Volunteer Instructor(s)

Volunteer Instructor(s) Needed to Teach Class on Investing and Business Planning

We are looking for an instructor(s) to teach two, 5-week mini-courses about personal investing and business planning. The courses are offered at San Quentin State Prison by an organization known as Members of Modern American Society (MOMAS). The teacher(s) must be able to gain a security clearance to the prison, in addition to having the qualifications specified below.

This is a volunteer position; no compensation is available at this time.

About MOMAS

Members of Modern American Society (MoMAS) is an instructional program at San Quentin State Prison that is designed and operated by currently incarcerated men. The purpose of the program is to provide skills to prisoners that will help them re-enter society when their sentences are completed.

MOMAS is run by an executive board comprised of currently incarcerated individuals. The program is assisted by outside volunteers. Volunteers are absolutely essential to the success of the program as they are the ones who instruct the classes, bring in outside speakers and presenters, facilitate information gathering and sharing and assist in numerous other ways.

MOMAS currently offers three 10-14 week modules:

• Module 1: Job Readiness Skills
• Module 2: Basic Financial Literacy
• Module 3: Personal Investing and Business Planning

Module 3 covers several topics including investing in stocks, purchasing a home, and planning to start a small business.

We are looking for either:

- 1 instructor to teach both topics for the full 10-14 weeks of Module 3, or

- 2 instructors to split up the subjects (5-7 weeks per instructor--one to cover investments and financing, another to teach entrepreneurship and business development).

Although we do have a reader/curriculum for the module, we would like instructors who have a thorough understanding of the subject matter (financial management, investing, major purchases and financing, business planning, etc.) and preferably have professional experience in these industries. The instructor is also encouraged to put some time into planning lessons and/or potentially contributing other source materials, articles, activities, etc.

Required Qualifications:

- Must have comfort with and sensitivity to the challenges and needs of those currently serving time;

- Must be reliable, able and willing to commit to completing the agreed-upon length of instruction (either for the full module, or for one half, depending on how many qualified individuals respond);

- Must be able to pass a background check and obtain security clearance

- You must not have any felonies on your criminal record, nor be currently on probation or parole;

- You must not be on the visitor list for any inmates in the California prison system;

- You must not have any outstanding court cases or warrants for your arrest;

- Other information produced during the background check may affect your security clearance process.

Qualifications strongly preferred:

- Experience teaching adults in groups of up to 50 individuals; and

- Experience with or familiarity with incarcerated/formerly incarcerated individuals.

Time requirements:

- Availability in the spring semester (approx. Late February/Early March through end of May--Exact dates TBD)

- Classes are on Thursday evenings at San Quentin Penitentiary, from 6-8 PM

- Occasional Sunday afternoon planning meetings before, during and after the module.

Meeting time on Sundays is 2 PM - 5 PM. At least 1-2 meetings with the executive board will be required at San Quentin prior to the start of the module.

This is a volunteer position only, no compensation is offered at this time.

To apply

If you are interested in volunteering to teach one or both parts of the module, please submit a brief statement of interest and a resume to Romania Juandoo at romania.jaundoo@cdcr.ca.gov. Please indicate which part of module 3 (investing or business planning) you would like to teach.