Improving skills, health and employability for London prisoners

The Pitch

Problem statement

Our project is a response to high levels of re-offending. The Prison Service holds 83,500 people in 114 prisons & most will return to live in the community. However, reoffending rates are high - 64% of male prisoners reoffend within a year of release as do 42% of juveniles. This is a significant social issue costing £18 billion p.a. 50% of prisoners have no qualifications & most are reluctant to engage with education/training. We use football as a catalyst for change & to ‘hook’ in prisoners. Our educational project improves mental & physical health & gives them an advantage in gaining employment on release since we know that this will have the biggest positive impact on desistance.

Solution

The solution is a football-based course leading to an accredited qualification with the aim of supporting crime reduction & the development of healthy attitudes, approaches, & lifestyles. We will use the money to deliver 2 courses to 32 people within one or two London prisons. Learners will develop the skills to make more positive life choices & decisions & be empowered to re-write their futures & refrain from further crime. This project demonstrates there ARE opportunities for employment. Our learners leave with a qualification & relationships with their coaches that extend through the prison gate. Without these kinds of positive links, participants risk reoffending & returning to prison.

Why are we best placed to deliver?

We twin local prisons with local professional football clubs. Sports participation significantly improves prisoners’ health and wellbeing and can also be a positive influence serving as a catalyst for engagement. Professional football clubs are the epitome of aspiration with the ability to engage the disengaged and are uniquely placed to support ex-prisoners back into the community, help communities accept them and help with routes to employment and other opportunities which will support them to refrain from further offending. We work throughout England and Wales and have a presence in many prisons throughout those areas and have supported almost 600 people in 2022 alone.

Focus Areas

Delivery plan

Budget breakdown

Beneficiaries

32 people

Who will benefit

Expected impact

Our learners develop the skills to make more positive life choices and refrain from further crime. Specific differences we expect to see in participants include: -  Becoming more future focussed with perceived improved life chances and hope about their future life and employment.  Improved mental and physical health.  Improved communication skills and ability to work as part of a team.  The building of positive identities which are critical to reducing reoffending.  Improved relationships, empathy, and conflict resolution.  Improved resilience and confidence.  Improved choices and decision-making.  Being more prepared to enter employment upon release. A ‘ripple effect’ will also be felt across the wider community. There will be fewer victims of crime and people will feel safer on the streets and in their homes. Generational offending will also be reduced since boys with a father in prison are 3 times more likely to go on to offend themselves than their peers.

Track record

A recent participant at HMP Holme House said: I have benefitted from this course because it took me out of my cell where I overthink & feel depressed. When I was convicted, I felt like my chances in professional football were over but the Twinning Project have given me hope. I loved the course both the playing & learning & understanding about being a coach. Following my release, I want to carry on and explore the coaching side of things. A prison officer said: The prisoners have bonded well & as a group. Relationships have been formed that were unexpected but a pleasant surprise. Sport and recreational activities play an important part in a prison regime by providing an outlet for prisoners where they can interact with other people out of their usual peer group. PE makes a major contribution to the physical, mental and social well-being of prisoners and positively impacts on the good order and discipline within establishments.”