Inspire & equip
GLS for the Correctional Community Toolkit
A Leadership Journey for Correctional Facilities
Overview
Transforming lives through leadership
Welcome to the Global Leadership Summit (GLS) for the Correctional Community Toolkit. You’ve already recognized the transformative potential of bringing GLS content into correctional facilities. This toolkit provides the practical resources, guidance, and best practices to effectively implement and lead GLS cohorts within correctional environments.
Your role as a facilitator creates spaces where participants can discover their leadership potential, regardless of their circumstances. Through these cohorts, you’re not just sharing leadership principles—you’re fostering community, encouraging personal growth, and opening pathways to transformation.
Special message from David Ashcraft, President and CEO of the Global Leadership Network
QUICK START GUIDE:
Leading a GLS Cohort Experience
1. Complete the Training Resources
Review all video trainings in this toolkit to understand best practices for prison ministry facilitation.
2. Know What Group Your Leading
Prepare with your audience in mind. You may be leading either (1) residents of a correctional facility (2) the correctional facility leadership and officers or (3) those doing ministry in corrections environments. Know who you’re leading and prepare accordingly.
3. Access GLS.now
Log in to your GLS.now account to preview Summit content and familiarize yourself with the materials.
4. Download Discussion Materials
Print discussion guides and necessary supplementary materials for your cohort sessions.
5. Download Videos
Save video content to your iPad or phone for offline viewing in facilities where internet access is limited.
6. Lead Your Cohort
Using the guidance provided, begin facilitating transformative leadership discussions with your participants.
TRAINING Resources
Best practices for leading summit experiences
A testimonial video highlighting the impact of the summit in prisons
Presenting the Summit to Correctional Facilities Leadership: Presented by Alex
How to effectively communicate the value of Summit leadership development to prison administrators and staff.
Key takeaways:
- Request a meeting with correctional facility leadership to share summit vision
- Bring promotional materials, impact and story videos on this website, an example of a talk
Implementing the Summit Experience: Presented by Alex
Essential strategies for creating effective Summit experiences within the unique context of correctional facilities.
Getting Started with Summit in Prison: Presented by Bo
Practical first steps and considerations when launching a Summit cohort in a prison environment.
Representing Summit in Corrections Environments: Presented by Bo
Guidelines for maintaining the integrity of the Summit mission while adapting to institutional requirements.
Allowing Content to Transform, Not Just Inform: Presented by Bo
Strategies for facilitating deep engagement with leadership concepts that leads to personal transformation.
Using Summit ContentYear-Round: Presented by Bo
Approaches for creating sustained leadership development through consistent application of Summit principles.
TRAINING Resources
Becoming an effective Cohort Facilitator
Characteristics of an Engaged Facilitator
• Be Open and Curious
Everyone brings unique perspectives to the discussion. Create space for different viewpoints and be willing to learn alongside participants.
• Be Respectful and Engaged
Ensure everyone has an opportunity to speak before adding another thought. Active listening demonstrates the value you place on each person’s contribution.
• Be Focused and Concise
Keep conversations centered on leadership growth and connection. Guide discussions back to key principles when they begin to drift.
• Be Willing to Table It
When discussions go off-topic but reveal important areas of interest, acknowledge their value and suggest revisiting them at another time.
• Has the Summit DNA
We strongly encourage you to attend a Global Leadership Summit
Deliverables of a Successful Facilitator
• Preparation of Resources
Print discussion guides and download videos before each session, ensuring all materials are ready and accessible.
• Coordination with Prison Leadership
Work proactively with facility staff to schedule appropriate times and locations for cohort meetings.
• Optimal Room Setup
Arrange seating in a circle with a TV/screen positioned for clear viewing by all participants, creating an environment of equality and engagement.
• Effective Time Management
Begin and end sessions promptly, demonstrating leadership principles through your respect for participants’ time.
• [Download] Facilitator Checklist
A comprehensive preparation checklist to ensure you have everything needed before each session.
Suggested Cohort Flow
• 5 minutes: Vision and Opening
Set the tone by affirming participants’ leadership potential and influence, regardless of current circumstances.
• 30 minutes: Leadership Content
Watch the selected leadership video for the session. Review ahead of time and determine to watch the video in full or pause at various intervals and facilitate discussion.
• 3 minutes: Personal Reflection
Provide quiet time for participants to identify their top two takeaways from the presentation.
• Remaining time: Guided Discussion
Facilitate conversation using questions from the discussion guide, encouraging application of concepts to participants’ unique contexts.
ACCESS GLS.now
Accessing leadership content on GLS.now
This specialized access ensures you have all the necessary leadership resources specifically curated for correctional community contexts. From here, you can preview videos, download discussion guides, and prepare for your cohort sessions.
Setting up your access to GLS content is a straightforward process:
1. Go to GLS.now
Visit the GLS.now website to begin.
2. Create an Account
Start by setting up your personal account if you don’t already have one.
3. Redeem Your Voucher Code
Click on the purple REDEEM HERE button located at the bottom of the home page.
4. Enter Your Unique Code
Follow the onscreen prompts and enter the unique voucher code that was sent to you in your welcome email when you were approved as a correctional community cohort leader.
5. Access Correctional Community Materials
Once your code is successfully redeemed, you’ll see a new “Correctional Community” tab appear at the top of the GLS.now home screen. This tab contains all the specialized content for your prison ministry cohorts.
Whether you are leading a cohort for correctional facility residents, for correctional facility leadership and officers, or for those ministering in correctional facilities, we have a line up for content curated specifically for you.
Download Discussion Materials
Correctional Community Cohort
Preparing Your Technology Setup
Before leading your cohort session, you’ll need to determine the best way to present the Summit content based on your facility’s technological capabilities:
1. Presenting with Internet Access
If your correctional facility permits internet access:
- Bring your laptop or computer to the session
- Ensure the facility has an HDMI connection or appropriate display adapter
- Connect your device to the facility’s display equipment
- Stream the videos directly from your GLS.now account during the session
2. Presenting without Internet Access
If internet access is limited or unavailable:
- Download the GLS.now app on your mobile phone, tablet, or other smart device
- Log in to your account through the app
- Navigate to the appropriate video for your upcoming session
- Download the talk prior to your visit (while connected to WiFi)
- Important: Downloaded videos remain available for 7 days to protect speaker copyright
- At the facility, connect your device to the available display using AirPlay, Chromecast, or an HDMI adapter
- Play the pre-downloaded video through the correctional facility’s equipment.
Planning Considerations
- Contact the facility in advance to confirm available equipment and connectivity options
- Test your setup before your first session
- Have a backup plan in case of technical difficulties
This preparation ensures your cohort experiences seamless access to transformative leadership content regardless of the facility’s technological limitations.
Download Discussion Materials
Downloadable Resources
For Facility Staff and Communication
[Download] Correctional Facility Information Sheet A professional one-page overview explaining the Summit leadership program to share with prison administration and staff.
[Download] Program Signage Printable signs for posting outside and inside your meeting location to identify and promote your leadership cohort.
For Participants
[Download] Personal Leadership Journal Template A simple template participants can use to record their insights and growth throughout the program. You may choose to print this out for the participants each time you meet. As a facilitator, you may choose to use this template or use the more graphically complex version of discussion guides connected to each video.
To access the other discussion guides, follow these steps:
- In GLS.now, navigate to the appropriate curated line up of leadership lessons
- Click play on the video
- Click the back button on the top left of the video
- Click the arrow next to “Supporting Documents”
- Review, download, and print the corresponding discussion guide
LEADERSHIP SESSIONs
6-Week Program Timeline Suggestion
You will be able to choose from a variety of leadership lessons in the GLS.now line up to best suit the needs of your cohort. You may extend the cohort duration past 6 weeks or make it shorter.
Below is a recommended schedule for implementing a 6-week leadership development cohort for…
Residents of Correctional Communities.
Week 1:
- Orientation & Introduction
- Welcome video from David Ashcraft
- Expanding Your Leadership Capacity, Criag Groeschel
Week 2:
- Rejection Proof, Jia Jiang
Week 3:
- Hello Fears!, Michelle Poler
Week 4:
- The Hope Paradox, Krish Kandiah
Week 5:
- Leadership that Inspires Growth, Sam Adeyemi
Week 6:
Soar, Bishop T.D. Jakes
Correctional Community Leadership and Officers.
Week 1:
- Orientation & Introduction
- Welcome video from David Ashcraft
- What All Leaders Have in Common, John Maxwell
Week 2:
- Require Civility to Lead, Shola Richards
Week 3:
- Permission to Obsess, Craig Groeschel
Week 4:
- Negotiating as if Your Life Depends On It, Chris Voss
Week 5:
- Leadership that Inspires Growth, Sam Adeyemi
Week 6:
- Soar, Bishop T.D. Jakes
Ministry Leaders Serving in Correctional Communities.
Week 1:
- Orientation & Introduction
- Welcome video from David Ashcraft
- Lead Like it Matters, Craig Groeschel
.
Week 2:
- Relaxed, Megan Marshman
Week 3:
- The Critical Role of Empathy in Leadership, Johnny C. Taylor, Jr.
Week 4:
- The Hope Paradox, Krish Kandiah
Week 5:
- Rejection Proof, Jia Jiang
Week 6:
- What All Leaders Have in Common, John Maxwell
Measuring Impact
Participant Feedback Form
Session Evaluation Form A simple tool to help you assess each session and track progress throughout the 6-week program.
Facilitator Feedback Form
Session Evaluation Form A simple tool to help you assess each session and track progress throughout the 6-week program.
Program Completion
Recognizing Achievement
Leadership Cohort Certificate A professional certificate template you can customize and print to acknowledge residents who complete the program.
Next Steps for Facilitators
- Consider facilitating an advanced leadership cohort for program graduates
- Invite graduates to help mentor new participants in future cohorts
- Connect with other prison ministry chaplains to share experiences and best practices
- Explore additional Summit content for continued development
Support & Contact Information
For any questions or assistance with your Correctional Community Cohort, please reach out to your initial point of contact. This person will be familiar with your specific situation and can provide tailored guidance for your context.
If you need technical support with the GLS.now platform or content access, please include “GLS for the Correctional Community Support” in your subject line when contacting your representative.