Jun. 19 2025
Our work in prisons is not new; it started over 60 years ago. In 1960, United for Literacy (then known as Frontier College) was contacted by the Government of Northwest Territories to support Dene and Inuit individuals in minimum security institutions. This was the organization’s first prison literacy initiative, which lead to further adult education programs in the North and across Canada.
Today, we run literacy programs for incarcerated and previously incarcerated individuals online and in locations across Canada, including Ontario, Nunavut, and Saskatchewan. Ongoing funding for these programs is not always available. If you are a foundation or funding body and would like to support these important programs that reunite families and strengthen communities, please get in touch with Mélanie Valcin, United for Literacy President and CEO, at [email protected].
United for Literacy’s programs for incarcerated people serve multiple purposes, including attempting to reduce recidivism, which is “the act of committing another crime or coming into conflict with the criminal justice system (CJS) again” (Government of Canada Department of Justice, 2023). Rehabilitation is an important intervention for decreasing involvement with the justice system. Activities that support education, leadership, and peer support are integral to rehabilitation for many reasons, not least of which is that they build on people’s strengths and help them imagine life outside of the system.
Prison literacy programs help individuals gain valuable skills that lead to education and employment opportunities upon release. Most programs focus on hard skills. Depending on the location, these may include:
Reading, writing, and math support,
Test preparation for the Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC) high school equivalency certificate (formerly the GED)
Preparation for college entry, and
Employment coaching.
In addition, these literacy programs provide important supports to prepare individuals for life after release. These supports might include mental health services, community resources, and other tools and contacts for successful reintegration.
Thanks to a substantial donation from the Law Foundation of Ontario for a 2-year project, United for Literacy will expand our support to individuals involved with the Criminal Justice System (CJS). Through this project, United for Literacy aims to develop new resources with a legal focus (e.g., the legal process; how to file grievances) to support justice-involved individuals, both during their time in federal custody and after their release. At this time, these programs are available to people in Ontario; By year’s end they will be accessible to inmates across Canada.
United for Literacy is working collaboratively with both community partners and inmate leaders from minimum-, medium-, and maximum-security facilities—to develop five self-directed courses that inmates can access through a digital Learning Management System. Although there is no internet access in correctional institutions, this system allows learners to learn a range of computer skills and access interactive content. These courses will expand on the current courses that build leadership, tutoring, and financial literacy skills and help people with post-release planning to manage the challenges and opportunities they will experience.
In consultation with Correction Service Canada, people in Ontario’s justice system, and our expert partners, United for Literacy will create high-impact, self-directed courses for people who are incarcerated and upon release. To access these courses, people will complete an orientation to the Learning Management System when they enter the correctional system so they can start taking courses soon after, even when they change institutions. This uninterrupted, steady support helps to provide needed consistency and alliance. These courses are available in most facilities, and peer tutors are available for support, which makes them accessible. Text-to-speech and talk-to-text options are available for those with lower literacy skills, too.
Many people in the legal system choose self-representation. People represent themselves at parole hearings, to respond to institutional charges, and other situations. However, access to information is limited and not always written in a way that is easy to understand. It is imperative that anyone who chooses to represent themselves understands legal processes and the increased likelihood of negative outcomes without legal counsel.
United for Literacy learned from the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) that the increase in self-advocacy has grown beyond the court systems. Incarcerated people file approximately 14,000 grievances each year. This course will support inmates to better understand and effectively use the grievance process.
A third course will center on understanding and complying with the terms of conditional release. An estimated 25% of those on statutory release (when federal offenders who have served two-thirds of a fixed-length sentence are released from prison) and nearly 10% of those on parole returned to jail for failing to satisfy the terms of their conditional release (Parole Board of Canada, 2019).
Typically, people in prison receive the conditions of their parole just 24 hours before their release. For individuals with reading or learning challenges, the document may be very difficult to understand. United for Literacy’s resource includes accessible learning materials to help inmates understand` documents that outline the conditions of their release. This supports the Government of Canada’s Reduction of Recidivism Framework Act (Government of Canada, 2021, p. 2). Along with other members of the NAACJ, United for Literacy was involved in shaping this framework, which was created with this goal: “increase public safety by reducing recidivism, preventing victimization, addressing the overrepresentation of Indigenous People, Black Canadians and other marginalized groups in our criminal justice system, and ultimately, create safer communities” (Government of Canada, 2022).
These courses are evolving to meet the learning needs of people involved in the justice system, as determined by focus groups of people currently living in institutions. This includes the creation of a Law Primer course, which will outline the basics of the legal system using accessible language. Another program being developed in consultation with our project partners at the Youth Association for Academics, Athletics, and Character Education (YAAACE) is focused on Black inmates and relates to Canada’s Black Justice Strategy, a response from the federal government developed in consultation with Black communities.
“It’s impactful to work collaboratively with the people who these programs help,” says Campbell MacInnis, Resource Development Advisor, United for Literacy. “There is so much talent there, including leadership and peer support.”
Campbell is also working on a program that will launch in the future where inmates share what they wish they’d known about the law with young people. In collaboration with the Youth Association for Academics, Athletics, and Character Education (YAAACE) and in accordance with the Black Justic Strategy, What I Wish I Knew will focus on the experience of racialized inmates.
“Something that may be surprising is that the people in the focus groups don’t want to be anonymous,” says Maureen Anglin, Regional Manager. “They are known in their communities and know that people will listen to what they say. They want to make a difference.”
The strength of this project is rooted in United for Literacy’s partnerships and collaborative approach to program delivery. For this work with incarcerated people, we partner with the Correctional Service Canada (CSC); National Associations Active in Criminal Justice (NAACJ); Youth Association for Academics, Athletics, and Character Education (YAAACE); and the John Howard Society. We also work with the St. Leonard’s Society of Canada This diverse alliance helps us reach more networks, create targeted programs, and make a greater impact.
United for Literacy’s program for people engaged in the justice system in Iqaluit reaches incarcerated and recently released people through one-to-one outreach. Instructor Patrick Woodcock received the Council of the Federation Literacy Award in 2024 for his innovative work and dedication to the people.
Along with teaching literacy and numeracy, Patrick shares information about topics that interest his learners, including mental health and the science of sleep. This holistic approach helps people understand themselves and the world around them. Importantly, Patrick continues to support people following their reentry into society. This constancy shows people that they are supported and helps them navigate complicated systems. It’s an honour to note that the Aaqqigiarvik Correctional Healing Facility (ACHF) said that the United for Literacy program is the only one that helped reduce recidivism for their population.
If you are and individual interested in donating to prison literacy programs, please give here and specify this program. If you are a foundation or funding body who would like to get involved, please reach out to Kalyani Mathur, Director, Program Development kmathur@unitedforliteracy.ca.
While release from incarceration signifies freedom, it also introduces challenges for the individual, including housing and food; education and employment; mental and physical health supports; and social services. These are all concerns for society in general, but for releasees the problems are combined with the stigma of being ex-offenders. Prison literacy initiatives support individuals in building resilience and discovering options.
People are often released from prison with little support (e.g., family, employment, addiction counselling, housing) to help them find a life outside of the CJS. In some cases, the location of their parole is a considerable distance from their hometown. Upon release, they must find a place to live that adheres to the rules of their probation, which can include (among other things) being free from alcohol, drugs, and the internet.
The housing crisis that exists across Canada and can be detrimental to a person’s best efforts to stay out of prison. There are many steps involved in securing an apartment or even a clean, safe room. But having improved literacy skills and a person to help navigate application forms, bank accounts, and other systems can make this daunting task a little easier. This is an important step in helping people stay out of the justice system.
People end up in the criminal justice system for many reasons, but they do not have to stay there. There are many barriers to successful reintegration into society, and we can’t stress enough the importance of having someone provide stability and help decode the outside world.We have seen many people successfully return to life outside the CJS. Patrick shared two stories that show the connection between literacy and reintegration and having someone support you on your road to success:
One woman Patrick worked with for a long time in the women’s facility expressed her desire to return to a city in another province upon release. She had many concerns about the planning and assessment period before release as well as how reintegration would look. Patrick helped prepare a Gladue report to express what she, as an Indigenous person, had endured prior to incarceration. It also detailed the commitment to learning she had shown in their meetings. The woman is now starting a new life. “I don’t unenroll a person until they tell me they want to be unenrolled,” Patrick explains. “Learning can happen anywhere, and it’s important to offer stability until it is no longer needed.”
This commitment makes a lasting impact. One man that Patrick works with was incarcerated far from the home he shared with his grandmother. The terms of his parole means he cannot leave the area, so he has no family support close by. “Most of the jobs for men getting out of prison are in construction,” Patrick explains, “but that kind of work wasn’t appropriate for this particular guy. He had a resumé but hadn’t had a bite in the three weeks he’d been out. We worked on it together and within days, he had a job. “After that, he wanted to know how to send money back home to his grandmother. He had never opened a bank account, so I went with him to open one. As he opened his first bank account, he had tears in his eyes and said he felt like a man.”
According to the Department of Justice, in 2014, court costs for criminal matters in Canada were estimated at close to $500 million, and the total cost of correctional services was nearly $3 billion (Government of Canada, 2023). Investing in youth before they get involved in the justice system is one important step. However, supporting those who are already in the system is also vital. Rehabilitation through support and education leads to a reduction in recidivism and less money spent on keeping people incarcerated. United for Literacy’s prison literacy programs provide opportunities for individuals to envision a brighter future. Please reach out to find out more by emailing Mélanie Valcin at [email protected].
Prison literacy programs help incarcerated individuals gain valuable skills that lead to education and employment opportunities upon release. Most programs focus on hard skills, including
Reading, writing, and math support,
Test preparation for the Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC) high school equivalency certificate,
Preparation for college entry, and
Employment coaching.
In addition, these literacy programs provide important supports to prepare individuals for life after release. These supports might include mental health services, community resources, and other tools and contacts for successful reintegration.
As well, prison literacy programs give inmates opportunities to strengthen their leadership and tutoring skills, which is beneficial both in and out of prison.
United for Literacy hosts a variety of literacy programs available in Canadian prisons that range from as-requested one-to-one tutoring to more formal programs.
In addition to United for Literacy’s programs, other Canadian literacy organizations (e.g., Read NB in Miramichi) support incarcerated people. If someone you know is involved in the criminal justice system and would benefit from improving their reading and writing skills, inquire with the facility or search “prison literacy programs Canada” to learn more.
Decoda Literacy Solutions. (n.d.)Literacy in Canadian Prisons. https://decoda.ca/literacy-in-canadian-prisons/
Government of Canada. (2022, August 4). Federal Framework to Reduce Recidivism. Public Safety Canada. https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2022-fdrl-frmwrk-rdc-rcdvsm/index-en.aspx
Government of Canada. (2025, May 7). Consolidated federal laws of Canada, reduction of recidivism framework act. Reduction of Recidivism Framework Act. https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/R-4.6/page-1.html
Government of Canada Department of Justice. (2025, March 5). Canada’s Black Justice Strategy. Government of Canada, Department of Justice, Electronic Communications. https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/cbjs-scjn/index.html
Government of Canada Department of Justice. (2023c, August 30). Criminal Justice System Costs. Government of Canada, Department of Justice. https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/jr/ccc2014/system-systeme.html
Government of Canada Department of Justice. (2023, January 19). Spotlight on Gladue: Challenges, experiences, and possibilities in Canada’s criminal justice system. Justice Research and Data. https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/jr/gladue/p1.html
Government of Canada Department of Justice. (2023, January 20). Justfacts. Recidivism in the Criminal Justice System. https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/jr/jf-pf/2020/aug01.html
John Howard Society of Ontario. (n.d.). Reintegration in Ontario: Practices, Priorities, and Effective Models. https://johnhoward.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Reintegration-in-Ontario-Final.pdf
Canada, P. S. (2022a, July 22). 2019 Corrections and conditional release statistical overview. Public Safety Canada. https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/ccrso-2019/index-en.aspx
