Reflections: A Journal of Community-Engaged Writing and Rhetoric Jan 2020 Open Access

Building an Infrastructure for a Jail Writing Community Partnership through Student Internships and Community Writing Projects

Lara Smith-Sitton ; Brody Smithwick

Abstract

Co-authored by a nonprofit administrator and an English Department faculty member, this contribution discusses the creation of a community partnership for jail-based education and writing projects. By starting small through student internships directly with the nonprofit, manageable, programmatic development followed that included class-based community writing projects, capstones, and onsite workshops engaging graduate and undergraduate students. Seeking to provide insights for new program developers as well as experienced leaders, this article reflects on the value of taking what Paula Mathieu describes as a tactical approach to partnership growth that begins with small-scale projects to maximize reciprocity and impact in order to first construct of a strong, sustainable foundation. Through descriptions of the evolution of this partnership, best practices for communication, addressing challenges, and expanding projects are outlined. Insights about this partnership reveal possible student-engaged activities and assignments, as well as the complexities of jail and prison writing. Reflections by students and community partners affirm a range of opportunities and the value and impact of internships, service learning, and community-writing when working directly with nonprofits, rather than with jails or prison administrators.

Journal
Reflections: A Journal of Community-Engaged Writing and Rhetoric
Published
2020-01-01
DOI
10.59236/rjv19i2pp170-194
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Open Access
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Topics
graduate education service learning
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References (11) · 1 in this index

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    Teaching in the Dark: The Promise and Pedagogy of Creative Writing in Prison
    English Journal  ↗
  4. Cella (2012)
    Introduction." In Unsustainable: Re-imagining Community Literacy
  5. Coogan (2014)
    Assembling for Agency: Prisoner and College Students in a Life Writing Workshop
    Community Literacy Journal  ↗
Show all 11 →
  1. Cushman (1996)
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    College Composition and Communication
  2. Franklin (1998)
    Introduction
  3. Hinshaw (2014)
    Writing Exchanges: Composing across Prison and University Classrooms
  4. Hysen (2015)
    Georgia Expands Educational Opportunities for Inmates
    Correctional News
  5. Jacobi (2016)
    Against Infrastructure: Curating Community Literacy in a Jail Writing Program
    Community Literacy Journal  ↗
  6. Jones (2018)
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