The Long-Term Impact of Prison Mentorship
By Bernie Martens
I was studying psychology and sociology at university when I first became involved with M2W2 in 1976. M2W2 was looking for volunteers, and I thought it would be a good way to learn, serve, and be part of something meaningful.
I didn’t know then how long the work would stay with me. Over the years, I served as a volunteer, worked on staff, coordinated prison visits, and helped support mentors across several institutions. Through it all, I came to believe that the strength of prison mentorship isn’t found in dramatic moments but in steady presence over time.
Showing Up Matters
Many people in prison have experienced disappointment, abandonment, and broken trust. Some have been let down by family, friends, institutions, and sometimes by themselves. Because of that, a mentor’s consistency can mean more than the mentor realises.
When a volunteer comes back month after month, it communicates something important. It tells a prisoner that they are worthy of someone else’s time, that they aren’t forgotten, and that someone is willing to know them as a person, not only an inmate. Together, they form a relationship that isn’t about one person fixing another, but about two people walking alongside each other with respect, honesty, and patience.
Trust Takes Time
Trust is one of the most important parts of prison mentorship, and it cannot be rushed.
Trust is fragile in a prison setting. A person may wonder whether the volunteer will keep coming, or whether they’re being judged. It isn’t unusual for mentees to test the relationship in small ways. When someone has experienced rejection many times, it can be hard to believe that another person will stay.
That’s why boundaries and honesty are so important. If a volunteer can no longer continue because of illness, family needs, a move, or another life circumstance, it should be handled with care. The person in prison deserves respect. They shouldn’t be left wondering what happened or feeling as though they have simply been abandoned again. I always felt it was best to talk openly and honourably about those transitions. If a relationship needs to end, it should end with dignity.
The same is true of faith. M2W2 is a Christian ministry, and faith has always been central to its identity. But faith should never be used as a form of pressure. I remember one mentee who had made it clear that he did not want to talk about religion. When that boundary was crossed, he felt violated. Trust was broken.
That stood out to me. A Christian presence should be patient, respectful, and grounded in love. Sometimes the most faithful thing a mentor can do is listen well and honour the person in front of them.
Restoring Dignity Through Responsibility
One of my favourite memories is of Christmas parties at the institutions.
Volunteers were often the ones to bring the food. I became uncomfortable with that arrangement. The volunteers were always giving, and the prisoners were always receiving. So, I began encouraging the men to take ownership of the gatherings.
And they did. They started pooling money. And over time, they saved enough to order food through the kitchen or plan a meal. When the volunteers arrived, the men were the hosts. That changed the whole feeling of the gathering. It was their money, their planning, their responsibility, and their gift.
They were proud of it, as they should have been. Instead of simply receiving kindness, they were offering hospitality to the volunteers. They were contributing something of their own.
Moments like that matter because prison can strip away a person’s sense of dignity and agency. Mentorship helps create spaces where dignity is recognised once more. People are more than the worst thing they have done. They are capable of responsibility, generosity, thoughtfulness, and care.
Mentorship Changes Both People
People often think of mentorship as one person helping another. There is truth in that, but it isn’t the whole truth.
I have always believed mentorship is a two-way street. The mentee learns from the mentor, but the volunteer also learns patience, humility, and courage, as well as how to listen without rushing to correct. They get a chance to see how complicated other people’s stories are and discover assumptions they didn’t realise they carried.
Healthy mentoring relationships don’t treat the person in prison as a project. They’re a human being, just like the mentor. They sit across from one another, not one above the other. That mutual respect allows both people to be honest and grow together.
The Lasting Impact of Faithful Presence
The impact of mentorship varies from person to person. Sometimes a relationship continues after release, sometimes it doesn’t. A mentee may move away, connect with another program, or decide they want to leave behind everyone associated with their prison experience and move forward.
That can be hard for a mentor, but it isn’t necessarily a failure. The goal isn’t to control the outcome but to be faithful while the relationship lasts. Mentors are there to let trust grow at its own pace, restore dignity through small acts of respect, and shine the light of hope through ordinary consistency rather than grand gestures.
If this kind of work resonates with you, I encourage you to keep exploring the role of a prison mentor. M2W2 offers a short training series that gives a clearer picture of what mentorship involves and whether this kind of commitment might be right for you.
Your presence can leave a lasting mark on someone who feels forgotten.
