Appendix 3
Mentoring
1. Toe by Toe scheme—The
Shannon Trust is a charity devoted to the development of literacy
in our prisons through peer to peer mentoring. The charity encourages
prisons to develop mentor teams of inmates, who run daily one-on-one
lessons for illiterate fellow prisoners.
2. After several years of testing and development
of this simple idea, the Trust is now driving an expansion of
the successful system it has developed, across the entire prison
estate. The given statistic is that 67% of all adult prisoners
have a reading age below the age of 8. This equates to over 30,000
prisoners at any one time, and it is a moving parade. The aim
of the Shannon Trust is for every prison to be running the Toe
by Toe literacy scheme on every wing and for the probation service
to provide continuity in the months after release for those who
have not completed their training. By this means, we can begin
to tackle one of the significant causes of crime.
3. So far, the Shannon Trust's plan has produced
350 new readers and is currently teaching over a thousand. This
is far short of its aim to reach all 30,000. To do that, the Trust
will need far stronger support from the authorities. This is available
in Scotland and is hopefully coming in England but some political
interest would be of great value. We hope that the Plan will one
day become embedded and standard on every wing of every prison
so that, wherever a prisoner is sent, he/she can continue Toe
by Toe.
4. Currently the Shannon Trust meets all the costs,
relying on grants from Charitable Foundations. Everyone involved
works voluntarily and 75% of its funds goes on manuals. We are
convinced that the Plan works best when everyone is voluntary,
especially within the prisons. However, we recognise that, even
at £50 per new reader, 30,000 illiterate prisoners will constitute
a considerable burden on the charitable sector. If it does become
embedded, therefore, we would hope that the government might pay
for the manuals, leaving the Trust to concentrate on the motivation.[226]
Background information about the Trailblazer programme
at Feltham
Mission
5. "Trailblazers[227]
is committed to improving the lives of young offenders in custody
by developing their abilities and self esteem, through mentoring,
to enable them to make positive choices."
What is Trailblazers?
6. Trailblazers is a mentoring programme based inside
HMYOI Feltham, providing Mentors to male young offenders in custody
aged between 15 and 21. Mentees are linked to a Volunteer Mentor
from the community for approximately one year. Visits take place
inside the prison every 2 weeks during the last 6 months of his
sentence then continue for a further 6 months post-release to
help ease the transition back into society. In addition Trailblazers
also offer a life skills programme for prisoners, topics include
careers advice, job search skills, interview techniques, drug
and alcohol awareness and making choices, which all help prepare
for their release.
So why Mentoring?
7. There are many reasons why young people commit
crimes, however the lack of positive role models, knowledge of
the opportunities available to young people and a lack of self-esteem
are major factors. Mentors aim to encourage young offenders to
think about their future while they are still in custody. They
spend their visits discussing the options available after release,
while challenging previous patterns of behaviour. Post release
the Mentor is available for information and assistance in applying
to colleges, for jobs etc as well as general support, guidance
and encouragement. Someone who actually cares about them and with
whom they can share when things are going both good and bad.
The Success Rate
8. 210 young offenders have benefited from mentoring
via Trailblazers. Of those, only 17% have re-offended so far.
Home Office statistics show that 76% of Young Offenders re-offend
within 2 years of leaving custody. A direct comparison with Trailblazers
mentees shows that of the 210, 55 mentees have been released for
over 2 years and only 31% have re-offended. A reduction of 45%,
which is unparalleled by other offending behaviour initiatives.
NMN Approved
9. Trailblazers training programme is accredited
by Surrey Open College Network (see training page). Mentees can
also gain OCN qualifications while participating in the mentoring
programme.
10. The National Mentoring Network is the umbrella
body for mentoring organizations in the UK. In January 2002, in
conjunction with the Government's Active Community Unit, they
launched the Approved Provider of Mentoring Award. Trailblazers
was one of the first 150 organisations to achieve this award,
when they were announced in March 2002.
Trailblazers Aims for the Future
11. To share our knowledge and expertise to ensure
as many disadvantaged young people who have served time in custody
have the tools and motivation to turn their life around and feel
valued in society.
a) To expand to other young offender prisons.
(We are currently only in Feltham)
b) To provide consultancy and training to enable
other organisations to set up mentoring programme
Patrons: The Right Honourable Sir John Dyson, PC,
Sir David Ramsbotham GCB CBE (Chief Inspector of prisons 1995-2001)
Professor Tim Newburn
226 Ev 56 Back
227
www.trail-blazers.org.uk Back
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