Creative Writing Workshop Tours DOC Facilities

​A partnership with Widener University and University of Rostock (Germany) brought a one-day Creative Writing Workshop to six DOC facilities in March. Andrea Zittlau (Rostock) and Jayne Thompson (Widener) co-facilitated the four-hour workshops, which consisted of an icebreaker and several reading/writing activities for 18-20 participants. Zittlau and Thompson have brought the event to a variety of community facilities, and from March 6-13, they held it at SCIs Huntingdon, Houtzdale, Muncy, Waymart and Chester, as well as the Quehanna Boot Camp.

The workshops are designed for everyone, including those who don’t think they’re the best writers, and participants received certificates of participation at the end. The goal is to simply encourage participants to practice writing and to think creatively. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and the Office of Reentry plans to bring Zittlau and Thompson back so more facilities can participate.

Take a look at feedback from incarcerated participants at Quehanna Boot Camp and SCI Huntingdon: