InsideOut Writers

Writing program - the writing program was designed to provide youth incarcerated at los angeles juvenile detention facilities with activities that discourage violence and support positive social values. Youth are encouraged to express themselves through writing and other pro-social activities rather than through violence. The writing program offers weekly and bi-weekly creative writing classes led by volunteer teachers; annual Writers' retreats for all iow students at each facility to come together as Writers to celebrate their accomplishments; and quarterly anthology, which is a compilation of writings from both the writing and alumni programs.

Prison insight program (pip) - pip is an extension of iow's writing program in select California state prisons including the California correctional institution, kern valley state prison, and ironwood state prison. Pip is funded by the California arts council's arts-in-corrections program and allows iow's writing program students from juvenile halls who have been transferred to state prisons to remain engaged in iow's creative writing classes while serving out the remainder of their time.

Compassion in oakland aims to empower the asian american, pacific islander (aapi) community of oakland with resources that promote safety, unity, and education/awareness. The program aims to foster safety by providing chaperone services to targeted communities who feel unsafe.

Alumni program - recognizing the critical need for comprehensive reentry programs, iow launched the alumni program in 2009 to provide a continuum of care for writing program students to support their transition back into our communities. The goal of the alumni program is to reduce participants likelihood of reoffending and to increase their skills and capacity to become self-sustaining, productive members of our communities. The alumni program is comprised of six interconnected components: 1) transitional case management, 2) life skills workshops, 3) mentoring, 4) writing classes, 5) community engagement activities, and 6) cultural events and field trips.