisons belong to
faith-based organisations."
The support volunteers gave prisoners was vital to their
rehabilitation, he said.
Organisations like Prison Fellowship New Zealand and
Toastmasters provided prisoners with communication skills and
building their self confidence at the same time.
Others like Alcoholics Anonymous, which had worked with the
department for 20 years, provided ongoing support and
education to help prisoners fight their addiction.
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.