1. Positive steps forward
Karen Adriaanse
Senior Associate
22 March 2018

2. Inspiration in Custody in the WM 2017/18
 Motivational courses and speaker events
 Courses for employment and business start-ups
 Job fairs
42 events overall; 15 different types of events; 16 specialist providers
reaching 724 prisoners
Wide range of special projects involving 277 prisoners and 28 staff.
Just over 1000 attendances by prisoners.

3. Evaluating the activities
• seven focus groups with a total of 28 prisoners who have participated in
seven different courses on visits to HMP Featherstone, HMP Oakwood and
HMP Hewell
• one focus group at HMYOI Brinsford with four members of prison staff
who had participated in a one-day training event
• the review of completed evaluation forms from 20 courses in HMP
Featherstone, HMP Oakwood and HMP Hewell, HMP Birmingham, HMYOI
Brinsford, covering 10 different providers
• interviews with 6 key stakeholders, including prison staff, education
managers, employers and managers of the National Careers Service at
Prospects.

4. The teacher was very
helpful and
understanding and
explained everything
to us.
The tutor was awesome and
genuinely hopes things go well
for you.
They were
excellent
tutors, and
very
professional
I was
inspired by
the tutor.
Very
enthusiastic.
The speaker
was different
– very down
to earth.
What a powerful
speaker!
The tutor was
very
knowledgeable
and delivered
with energy and
passion.

5. Prisoners’ thoughts on the overall impact of
attending the motivational talks:
 ‘I have learnt not to give my addiction too much power and to just say
no.’
 ‘I know I have to get the thought of using drugs out of my head, and
I’m now ready to ask for help.’
 ‘I’m looking forward to working with New Leaf to improve my life and
help others in the future.’
 ‘For me, it’s all about finding solutions – as it was for the speaker. I’ve
already learnt that I need to control my reactions. If I see my brother,
I’ll walk away.’

6. Prisoners’ thoughts on the overall impact of
attending the motivational courses:
‘‘The course has made me feel that I can achieve what I want to achieve. It
helped my mental state of mind.’
‘Since this course, I have already changed my attitude and behaviour. I will
never fulfil my dream if I continue to make trouble. So I’ve learnt to control
my temper and concentrate on planning for my future.’
‘The more you give the more you get out. This course has driven me to
take up other courses, such as anger management. I put in much more
effort that I would have done previously.’
‘This course helped me to get into the mental state I needed to be in to
benefit fully. It has helped me focus my energies on the right things.’

7. The impact of the enterprise and business start-up courses on
supporting prisoners’ development
‘I feel that running my own business is a real option now and that I’m at least a
step closer to planning to planning business.’
‘You wouldn’t find the information the tutor gave us in text books. This is because
the course was very practical and tailored to our individual projects.’
I’ve built up the confidence in making an elevator pitch - a succinct and persuasive
sales pitch for my own business. Although this was difficult at first, it was very
motivating once I’d done it.’

8. Special project: the HMP Featherstone choir
The most inspirational aspect was getting over the fear of
singing. ‘You have to be strong to do this – the achievement is
rewarding and inspirational. I used to think I could only croak.’
‘Singing in harmonies has meant that we have to work in a team;
be a good team player. We’ve all learnt a new skill, and we’ve
also all grown as individuals and as a team.’

9. What next?
• Ensuring that all prisoners are aware of the initiative and how it can
motivate them and hopefully reduce their chances of reoffending
• Measuring the impact of the activities on motivating those not
participating in learning and skills and work into taking positive action
to improve their skills while in custody, especially those with low
levels of English and maths
• Measuring the longer-term impact of the initiatives on prisoners in
custody and ex-offenders in the community.

10. Some useful references
• Adriaanse, K. (In Press) Review of prison education and training in England and Wales,
Exeter: dmh associates
• Hughes, D. (2018) Briefing Paper for the Education Select Committee on curtailment of
contracts for the National Careers Service in-custody from 1 April 2018, London: House of
Commons, February 2018
• Hughes, D. & Adriaanse, K. (In Press) An international literature review: education and
training in prisons, London: Prospects Group Services, December 2017
• Hughes, D., & Adriaanse, K. (2018) Adult Education: Important for Health and Well-Being,
Coventry, University of Warwick IER on behalf of the Institutes for Adult Learning
• Hughes, D., Adriaanse, K., & Barnes, S-A. (2016a) Adult Education: Too important to be
left to chance, commissioned by the All Parliamentary Group for Adult Education in
England, London: House of Commons, Westminster
CONTACT: dmh associates
Email: deirdre.hughes3@btinternet.com Visit: www.dmhassociates.org
Tel: 07533 545057
Twitter: @deirdretalks