In Canada, Indigenous men represent 43% of the incarcerated population while only being approximately 2.5% of the entire population.
Despite the efforts of Federal correctional programs to rehabilitate offenders, incarcerated men have a significant amount of idle time on their hands.
This inactivity creates an institutional subculture with the associated problems of drug use, violence, gambling, debt, self-harm and depression.
Work 2 Give is a Movember-funded program that offers incarcerated Indigenous men the opportunity to ‘take off their armour’ and engage in meaningful work.
Instead of traditional duties such as cleaning and facility maintenance, men involved in the program build items such as beds, picnic tables and drums, which are donated to Indigenous communities in need.
“There is a significant over-representation of Indigenous people in Canada’s prison system,” says Melissa Taylor, Correctional Service Canada.
“Work 2 Give is an attempt to bridge the gap between offenders and communities in need by providing offender-produced items that can improve the quality of life for Indigenous children and families.
“Through Work 2 Give, offenders and communities have found diverse individual and collective ways to heal, forgive and inspire.”
