Service Learning Turned Inside Out: Teaching a Social Justice and Advocacy Course in Prison

Advocacy is intrinsically bound to nursing though our history and the principles of the Nursing Code of Ethics (ANA, 2015). Nursing education must prepare nurses to enter the profession fully cognizant of their role of advocate and change agent. Thus, it is essential for nurses to understand the concept of social justice as well as recognize and address social injustice (Einhellig, Gryskiewicz & Hummel, 2016).

This presentation will explore the impact of teaching a social justice and advocacy course using the Inside Out pedagogy (http://www.insideoutcenter.org). This highly experiential and transformative pedagogy was used to teach an undergraduate nursing service learning course inside a medium security prison. The class was composed of fourteen "inside" (incarcerated) students and fourteen "outside" (nursing) students.

Students explored issues of social justice using Harro's Cycle of Socialization and Liberation (2000). This served as the vehicle to unpack privilege and oppression in search of “common ground" and shared humanity. Topics covered included social justice, social inclusion/exclusion, social determinates of health, privilege, and oppression. Students worked in small groups on projects designed to bring awareness to a social justice or advocacy issue. Projects focused on empowerment and strategies to support the wellbeing of marginalized and oppressed groups. Incarceration, transition, and reentry were discussed as students explored the possibility for change, transformation, liberation, and redemption.

Throughout the course, students engaged in courageous conversations and small group activities to address stigma and challenge misconceptions based on privilege and oppression as well as unconscious bias. Students leaned into learning edges and pushed out from their comfort zone to connect with each other in an authentic and meaningful way. These encounters supported the development of social empathy and an awakening to the role of nurse as advocate.

Weekly reflective papers served to process class experiences and relate readings and theories to the class "lived" experience. These student papers provided evidence of increased self-awareness and shifting perspectives on privilege, oppression, intersectionality, and incarceration. Students noted the importance of active engagement in the political process and development of social policy. Final projects included a book for children on the impact of racism, a play on the stigma of mental illness, a research project on the impact of stereotypes and stigma related to incarceration, an empowerment/support group for incarcerated men, and an exploration of access to health care in prison. Final course papers highlighted the transformational nature of the course for both inside and outside students.

This high impact teaching strategy resulted in enhanced student ability to think critically and analyze social justice and advocacy needs. Nursing students expressed an increased awareness of the role of nursing in addressing and confronting social injustices. Both inside and outside students reported a greater sense of self-awareness and comfort in engaging in crucial conversations. Students demonstrated a sense of empowerment with a strengthened sense of self and improved advocacy skills. This encounter decreased the stigma toward incarcerated individuals and served to promote a sense of universality among students by breaking down the walls that separated them.