Alpha Courses in Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre

This is a story about the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre (OCDC) and how our Alpha Teams have been able to network with other volunteer prison ministries to help spread the Gospel message of hope to the hopeless in prison and begin to make inroads on the truly shocking recidivism (re-entry) rate of 60 to 80%.

OCDC has, on average, approximately 500 male and female residents in Minimum and Maximum Security, as well as Protective Custody. There is also a Young Offenders Unit. Due to the nature of the facility as a Detention Centre the prison population is quite transitory, with most of the residents being there for only a few months or less before being released or sent on to a Federal or Provincial correctional facility. This adds a significant challenge to any Christian ministry being implemented there.

Thanks to the efforts of the Church Army's Captain Bob Stewart, Alpha began there about 3 to 4 years ago. Mr. Garry Russell assisted the Church Army efforts by heading up teams of Alpha volunteers from local churches. If it were not for a major stroke last year Garry would still be doing Alpha at OCDC.

We try to run our 15 week Alpha Course in the jail as much as possible like we do it on the outside.

We now have four (4) Alpha courses running: one in Minimum Security Male, one in Protective Custody Male, and (thanks to Women's Aglow friends) two in Female.

In the Minimum Security area of OCDC, where the writer is heading up an Alpha team, there are 7 dorms of 20 to 25 men each. The Lord has blessed us with as many as 18 to 20 men each week. Because of the transitory nature of the facility many are new each week. Initially we thought this would be a big problem. In practice however it has become an awesome seed planting opportunity. We are told by our Prison Alpha guests that the Christian resource material that we make available to them is shared with their (cell) dorm mates. Therefore, in terms of in reach, we are potentially able to impact upwards of 175 men each week with the Gospel.

We have also partnered with the widow of the late Ernie Hollands, Sheila Hollands, as she continues the exciting Hebron Prison Ministry work begun by her husband. Recently, while watching an Ernie Hollands testimony video, 4 of our Alpha guests made decisions for the Lord! Hebron Ministry's ex-offender personal testimony books are a key component of our resource material. Residents can get touched by the Lord just by reading these powerful testimonies.

We try to run our 15 week Alpha Course in the jail as much as possible like we do it on the outside. The main difference is that we are not allowed to do the meal. For those unsaved guests on the outside, the meal is a great opportunity to "belong" before they believe. The meal serves as a social lubricant where people get to know one another and often become friends.

The resource material the Prison Alpha guests pick up and bring back to their dorms offsets, in part, the lack of a meal.

At the start of our sessions we have a time of worship lead by our own team. As one can appreciate, many of the guests love to sing. Over the last few weeks we have received more than a half dozen poems written by our guests. So far we have put two of these to music and sung them. The tough tattooed exteriors melted, if only for a moment, when the poignant words touched hearts and brought tears to their eyes.

Alpha Canada is also concerned with ex-offender aftercare.

After singing we have a couple of Alpha jokes, sometimes the guys add their own, followed by the video teaching of Nicky Gumbel. Through the Alpha Course inmates have an experience of God in their hearts.

We then break into 2 groups of 8 to 12 (including our team members) for about 45 minutes of facilitated open discussion. A cornerstone of Alpha is that there is no pressure. This is "friendship evangelism" in action. The guys seem to be remarkably open to ask fundamental and solid questions, as well as share their faith experiences. In such a short time so much is accomplished by the Holy Spirit. Since many of our guests are only with us for one or two times we try to share the entire Gospel message each time. We also encourage them to take the full Alpha Course either at their next (Correctional) facility or on the outside if they are being released soon, so they can also become part of a supportive Christian environment. Sometimes these opportunities to share in the small groups have been the first time anyone has asked them their opinion on something important to them. It appears to boost their self esteem.

Alpha Canada is also concerned with ex-offender Aftercare. We are seeking to find and train Alpha Link Churches who would welcome ex-offenders into their fellowship. It has been shown that 80% of Christian ex-offenders will end up back in jail if they do not become involved with a Christian Church community upon their release.

The Alpha Course is currently running in 30 out of 219 prisons and jails across Canada. With over 2,000 churches running the course we feel that there should be a great resource base from which we should be able to help Prison Alpha guests reintegrate back into the community.

A few months ago we began to partner with the local Community Chaplaincy (Provincial) called MAP (Mentorship, Aftercare, Presence). Founded by the late Deacon Bing Gallant, this is an awesome group of 50 or more trained volunteers who team up (3 to 1) with an ex-offender after release for up to a year to provide crucial housing, job, and spiritual help. MAP's success rate has been around 80% (i.e. keeping their focal members out of prison). These are phenomenal results since the normal recidivism rate is around 60% to 80%.

We have also begun work with New Connections Prison Ministry which is affiliated with New Life Prison Ministries. A volunteer goes in a number of times each week to do one-on-one or group Bible Study. This will be a great way to help disciple our Alpha grads.

Linkages with the Salvation Army and the Roman Catholic Diocese are being pursued. We have also recently partnered with Jericho Road Ministries in Ottawa. Using 5 residential home environments they provide Christian community-based living to 40 men in need of supportive housing, while encouraging re-entry into local church communities. They provide their residents rehab., counseling, spiritual development, assistance in medical needs, community involvement, etc..

Just a few weeks ago, our Alpha guests literally applauded the efforts of the volunteers we are partnering with, especially MAP. One fellow said out loud that "This shows people on the outside really care for us". He was one of the aforementioned 4 men who made a decision for the Lord and is now being helped with the New Connections Bible Study.

Local Prison Alpha Coaches:
Dave Atkins, and Tony Copple,
See also here.

Thanks to the excellent support we have received from OCDC's Coordinating Chaplain Rev. Carl Wake, our weekly Prison Alpha experience has been a real blessing to not only our guests but our Alpha teams as well.

The combination of Alpha and other volunteer prison ministries on the "inside", with MAP and other aftercare ministries on the "outside", seems to be one way God is starting to reverse the awful 60% to 80% recidivism rate.

If you would like to know more about how you can be involved in the highly rewarding area of Prison Ministry please feel free to contact the writer David Atkins — Alpha Coach for Eastern Ontario and Prison Alpha Coach, or his fellow Prison Coach Tony Copple. Ray Scanlan, who is our National Alpha In Prisons Coach, would also love to hear from you.