How to Become a Guest Speaker at a Prison

Always put safety first at prison speaking engagements.

Prisoners often feel forgotten by the outside world, so if you're thinking about becoming a guest speaker at a prison, applaud yourself. Whether you want a career in motivational speaking or only want to participate in one speaking engagement at a prison, it's important to have a specific message, know your role and have a passion to help prisoners.

Things You'll Need

• Courage
• Telephone
• Internet connection

Instructions

1. Discover what topic you want to speak to prisoners about. Are you trying to motivate prisoners, give them reentry advice, orient them towards future goals or something else?

2. Query prisons in your area. Use the phone book or the Internet to find contact information, then call or email the director of the prison or a comparative higher-up to figure out the process the prison has for accepting guest speakers.

3. Consider partnering with another motivational speaker, such as a reformed prisoner, to build more trust in the message you deliver. Also, consider partnering with local non-profits or government agencies so you will appear more legitimate.

4. Plan ahead by creating a manuscript or general outline of what you want to say in your guest speech. Prepare some answers to common questions that may come up throughout your speech.

5. Consider creating a flyer or resource guide for prisoners, so they can continue to reap the benefits of your message long after you have left.

Tips & Warnings

• Set clear boundaries with prisoners to avoid problems in the future.

References

• Prison Ministry Partners of San Antonio; Top Eight Things Volunteers Are Not; Alyson R. Quinn

Resources

• The Billy Graham Center; Institute for Prison Ministries