Case Studies

 

Case study

Inside -Out, Prisoners and Families Project

Funded by Lloyds-TSB Foundation and Weavers Benevolent Fund

 

The Inside Out project was produced in collaboration with families and prisoners serving long sentences at Bristol Prison, Horfield. The work built upon existing family work by staff and education departments within the prison and community and led to the production of a new educational dvd for distribution to schools and social education settings via the Prison Me No Way Trust.

 

The project was initially open to all prisoners through an open arts and poetry competition on the theme of prison’s impact on families. Contributions to the competition were later used as stimulus for production of a film with a group of six inmates to explore messages to give to young people to dissuade them from choosing crime as a solution to their needs.

 

Families involved in the project were able to bring fresh insight into the ‘shared sentence’ they feel they have had to endure and the impact imprisonment of a loved one has on a wider group of family members.

 

A deepening of Understanding

 

The main aim of the project was to provide a more in depth insight for participants and viewers into the causes of offending behavior and the effect on the family. The group work was led by arts psychotherapist Martin Gill and Francesca Rinaldi a holistic health counselor.

 

The men and families involved took on this task because they genuinely cared about keeping young people in the community out of the criminal justice system. By doing so there was a genuine sense of self-esteem amongst the group both during and following the work.

 

It is hoped that their real life experience and insights gained from the project will be an invaluable educational tool for young people at risk of offending.

 

Over 5,000 young people at risk of offending will be given supported access to the film through presentations and training days by the No Way Trust who agreed to be distribution partners for the project.

 

Paul Wilkinson, CEO of the No Way Trust stated after seeing the film that it would:

“take the educational work of their charity into the next century”.

 

 

An excellent professional relationship now exists between prisoner and family support services and education at the prison and there has been enthusiastic support for further work at the prison with Positive Images.

 

“The project was incredibly successful on all levels and, without your involvement and skills, the Learning & Skills Department at HMP Bristol would have missed a remarkable opportunity to be part of this initiative.

Thank you once again for your unbelievable commitment. The Learning & Skills Department is very keen to carry out further work with you in the near future.”

Adriane Bof. Education Governor at BristolPrison

 

The project has been relevant to my life.

It has brought a lot to me and hopefully to the kids who watch the film. It has ignited

something – these are important stories. I am struck by the similarities between us and I

respect us all for sticking at it to produce the film.

Darren. Prisoner at Bristol

 

‘I have been a prison officer for 20 years and in all that time I have never seen a group of men on the wings talk in such an honest genuine way’

Chris Allen. Families Prison Officer