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SPOTLIGHT ON 4-6STORYBOOK DADS 7MIND PUZZLER 8-9FRY HOUSING TRUST 10-11ST MUNGOS 13 BOOK CORNER 14-15

CONTENTS

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THE EDITOR&THIS ISSUE...

NEW LOOK!NEW IDEAS!WE ARE CHANGING TOO!

WELCOME TO OUR READERS

elcome to our new restyled Inside&Out Magazine. Sorry for the delay in bringing this issue to you, but we lost our first

Graphic Designer. I am really pleased to say though, that we have found a new person, Andrew Perkins, who has over 30 years’ experience in the editing and design business. The magazine is now much more colourful and interesting to read. We have greatly enhanced your reading experience and have a far more professional look. We hope you agree.As ever, we are actively seeking articles, artwork, poems, jokes, cartoons and letters etc. Anything will be gratefully received!We are also looking for any feedback on what you like, dislike about the magazine. Or what you would like!Remember this is your chance to express yourselves and show off your creative talents.Whether you are a member of staff or an offender/ex-offender and you are interested in becoming a representative to Inside&Out, contact me via the address below and I will send you further details.

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THE STAFF&CONTACTS

Editor Mark ClarkGraphicDesign&Layout Andrew Perkins

Proof ReadersCharlotte Pattison-RideoutDavid Roberts

MarketingTomorrow Together Sharon McAseyLeicester City LibrariesSupported byG.E Ellis Foundation, 25 Prisons, 16 Probation Trusts

ContactInside&Out MagazineC/O Zinthiya Trust,St Martins House,Peacock Lane, Leicester LE1 5PZTel: 0116 2626549Mobile: 07762695983E-mail: editor@inomag.org.uk

HELP US CREATE THE NEXT ISSUE

SEND US YOUR IDEAS, DRAWINGS, PUZZLES,ARTICLES, LETTERS OR ANYTHING YOU LIKE...

SPOTLIGHT ON...

HOW WE HELP CHANGE LIVES THROUGH THE “GATE PROGRAMME”

he programme that we run effects staff, prisoners and their families, young people and their fami-

l i e s , outside agencies and victims and helps break the cycle of committing fur-ther offences by those who take part and empowers them to make a change in help-ing others who are following in their foot-steps into a life of crime.

Since the programme was originally de-veloped it has evolved and we now have referrals from the Police, Local Schools, Councils and Charities.

It was through this that we received finan-cial backing of £88,000 from the local Po-lice and Schools to run the programme on a larger scale.

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HMP KINGSTON’S REDUCING REOFFENDING TEAM

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“...a number of these young people have now gone onto apprenticeships, joined drama classes and joined the

armed forces...

”

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Capacity to Change:

Step One...A selected group of young people will meet with prison staff in Austin House (Visitor’s Centre) to cover the following:

First Day into Custody• Types of Searching• What their accommodation •

will consist of

Prison Rules and consequences • of breaking them

The Regime• Do’s and Don’ts• Contact with Family and Friends •

(the stigma of prison)

Weapons found in prison•

Step Two...The group of young people will meet with selected prisoners under close supervision of prison staff, supervising adults and the CCTV system for visits. In this “Step” the young people will have an opportunity to discuss with the prisoners about their first hand experiences of the above subjects covered in “Step 1”. The prisoners select-ed for this “Step” are chosen as their past life history will mirror some of the young person’s life up to the date that they meet thus creating something they have in com-mon. The prisoner will then explain how they ended up in prison while trying to get the young person to realise the effect they are having on their selves, their family and their local community.Prisoners engaged with Step 2 will be able to include this experience in parole applications, therefore the young people

are also enabling prisoners to develop their own skills. They also get to use the tools they have been trained with prior to entering onto the programme. This train-ing provides prisoners with an accredited qualification in mentoring. The prisoners have completed 4 training workshops:

Confidentiality• Building Confidence• Working Safely• Dealing with Difficult Behaviour•

Prisoners from this training programme also buddy other vulnerable prisoners within the establishment in health and nutrition, emotional well being, educa-tion and learning, induction to HMP, the diversity and disability group, confidence building, violence reduction and the Re-storative Justice programme.

Step Three...The group will be required to carry out some employment tasks such as working in the print shop. This will be co-ordinated by a prison officer. Again this will bring another element of prison life to the young people taking part as there are many rules to follow when using equipment in a prison.

Prison staff and supervising adults • will assist in the supervision of the group.

Only certain areas within the • establishment will be used for this work ensuring that the general prison

population will be unable to come into contact with the young people

Some of the prisoners from step • 2 will attend to offer assistance in explaining what the job entails.

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article by Michael DonaldReducing Reoffending Officer

Step Four...

Here the young people meet the families of some of the prisoners who have been with them throughout the day discussing how their sons’ crimes have impacted on them as a family and the stigma that is at-tached to them within their community. We also invite the families of the young people to attend, if they feel comfortable, to say how it is affecting them as well as inviting some of the victims of the crimes to talk on how it has also affected them. This is a very powerful intervention for both the prisoners and the young people.

Since starting this part of the programme we put 57 (although another 32 young people have been through this element of the programme) young people with a regular pattern of offending or anti social behaviour through the programme and 45 have not reoffended and have turned their lives around. Youth Offending Teams have reported back to us that a number of these young people have now gone onto apprenticeships, joined drama classes and joined the armed forces. Remarkable fig-ures considering that some of the young people who had stopped committing crime had over 8-10 convictions against them, some with over 50 convictions. These figures show a reduction in reoffending that any organisation would be proud of and something we are all very proud of at HMP Kingston.

Schools and Charities30 young people have been through the programme at the request of their school, parents and Motiv8. Feedback from the schools said the majority are now engag-ing with their teachers and their parents.

“After the Friday session D asked me to take him to the army recruitment office so I took him

straight there after the session, he’s been speaking about it for ages but hadn’t actually motivated himself

to start the process and this session made him realise he needs to start getting his future sorted so that’s

a great positive

”“All the young people are still talking about the session,

discussing the stories they heard and bits of advice that the guys gave them. All the parents are extremely

pleased that their children did the session after hearing the feedback from them

”“As a member of society that’s done as bad as I’ve done and I’ve

got numerous victims, I owe this back and it’s the least I can do

”“I hope that if they come into any trouble in the future they’ll think

about me and remember that I’m in here doing time and maybe they

might turn things around

”

Some Quotes from the teachers and Motiv8

...and from prisoners

SPOTLIGHT ON...

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STORYBOOK DADS...

“ONCE UPON A LONG TIME AGO...”

RECORDING YOUR BEDTIME STORY FOR THE KIDS

torybook Dads is a charity ran in-side prisons to help fathers main-tain contact with their children

whilst in prison by recording a bedtime story. The story is edited, sound effects and music are added and it is put onto a CD before being sent to the child.

A recent study interviewed imprisoned fathers who had taken part in Storybook Dads, to discover how they thought the charity had helped them. • 96% of prisoners interviewed said that the charity helps them feel like a Dad again. “You can be at home, while you are actually still here. It absolutely gives me my role as father again”• Fathers also believed that by making the CD reassured their child that they were thinking of them. “Whenever she plays it, she will know that I still think of her and love her”• Prisoners who struggled reading found the charity extremely helpful as non-readers and prisoners who have difficulty reading can still take part. “I struggle reading but because of the way it’s edited, it’s a lot easier and sounds good for my son, its helped in a big way”• 25% of the prisoners interviewed said that Storybook Dads offered a practical help for the mother of their child. “It gives my wife a break from reading every night”• Prisoners also stated that they preferred Storybook Dads to a phonecall with their children because it meant they could have a role in bedtime when they wouldn’t usually have the opportunity. “She goes to bed a bit

S

later now and I can’t call that late so this way I can be part of her bedtime”On the whole, the study demonstrated that prisoners found the charity to be a posi-tive and useful additional source of con-tact with their children. The charity runs in over 90 UK prisons and is available for any fathers who want to send something special home. Some prisons are hoping and working to expand the charity to send DVD stories home for their children. The charity also runs in female prisons as Storybook Mums.The charity is often run from within the prison library but ask your Personal Of-ficer for information.

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WORDSEARCH SUDOKU

CROSSWORD

FRY HOUSING TRUST...

PROVIDING SUPPORT INTO HOUSING AND EMPLOYMENTFOR THE VUNERABLE

he programme that we run effects Fry Housing Trust is a Midlands-based charity and housing associ-

ation that provides supported accom-modation and floating support services for homeless people at risk of offending. The Trust is part of the Accord Group which is made up of seven organisations which together provide 11,000 affordable homes

and services including health and social care to up to 50,000 people. The Accord Group is also a member of the AIM Partnership which is a £2m Europe-an Social Fund Innovation, Transnational-ity and Mainstreaming (ITM) project to develop innovative approaches to reduc-ing recidivism through improving access and support into employment and self

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OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE HOMELESS

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has since increased further. The client said:

Not every client that Mike works with knows what line of work they want to go into. After working closely with one cli-ent to identify the areas of work she was interested in. Fry Housing Trust staff con-tacted local businesses and enquired about vacancies whilst promoting the skills of the client. She received two job offers fol-lowing successful interviews. She said:

Our case studies highlight just a few of the clients that have been supported to achieve their goals. Mike reports that 55% of cli-ents have engaged in either employment, training, education, or voluntary work which helps our clients to achieve more settled lives. Statistics from the Prison Re-form Trust show that when prisoners are asked which factors would stop them re-offending in the future, more stressed the importance of ‘having a job’ (68 per cent) and ‘having a place to live’ (60 per cent).

Fry Housing Trust is committed to con-tinuing to help ex-offenders and those at risk of offending to achieve both employ-ment and skills and safe and supportive accommodation.

employment for offenders, those at risk of offending and their families.As a result of being part of this unique partnership, Fry Housing Trust has been able to fund a specialist employment and skills coach. Mike Rogers works with cli-ents to support them to gain employment, access training and develop personalised employment- related skills. Mike’s role has played a really important part in helping many Fry Housing Trust clients to successfully make the transition back into employment and training, giv-ing them the self-confidence to also make changes in other areas of their lives too.

A Fry Housing Trust client received sup-port with setting up his own car valeting business. He received support to write a business plan, which after being submit-ted to funders led to him being success-fully awarded a grant to cover set up costs and ensure his business was sustainable in the long run. He said:

Mike also worked with a client who need-ed support into finding a voluntary posi-tion in a role he had previously worked in. After improving his confidence and employability skills we approached the placement provider to ask about the possi-bility of paid contracted hours. They were so impressed with his level of work that they offered him 12 hours per week. This

“ My business would

quite simply not have

happened if I had not met

Mike one afternoon.

I’m amazed with what

we have done together.

I am so proud of what

we have achieved together.”

“ Mike has offered

personal support in many

areas to build my confidence

to get back into work. ”

“ I received more help

and support from Mike than

I did from being with the job

centre for three years. ”

“A Fry Housing Trust client received support with setting up his own car valeting business.

”

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ST MUNGOS...

“I LOVE MY LIFE AS I AM NOW”

REBUILDING SHATTERED LIVES

n 2006 after the breakdown of my mar-riage, I found myself homeless. I was referred to a St Mungo’s project in Lon-

don, where I spent some time recovering for a few years. Unfortunately, things went wrong for me. I got involved in the wrong company and one thing lead to another. I found myself going down the wrong road. I got in trouble with the police and went to prison for two and a half years. I served 15 months, then I got referred to St Mungo’s again, this time in Earls Court. That’s when I re-ally got my act together. I started thinking about what I could do with my life. I weighed up the pros and cons.I was de-termined not to go back to prison. My keywork-er pointed out some of the work shops on offer there. I took advantage of most of these just to keep my mind focused on moving forward anddoing something meaningful with my time. I surprised myself by how much I really enjoyed meeting new friends and learning new skills. I developed the confidence to talk to people who were in the same boat as I was and to share my learning with them. It felt good. I really wanted to better myself; I started cookery classes, then Indian head massage. I couldn’t stand comput-ers at first. I thought my brain couldn’t handle it so I forced myself to just get on and do it. After the first few classes I found myself really getting into it. Roger the tutor has so much patience.

I For someone who used to hate computers, now I love them. Now I’m in my own flat and I’ve done it up so it looks great – and I bought my sofa bed online. My life is beginning to feel complete. I’ve come so far from where I was to where I’m at now. Everybody tells me how I look so much better and happier now. I am so proud of myself for just getting down to doing something educational and keeping busy while

staying away from the old company. I wouldn’t want to go back to that lifestyle again. I love my life as I am now. I’ve truly found myself again.Homelessness charity St Mungo’s has launched an 18 month campaign called Rebuilding Shat-tered Lives to raise awareness, share good prac-tice and drive lasting change for homeless and vulnerable women.

Share your comments at: www.rebuildingshatteredlives.org

or see www.mungos.org

BOOK CORNER...

MY LIFE AFTER IT WAS... IN MY OWN HANDS!

ho is Miguel Dean?

As well as being the father of two beautiful sons: Sol and Oakie I am currently the director and founder of a Community Interest Company: Youth Development and Training. The death of my mother at an early age meant that my childhood was challenging and tumultu-ous and this lead to many years as a young man in the shadowy world of drugs, vio-lence and homelessness. However as a re-sult of my experiences and through a long process of self rehabilitation I have found myself with the ideal qualities and skills to help others who also had a challeng-ing start to life. In addition to delivering training workshops to professionals and

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A BOOK BY MIGUEL DEAN

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This period also includes the challenges of divorce and illness. It ends happily at age 43 where I finally heal the wounds of my childhood and am able to finally have a loving relationship with a beauti-ful woman.

Level 2 is that it is a work that is designed to inspire and help others to heal. It is a ‘warts and all’ story where I share many incidents which I fell a little embarrassed about. I share my inner world of mixed up feelings and emotions that mostly have their roots in my largely unhappy child-hood. Throughout the book and at the end of each chapter are Life Lessons. These are principles and messages that I have; learnt from life that helped me and will help others too. The key messages of the book are:

Level 3 is that the book is an experiment in vulnerability. I believe that connection with other human beings is the most im-portant aspect of being happy. However we can not deeply connect with others while we are ashamed of ourselves and hide our vulerability. We all have a darker side and do things we are ashamed of. By sharing my self and my mistakes I hope it gives permission to others to forgive themselves, learn and move on.

To contact Miguel Dean or purchase your paperback or Kindle version of the book visit: www.steppingstonesinthemist.com

young people I have recently published my own autobiography: Stepping Stones in the Mist – Life lessons for overcoming adversity.

Why did I write the book?Many of my friends and people who I met said to me that it was amazing that I am where I am today despite the chal-lenges and difficult times that I have been through. It never really seemed like this to me; it was just my life and of course I knew no different. It was suggested a number of times that I write a book about my adventures but it always felt like much too big an undertaking. However one day I was feeling particularly frustrated and that my work was not really nourishing me anymore. My friend Will, who also happens to be an author coach asked me the question:’ What do you need to do in order to get things flowing again?’ Before I could really think about it my mouth moved and I found myself saying: ‘I need to write my story and share it with the world.’ I went home and the next day I began writing.

What is the book about?

The book has different levels:

Level 1 is a story about what happened to me from the moment I left home and my life was in my own hands. The intro-duction touches briefly on the death of my mother at an early age and my childhood at the hands of an abusive stepmother. It tells about drugs, violence, crime and homelessness. After hitting rock bottom and deciding that I wanted to do some-thing with my life it tells the story of how I got my act together, got interested in learning and began helping other people.

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• If I can overcome this adversity

then you can overcome the challenges

you face too.

• There is actually a gift in adversity

and it can help you become a better

human being

Miguel DeanAuthor

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