The children of prisoners are six times more likely than their peers to end up in prison as adults.
They are very often the forgotten victims of crime, facing unique struggles and challenges as they grow up with a parent in prison.
The Extraordinary Lives program exists to offer prisoners’ children ongoing support, encouragement and an understanding of who God created them to be. In this way, it aims to break the intergenerational cycle of crime and incarceration within families.
Through your support, the program cares for children in five important ways:
One-on-one Mentoring
Children are connected to a long-term, local mentor who will help guide, encourage and support them to positively connect with their families, schools and local communities. Mentors help counteract negative peer pressures towards unhealthy relationships, drugs and alcohol.
Camp for Kids
Through Camp for Kids and Day Camps, children of prisoners are given the opportunity to spend quality time with peers and mentors who understand what they are going through. As well as having fun together through games and activities, camps help children learn new skills, build resilience and, most importantly, meet Jesus. This fun and safe space allows for honest conversations and connections, reducing loneliness and helping kids build healthy, long-term friendships.
Educational Support
When a parent goes to prison, the family often loses a breadwinner. This can leave them in financial hardship, making it hard to put food on the table or buy school uniforms, books or stationery. Extraordinary Lives provides the support families need so that no child goes without.
Prison Visit Support
While many children wish to visit their parent in prison more frequently, they are often limited by their guardian’s availability or relationship with the inmate. Extraordinary Lives mentors help facilitate extra visits as appropriate, preserving and honouring the relationship between a child and their parent.
Angel Tree
Through our partnership with local churches and volunteers, thousands of children across Australia receive gifts at Christmas time, generously donated and given to them on behalf of their parent in prison. This helps maintain the special connection between a child and their mum or dad, letting kids know their parent still loves them and is thinking of them.
When you support Extraordinary Lives, you help children build solid foundations to set them up for the rest of their lives.
Impact
One-on-one mentoring
Camps that provide positive experiences and influences
Angel Tree gifts at Christmas time
Assistance to visit a parent in prison
Educational support
