Volunteer with Sycamore Tree
Penny is a Sycamore Tree tutor in a London prison. Read her blog as she describes her experience of the last course.
Volunteer testimony:
It is a privilege and an honour to be a Sycamore Tree (ST) Tutor and God blesses in two ways. Firstly, just doing His will is a blessing in itself that cannot be described and secondly, when you see lives touched and changed by the teaching of ST. Chris Tierney – PF Volunteer Liverpool
What is Sycamore Tree?
- Sycamore Tree is a six-session programme taught in prison to a group of up to 20 learners.
- It raises victim awareness among offenders and teaches them about restorative justice.
- Offenders on the programme explore the effects of crime on victims, offenders, and the community, and discuss what it would mean to take responsibility for their personal actions.
- Each Sycamore Tree programme is presented by a fully trained tutor and several small group leaders.
- The success of a Sycamore Tree programme relies on our volunteers who are willing to give up their time to go into prison and teach this course.
Where does it run?
- Sycamore Tree currently runs in over 34 male and female prisons and YOIs in England and Wales, and around 2000 offenders participate every year.
Why do we do it?
- Because we believe that restorative justice is important in meeting the needs of the victims, offenders and community.
Listen to Lyn Connolly, one of our volunteers who comes to share her story as a victim of crime, as she talks about her first visit to prison.
How do I get involved?
- To be a Sycamore Tree tutor or group facilitator you will need to fill out an application form and get two references. When you have done that one of our regional staff will be in touch to help you get involved.
- If you want to visit a ST final session to find out what the course is like please contact the member of staff for your region.
Hear what Nadia enjoys about volunteering with Sycamore Tree:
To read about some of the Sycamore Tree stories, visit the Sycamore Tree section of our Patchwork Quilt - a living archive of Prison Fellowship over the last 30 years.