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Program

Volunteer at a prison

Trains approved volunteers to offer educational or spiritual support to people held in one of the four Philadelphia Department of Prisons facilities.

  • Ages 21 and up
  • Background check

Saved in this browser only.

What they do

After approval and 16 hours of training, volunteers give educational or spiritual support inside one of the four city facilities. A background check is required before you start.

Who it is for

Who can join
Open to anyone
Ages
Ages 21 and up
Who is there
Adults of any age

When and where

Volunteers start once they are approved and finish training. The page gives no set weekly times.

One of four Philadelphia Department of Prisons facilities: Curran-Fromhold, the Detention Center, Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center, or Riverside

We do not have a meeting place for this group yet.

Your first visit

Feeling unsure the first time is normal. Most groups are glad when someone new walks in.

First step: Email the completed volunteer application to pdp.volunteer@prisons.phila.gov. The form is a PDF linked from the city's volunteer form page..

Check with the group before you show up. You need to sign up first.

What to expect

Accepted volunteers first finish 16 hours of training at the Department of Prisons training academy, which contacts them to begin a background check. After that, volunteers give educational or spiritual support inside a facility. The site does not describe a typical first visit or how often training classes run.

Tips for your first visit

  • Check the rules first: applicants must be 21 or older with a valid state ID, and anyone who was incarcerated must wait six months after release.
  • If a relative is held in the system, say so on the application. You will not be placed at the facility where that relative is held.
  • General volunteer questions go to 215-685-8149. Religious volunteer questions go to 215-685-8385.

Newcomer welcome

Takes some effort for newcomers (2 out of 5). Why we say this: Volunteer Services reviews every application and accepts only people whose skills fit a current program need. Accepted applicants then complete training and a background check before they start..

Cost and commitment

Cost
Cost not known yet
How often
An ongoing role

Access and languages

Wheelchair access
We do not know yet. Ask the group before you go.
Languages spoken
We do not know yet which languages are spoken.

Requirements

  • This group asks for a background check.

How to reach them

We copy contact details as the group or a public source published them. Each one shows where it came from.

Sources and last check

Checked by our research team on October 8, 2026. This was a closer look, including what a first visit is like.

Last seen active
April 2025 (See the evidence)
Last checked by our team
October 8, 2026
Status
Probably active
Our confidence in this listing
Medium

We think this group is probably still active, but the newest sign we found is more than a year old.

  • phila.gov, seen October 8, 2026. Supports: Name, Website, Summary, Audience, Requirements, What they do, First step, Contacts, Commitment, Schedule, Location, What to expect, First visit tips
  • phila.gov, seen October 8, 2026. Supports: Last sign of life, Status, First step

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