PHOENIX projects fall into two categories: Community In-Reach (courses in the prison) and In-the-Community Projects. PHOENIX is built on an anthropological model bridging cultural differences between the criminal/prison subculture and the culture of the community-at-large. There are two primary keys to making this model work. The first is the participation of community volunteers that teach and learn alongside the convict and/or ex-convict. The second is the participation of ex-convict Cultural Advisors. These are people who have been in prison, gone through a process of training and personal transformation, and made a successful transition into the community.

 PHOENIX employs the leadership principles of broad-based community organizing drawn from Saul Alinsky’s Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) model. The aim is to create a Relational Culture, that is, a culture of relationships. This is also called a culture of relational power. This power strengthens much needed pro-social support for people making the transition from prison to the community by providing a network of positive connections in the community. Virtually all activities include one-to-one conversations, small group discussions and large group plenaries. PHOENIX is a member institution of the IAF’s Portland affiliate, the Metropolitan Alliance for Common Good (MACG). This allows for an ever-broadening field where strong relationships can take root in the community.