Monday, February 15, 2010
PhD Progress
Well it is official, I am a PhD student! Having completed a draft of my methodology chapter last year I have moved on to working through my preliminary plan. I have also drafted the documents for the ethics process (no doubt this will be a long process as it was last time). The literature review is struggling along - the reading is the easy bit and something that I have been doing for years, but now it's time to put pen to paper. It is exciting to be underway on a project that I have been planning since I started my honours year. This year though it seems that I will mostly be doing the ground work - ethics application, application to all the agencies involved and the literature review, but no doubt this will keep me busy.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Great progress on the National Prison Book Program
We have been overwhelmed by the quality and quantity of donations which we have recieved so far, it has been amazing. Prisons have also been responding to our letter asking if they would like to recieve books and educational materials, so we now have prisons participating in Tasmania, Northern Territory, ACT, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia. We are urgently in need of additional storage space in Melbourne and also volunteers across Australia to help pick up, sort and package books up for distribution to prisons. We still also need sponsorship from transportation companies - so if you can help let me know at prisonfoundation@email.com
I am also about to change jobs moving from my training designer position at Kmart to the Australian Human Resources Institute where I will be designing and delivering professional education up to graduate certificate level. I am looking forward to the move to a smaller organisation - corporate life is not what it is cracked up to be, especially in regards to being able to maximise the value that you can bring to an organisation.
I have also officially accepted my offer of candidature so I will be starting as a PhD student in early January.
I am also about to change jobs moving from my training designer position at Kmart to the Australian Human Resources Institute where I will be designing and delivering professional education up to graduate certificate level. I am looking forward to the move to a smaller organisation - corporate life is not what it is cracked up to be, especially in regards to being able to maximise the value that you can bring to an organisation.
I have also officially accepted my offer of candidature so I will be starting as a PhD student in early January.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
National Prison Book Program
What a busy week, after a successful pilot of the book program we are now in full swing!
What Is It?
The National Prison Book Program provides prisoners with free reading materials. Our aim is to provide books to prisoners and enhance prison library and educational services. Unfortunately many prisons cannot keep up with the demand for educational resources and books, we provide these materials to improve the lives and communities of prisoners to greatly reduce the likelihood of their return to the prison system. Our aim is to create a safer community and a more humane prison environment.
Types of Books We Need
Donations must be in good condition. Typically, books that are over 25 years old cannot be used, as they are often outdated or in poor condition. We can use most non-fiction and fiction in new or very good condition. The following subjects and genres are in demand:
· English dictionaries and thesauruses
· Textbooks
· How to start a small business.
· Law books
· Health
· Trades (i.e. woodworking, automotive, etc.)
· Mysteries and thrillers
· Westerns
· Love poetry
· Art books
The number of prisoners that we can help is limited only by the number of books we have and our ability to pay the postage to mail the books.
Books We Cannot Use
Due to limited storage space and strict prison regulations, we cannot accept the following types of books.
· Encyclopedias and similar hard-cover book sets
· Magazines
· Books about tattooing or anything that may be considered pornographic
· Textbooks printed before 2000
· Books printed before 1970
· Books that have stickers that cannot be removed
· Books in poor condition (missing pages, torn/missing covers, etc.)
Where To Bring Donations
Donations can be posted to us at PO Box 490 Chadstone. We can also organise the collection of books in the Melbourne area and the Hobart area. Please call 0448 184 224 or email us at prisonfoundation@email.com.
Book Drives and Book Drop Off Sites
Please contact us if your business, church, or other organization would like to serve as a book drop off centre and/or hold a book drive!
What Else Can I Donate?
We also have a need for the following materials:
· Educational materials suitable for prisoners
· Courier services
· Printing services
· Padded envelopes
· Packing tape
· Gift cards to bookstores and office supply stores
· Cash
How Can I Get Involved?
· You can organise a book drive at your school, university, at work or at your church or club. We can provide you with posters. Ask your local radio and TV stations for community announcement spots to advertise your book drive.
· We are seeking people to assist with setting up community drop off points.
· Donate your time to help us pick up books in your local area.
· Spread the word! Link to our website or put information up about what we do (we can provide you with posters and brochures) in your local community.
· If you have other ideas let us know!
What Is It?
The National Prison Book Program provides prisoners with free reading materials. Our aim is to provide books to prisoners and enhance prison library and educational services. Unfortunately many prisons cannot keep up with the demand for educational resources and books, we provide these materials to improve the lives and communities of prisoners to greatly reduce the likelihood of their return to the prison system. Our aim is to create a safer community and a more humane prison environment.
Types of Books We Need
Donations must be in good condition. Typically, books that are over 25 years old cannot be used, as they are often outdated or in poor condition. We can use most non-fiction and fiction in new or very good condition. The following subjects and genres are in demand:
· English dictionaries and thesauruses
· Textbooks
· How to start a small business.
· Law books
· Health
· Trades (i.e. woodworking, automotive, etc.)
· Mysteries and thrillers
· Westerns
· Love poetry
· Art books
The number of prisoners that we can help is limited only by the number of books we have and our ability to pay the postage to mail the books.
Books We Cannot Use
Due to limited storage space and strict prison regulations, we cannot accept the following types of books.
· Encyclopedias and similar hard-cover book sets
· Magazines
· Books about tattooing or anything that may be considered pornographic
· Textbooks printed before 2000
· Books printed before 1970
· Books that have stickers that cannot be removed
· Books in poor condition (missing pages, torn/missing covers, etc.)
Where To Bring Donations
Donations can be posted to us at PO Box 490 Chadstone. We can also organise the collection of books in the Melbourne area and the Hobart area. Please call 0448 184 224 or email us at prisonfoundation@email.com.
Book Drives and Book Drop Off Sites
Please contact us if your business, church, or other organization would like to serve as a book drop off centre and/or hold a book drive!
What Else Can I Donate?
We also have a need for the following materials:
· Educational materials suitable for prisoners
· Courier services
· Printing services
· Padded envelopes
· Packing tape
· Gift cards to bookstores and office supply stores
· Cash
How Can I Get Involved?
· You can organise a book drive at your school, university, at work or at your church or club. We can provide you with posters. Ask your local radio and TV stations for community announcement spots to advertise your book drive.
· We are seeking people to assist with setting up community drop off points.
· Donate your time to help us pick up books in your local area.
· Spread the word! Link to our website or put information up about what we do (we can provide you with posters and brochures) in your local community.
· If you have other ideas let us know!
Monday, October 26, 2009
National Conference on Australian Prison Issues
The conference was a great success and details are now available at http://www.prisonissuesconference.webs.com/
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Hard couple of weeks
Well the last two weeks have been very diffficult personally as I experienced the workings of the criminal justice system first hand - well at least through my son. It is not an experience I would like to repeat.
Still waiting for confirmation on my enrollment in the PhD - they are still finalising supervisors on their end. Almost completed the Graduate Certificate in Criminology with only one assignment and the two exams to go.
It's only a couple of weeks now until our first conference - lots of registrations coming in now. Just need to finalise the catering and I think we are all set to go!
Still waiting for confirmation on my enrollment in the PhD - they are still finalising supervisors on their end. Almost completed the Graduate Certificate in Criminology with only one assignment and the two exams to go.
It's only a couple of weeks now until our first conference - lots of registrations coming in now. Just need to finalise the catering and I think we are all set to go!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Progress
Well the weeks just seem to fly by. I am in the process of finalising my enrollment into the PhD which is exciting and have confirmed Rob White as a coordinator along with someone from the Faculty of Education, probably John Williamson.
The conference organising is going well with speakers now confirmed after a couple of last minute withdrawals and registrations are continuing to come in - but we need more so I will have to spend some more time marketing the event, particularly within the universities and corrective services.
I have finished preparing my talk for the ACEA/Reintegration Puzzle conference in WA, I am the last speaker on the last day so hopefully everyone will still be awake - if not I will be waking them!! I have also submitted my paper for the Critical Criminology Conference for peer review - fingers crossed they like it as it's the first time I have done something like this.
The conference organising is going well with speakers now confirmed after a couple of last minute withdrawals and registrations are continuing to come in - but we need more so I will have to spend some more time marketing the event, particularly within the universities and corrective services.
I have finished preparing my talk for the ACEA/Reintegration Puzzle conference in WA, I am the last speaker on the last day so hopefully everyone will still be awake - if not I will be waking them!! I have also submitted my paper for the Critical Criminology Conference for peer review - fingers crossed they like it as it's the first time I have done something like this.
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