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The Prison Link Resettlement Programme

We are presently working in partnership with Yellow Ribbon to help coordinate mentors and mentees. Up untill the changes of Transforming Rehabilitation we worked with the National Probation service and the community Rehabilitation Companies  to resettle Black and Asian prisoners who are serving twelve months or more in prison, working with them whilst they are in prison or on release.

 

The helped ex prisoners  that were returning to the  Birmingham and Sandwell areas. Prison Link understand that active support is a crucial part in resettlement. We still work closely with prisoners families because research has shown that family support usually helps prevent or reduce the risk of further offending in the individual. The relationship between offenders and their families can deter and both groups can find themselves isolated from one and another for linguistic and/or cultural  our service is culturally sensitive.

 

Our main objectives are to help ex-offenders find accommodation, training and employment on release. We also help them access a network of providers that help with drug rehabilitation and other resettlement needs. As well as supporting individuals to achieve tangible goals, we are keen to empower individuals and guide them by influencing their thinking and planning skills. A way that we do this is by creating a person-centred action plan that is designed to meet the holistic needs of the individual and this occurs very early in our intervention. programme and it has proved to be a very successful programme.  

Other projects of Prison Link

  • Basic training in Prison Work course is a ten-week training course that both volunteers and staff would have to complete. The training is also available for community workers and individuals that work in other areas of the criminal justice system. This training course is delivered four times each year and twice at Birmingham City University

  • The Penpal Club for prisoners

  • The Rose Project that works particularly with families

  • Black history and diversity promotion in prisons

  • The Chaplaincy support service and that features Christian support in prison chaplains

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The basic Training in Prison Work

Ricky Dehaney CEO  Prison Link   

Aim of the course: To prepare students to work with offenders, Safely, Professionally and effectively.

Objectives; By the end of the course students will have taken part in a role play that explores good practice when working with prisoners, will have visited and toured a prison, will have visited and toured a police station, will have completed a next step form.

Why was the course created

A response to Director General of prisons  - Phil Wheatley in 2004

Impact / success

  • Many people Working in criminal justice areas –

  • E.G. Bethan Hawkes now working in B-ham Prison. Mark Thomas did the course back in 2012 and is now a Probation Officer in Brinsford prison. Avril Grant now training prisoners nationally in self - development. Peter Morrison a black inventor went on to launch an inventor's project in Featherstone prison after completing the course. This was featured in the Voice National newspaper. Black Historian, Doctor Tony Talbot went on to deliver  Black history sessions in Stafford Prison after completing the course.

  • Trained staff of WAITS (Women Acting in Today's society) they now run a project after completing the course

  • Trained key staff from Hebron House they now run a drop in centre near Birmingham Prison

  • Prison Link awarded by Bob Jones former Police and crime commissioner for training over 1000 people in 2012

  • Special award by West Mids police for success in helping people to progress into Police as special constables  2015

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