Formerly Incarcerated Turns Author and Artist Prepares others for Transformation
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Chris Wilson, author of The Master Plan: My Journey from Life in Prison to a Life of Purpose, has launched an interactive online course to help incarcerated people prepare for successful reintegration into their communities and growth during their incarceration. Rooted in Wilson’s personal experience navigating life in and after prison, the course provides a framework to help participants reimagine their futures and discover their purpose.
The course builds upon key lessons from Wilson’s 2019 book, sharing his life story and guiding readers through the process he developed to earn an education, learn new skills, and invest in overall wellness while incarcerated. The book serves as the foundation for the new course, in which participants interact with multimedia content focused on Wilson’s key lessons to create their own “master plans.”
“We know that current approaches to rehabilitation in prison often fail to live up to their intentions. High rates of recidivism make that plain,” says Wilson. “What so many rehabilitation efforts lack is the core belief that the lives of incarcerated people are truly redeemable. Reminding ourselves of our own humanity and our potential for growth is what leads to real change.”
Wilson’s new course will cover 10-units of content that build upon core themes including education, rehabilitation and therapy, job-skill training, and re-entry planning. Available in self-paced or facilitated formats, the course reinforces central themes using videos, interactive digital education tools, and other resources. Supplemental materials including playlists, book recommendations, and TedTalks have been curated by Wilson to support full immersion into the principles of the course.
The course will be made available at no charge to incarcerated individuals in partnership with the education-technology company, APDS who co-developed the course with Wilson. An initial pilot run at Rikers Island in New York has occurred with an overwhelming positive response.
“At APDS, we believe that education is a source of empowerment and opportunity for incarcerated people,” says Arti Finn, Co-Founder of APDS. “Through his book, Chris has already served as an ally and mentor to thousands of individuals across the country. The course that he has created opens up the potential for even more people to benefit from his experiences and begin to imagine the new possibilities for their own lives.”
