Stride

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People leaving Canadian prisons are frequently isolated from caring supports. They often struggle to form trusting relationships and are stigmatized by society. Combined with the stress of poverty, low self-esteem, minimal education, low employability, and problems reuniting with their children, they are vulnerable to returning to old lifestyles.

CJI’s Stride programs helps women and gender diverse people in prison build informal networks of support that assist them as they reintegrate back to the community. We also prepare the community to receive them safely and supportively.

Stride Night

Stride Night is a weekly shared activity within the prison where volunteers and incarcerated women and gender diverse people have the opportunity to meet and get to know one another. Here, Stride staff and volunteers focus on providing a safe space with healthy activities, geared towards facilitating relationships between community volunteers and the participating individuals.

To become involved in Stride Night, volunteers must attend an agency orientation, 12 hours of Stride Night training, and meet the requirements of a Reliability Clearance. Stride encourages people of all gender identities, abilities, racial identities, and life experiences to join us.

Stride Circles

Stride Circles is an intensive service linking the same trained volunteers from Stride Night with people who are incarcerated in order to support their reintegration. Incarcerated folks self-select to partake in Circles, and, overseen by the Circles Coordinator, suggest volunteers they have connected with to be part of their Circle. Stride Circles remain active throughout an individual’s incarceration, and travel with them as they reintegrate to community.

Stride Circles volunteers support participants in diverse ways including practical (transportation, accessing community programming) and social (accessing recreation opportunities, positive peer connections) supports.

Stride Circles are the only community-based support that provide this continuum between the prison and the community in a way that is substantially different than relationships within the correctional system.

I enjoy seeing and talking with the Stride volunteers. They are so friendly and supportive. They really care.
Stride Night client

Reintegration Resource Support

CJI staff and volunteers help people at GVI to practically and emotionally prepare for release. Stride Circles are available for those who settle in the Waterloo Region but CJI also connects people reintegrating to other areas with assistance in their region. Any woman and gender diverse person struggling with reintegration after leaving GVI, can contact CJI for help at any time.

Community Education

CJI clients, volunteers, and staff speak in college and university classrooms, at community events, and to local, provincial, and national media to raise awareness about issues of reintegration and women in conflict with the law.

My life is not where it was; I have a chance now.
Stride Circle’s client