Faces of CSC: Gary Jonah: Building empathy and skills behind bars

August 1st, 2025

For more than three decades, Gary Jonah has dedicated his life to helping those society often overlooks. While he started his career as an industrial arts teacher in Nova Scotia and the Northwest Territories, Gary’s journey later took him to California, where he taught in a medium-security prison, and eventually back to Canada. Since 1989, the school teacher of correctional programs has been a fixture at Dorchester Penitentiary, working under contract for several external educational organizations. It is here he established the Basic Skills Shop—a space that has transformed countless lives.

The Basic Skills Shop is a haven for inmates with learning disabilities, mental health challenges, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), and behavioral issues. While woodworking has become its primary focus, it’s a space for offenders to not only build tangible projects but also rebuild their sense of self-worth as they prepare for life outside prison walls. The shop provides a collaborative environment for inmates to learn basic work skills, improve their social interactions, and develop empathy—all skills essential for their rehabilitation and eventual reintegration into society.

Gary’s approach is rooted in the belief that every individual has value. By providing opportunities for personal and professional growth, and acting as a resource and advocate, he helps inmates see themselves as more than their mistakes. “Gary is a walking saint,” one participant remarked, a comment that truly captures the essence of his impact.

Another striking example of the shop’s transformative power comes from Dale, an inmate struggling to integrate into prison life and on the verge of being transferred to a higher-security institution. Gary, being confident in the power of the program, asked for more time with the offender because he knew it would help. After a week in the shop, Dale’s behaviour changed dramatically and within several more weeks, he began mentoring others with their projects. He is still working in the shop to this day as a tutor. 

The shop also fosters a sense of purpose and empathy through community-oriented projects. Inmates have built bookcases for Springhill Institution, repaired furniture for the Salvation Army, and created benches for the Dorchester Walking Club. One particularly meaningful project involved repairing a wheelchair for someone in need.

“It’s hard not to develop some insight and caring for those with disabilities or who are less fortunate when you’re fixing their wheelchair so they can have their mobility back,” Gary explains.

Our focus for a long time has been to support projects with and for nonprofit groups, because it’s been such a good way to develop what I call empathy by osmosis.

Though Gary plans to retire someday, his legacy will endure in the lives he’s touched and the community he’s fostered. His work stands as a powerful reminder that compassion, patience, and dedication can change lives—even behind prison walls.