Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) has awarded the Surrey Pretrial Services Centre for its partnership and the positive community impact of one of KPU's courses, which brings "prisoners and students together for a transformative learning experience."
Since 2011, KPU has offered ARTS 3200: Inside Out once a year, which is taught inside the Surrey Pretrial Services Centre (14323 57th Ave.) in Newton. Surrey Pretrial is a remand centre for inmates awaiting trial or sentencing related to criminal charges, and anywhere from 400 to 500 people are incarcerated there at any given time.
The course 鈥渋nvites students into the prison for an education quite unlike what a traditional classroom can offer,鈥� reads a post on . The students include equal numbers of 鈥渙utside鈥� and 鈥渋nside鈥� students from Surrey pretrial.
KPU's Community Impact Award is presented annually to individuals or organizations that partner with KPU and make a difference in their community.
鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled to be recognized with the KPU Community Impact Award,鈥� Anita Varan, assistant deputy warden, Surrey Pretrial Services Centre, said. 鈥淲e have a longstanding collaboration with KPU to give greater awareness to the power of education in transforming lives and reducing recidivism in our community.鈥�
Dr. Shelley Boyd, dean of KPU鈥檚 Faculty of Arts, nominated the pretrial centre for the award.
鈥淎t the heart of this program is education, which has the ability to shape each of us and our communities for the better 鈥� to give all students the skills, knowledge and confidence to contribute in meaningful ways,鈥� Boyd said. 鈥淭he dedication and enthusiasm of our partners at Surrey Pretrial has made this collaboration the success that it is, and we鈥檙e proud to honour them with this award.鈥�
The idea for the Inside Out program came from Lori Pompa, who started it in 1997 at Temple University in Philadelphia. Since then, universities across the globe have offered the course. KPU was the first Canadian university to offer the Inside Out program in 2011.
