sESSION 3: Understanding Probation & Reentry Advocates Training
Learn how to support people navigating probation, reentry, and the challenges of returning to the community.
Volunteers will learn about common probation and reentry barriers and how to connect individuals with resources related to housing, employment, services, and community support.
Understanding Probation & Reentry: Justice Advocate Training
Volunteers will learn how to:
Understand how probation works — conditions, supervision, reporting requirements, violations, and common challenges.
Recognize common barriers to successful reentry, including housing, employment, transportation, identification, and access to services.
Help individuals understand their probation requirements and identify questions or concerns they may need to raise with their probation officer or attorney.
Document probation-related concerns clearly and accurately.
Identify potential rights or due-process concerns and know when an issue should be referred to legal professionals.
Navigate reentry resources and connect individuals with housing, employment, education, transportation, and other community services.
Understand what happens when someone is accused of violating probation and where they can seek appropriate legal assistance.
Advocate without providing legal advice, maintaining appropriate boundaries as a community volunteer.
Support people returning from incarceration with dignity, consistency, and a second-chance approach.
Recognize systemic barriers that can make successful reentry difficult and identify opportunities for community advocacy.
Follow AADM's Community Defense Team process for documenting concerns, making referrals, and escalating cases when appropriate.
The Justice Advocate Skill
UNDERSTAND → DOCUMENT → CONNECT → ADVOCATE
The goal is for volunteers to leave knowing how to help someone navigate probation and reentry without trying to be their lawyer or probation officer.
AADM Community Defense Team volunteers help people understand the system, find the right resources, document problems, and advocate for fair treatment.