Red Tent Womens Initiative

Looking at our 2018 cohort, the Red Tent class impacts reducing recidivism. While nationally 44% return to jail in the first year, a woman taking the Red Tent class while in jail returns to jail only 24% in the first year. And for those that do return, it's the longest time that they have been out of jail since 2005.

Self esteem is improved with data showing most women exit feeling better about themselves than they have their entire lives.

Knowing the significant impact of the program, Red Tent has adopted the vision statement: A Red Tent class exists in every jail and prison through out the world.

Red Tent's intention is to reduce the 700% increase in the incarceration of women in the US from 1990 - 2017. Without this program, there is no opportunity for women to receive the support, knowledge and skills to improve their lives while in jail. Otherwise they leave the jail in the same state as they entered. We are missing a real opportunity to change lives without Red Tent.

Currently Red Tent has gained the benefit of a Stanford University expert in Instructional Design to capture our curriculum and fine tune it. We are working together weekly to fine tune it and develop a professional package. We also want to document the best practices, the additional activities that need to happen in a jail and create training modules for training other jails/prison. The goal is to have this complete by year end of 2020.

We have gained support of our county jail to institute a second class. This class will be used to implement the newly captured curriculum and test it out to tweak and refine it. Currently we need to raise the money to fund this second class. The goal is to have the funds raised and personnel hired by year end 2020.

The board is tasked with examining current models implemented by other organizations of how to take the Red Tent class to other jails and prisons. The decision of the forward structure is expected to be made of year end 2020.

In 2021 we want to experience the Red Tent class in jails of surrounding counties. Some of these counties have already expressed interest. This is expected to be easy entry and allow Red Tent to further test our model but now outside our current county.

Red Tent has been operating the Red Tent class in our county jail since 2012. We have significant experience and knowledge conducting this class.

In Jan. 2019, Red Tent hired their first CEO who has 30+ years experience of turning around organizations and growing new initiatives. The leadership expertise is present to undertake and lead this initiative.

Outcomes have been identified and research continues to understand the benefits of the program. It is well proven that Red Tent positively impacts the women involved and reduces the likelihood of returning to jail.

We have identified and attracted a qualified person to work with Red Tent on capturing our curriculum and developing measurement tools. She is a Phd in Instructional Design who currently is employed with Stanford University and develops curriculum and training modules for medical doctors. She travels the world speaking and advising organizations in this area and is an international expert. She is engaged and passionate about our mission and was willing to volunteer and support this goal.

Red Tent has approached the jail and gained their support to open a second class. This allows us a test environment for our newly captured curriculum and training modules.

Red Tent has contacts in surrounding counties to engage conversation on expanding the program to other county jails for testing the curriculum and training new trainers.

The board has adopted a vision statement that leads the way for this expansion: A Red Tent class exists in every jail and prison throughout the world. The board is energized and excited with this vision.

What's next:
1. Curriculum and training models completed by Dec. 31, 2020
2. Funds are raised and staff hired for the second class at the Pinellas County Jail by Dec. 31, 2020.
3. Model for expansion to other jails and prison is adopted by the board by Dec. 31, 2020.
4. In 2021, the curriculum and training modules are tested in the local county jail as well as jails in surrounding counties. The curriculum is refined, tweaked and improved best practices are documented.