Inspired Minds comes to Edmonton!

This past spring, the Faculty of Native Studies offered its very first Inspired Minds: All Nations Creative Writing class at the Edmonton Institution, a federal prison for men. A creative writing program for men and women incarcerated in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Inspired Minds (I.M.) takes place at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre, Pine Grove Correctional Centre, and now the Edmonton Institution.

The program began in Saskatoon in 2011 and is rooted in an ongoing partnership between the two program coordinators: Dr. Nancy Van Styvendale (Faculty of Native Studies) and Ms. Diann Block (Aboriginal Cultural Coordinator, Saskatoon Correctional Centre). Inspired Minds takes a strengths-based, participant-centered, “nothing about us, without us” approach to program development and implementation, which means that we center the perspectives, knowledge, and interests of incarcerated participants in all aspects of class design and delivery. Eight week-long classes create opportunities to learn about and produce different modes of creative expression; to discuss topics of relevance; and to develop meaningful relationships based on an ethic of sharing and collaboration.

Co-facilitated by Dr. Nancy Van Styvendale and Native Studies alumna Karrie Auger, the first Edmonton class was a great success, with all of the participants receiving a certificate of completion from the Faculty of Native Studies. Inspired Minds is volunteer-driven, and most of our class facilitators are upper-level undergraduate or graduate students from the University of Alberta and the University of Saskatchewan.

If you are interested in volunteering with us, please contact Dr. Van Styvendale at nancy.vanstyvendale@ualberta.ca for information about our application and training process.