Website: www.bookclubsforinmates.com
Email: info@bookclubsforinmates.com
Social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BookClubsforInmates/
Instagram: @bookclubsforinmates
TwitterX: @booksforinmates
Goals/mission:
- BCFI aims to establish book clubs in every federal penitentiary across Canada.
- Because most inmates will re-enter society, BCFI aims to make meaningful change in their lives by helping them to develop empathy, literacy skills, self-awareness, conflict-resolution skills, and listening skills through readings and discussions.
- Discussion of themes related to “identity, adversity, forgiveness, and resilience–and how these themes relate to the inmates’ lives.”
Notable activities:
- BCFI was first imagined in 2008 by Carol Finlay on a visit to Collins Bay Institution in Kingston, Ontario. The first BCFI book club was established that year and was registered as an official Canadian charity the next.
- The project of national expansion began in 2010, and BCFI spread to other provinces in 2013. The first Francophone club was established in 2014 in Québec.
- Now, BCFI operates around 40 volunteer-led book clubs in Canadian federal penitentiaries (minimum, medium, and maximum security).
- Extracurricular activities involve book donations and support of the Children of Inmates Reading Program (ChIRP).
Ways to get involved:
- Make a donation through BCFI’s website. There are options including one-time donations, monthly donations, and patronage.
- Volunteer with BCFI through their website. Note that student volunteers are not often accepted due to the lengthy time commitments involved.
- Spread the word: talk to your friends and family about this initiative and its work.
Information compiled by Alexandra Li