Prison mentoring 'a success'

A pilot programme focusing on mentoring prisoners to encourage them to come up with business ideas has been deemed a success by prison authorities.

The programme was funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and Business Link, and aimed to alleviate the pressure of securing a job on ex-offenders by giving them the ability to set up their own businesses.

The pilot, called ‘Could you give yourself a job?’ ran at Springhill Open Prison and Grendon Secure Prison in Buckinghamshire. It consisted of one-to-one mentoring which ran alongside voluntary workshops, and focused on the elements of coming up with a realistic business concept such creative thinking, personal skills, goal setting, market research and feasibility.

It has been found that unemployment is a key factor in re-offending, as individuals feel forced to turn to crime for an income when they are unable to support themselves financially.

One of the participants at Springhill Open Prison commented: “The course looked into the individual, and helped us to highlight our own strengths and weaknesses.

“The programme resulted in every student not only walking away with an idea for their future but more importantly left us with a better understanding of ourselves and our potential”.

Whether the pilot will be rolled out to other prisons is as yet unknown.

http://www.mentoring-uk.org.uk/community121/communityarticles/view_article.asp?id=176