involve, improve, inspire: measuring and developing a learning culture in prison nina champion and...

Involve, Improve, Inspire: Measuring and developing a learning

culture in prison

Nina Champion and Morwenna Bennallick

Prisoners’ Education Trust

Prisoner Education in England and Wales: A snapshot

Prison population: 85,816 Overall reoffending rate: 26%

Trends:Female population reducingUnder 18 reducingAge and length of sentence

increasing

Education:Largely centrally run- OLASS

contractLow level skills priority

www.prisonerseducation.org.uk

www.howardleague.org

www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk

Developing Rehabilitative Cultures

.

Resettlement

Address attitudes

and Thinking

Address Drug and Alcohol Problems

Rehabilitative Cultures

Safety and Decency

‘Features of a rehabilitative prison: A hierarchy’ (MoJ, 2014)

‘You can’t change anyone- you can only create an environment that makes change possible’

(M. Whitelaw, HMP Swaleside)

‘… the active development of an environment which is safe, secure and decent, and one which assists offenders towards rehabilitation while ultimately ensuring that the public is protected.

This requires a culture where authority is exercised confidently, consistently and fairly in order to build trust and improve safety.’

(NOMS, 2013)

What does a learning culture…

Look like?

Feel like?

Sound Like?

Our definition of a learning culture

Empowering

Engaging/Relevant

Safe

Aspirational

Inclusive

LearningCulture

Learner Voice as part of Learning Culture

“Learner Voice is the involvement of learners and potential learners in shaping the learning opportunities that are available to them.” (NIACE)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlvvulJ1PgQ Rudd et al (2006)

Prisoner Learner Voice Toolkit

(PET, 2013)

Three training sessions:

1. Staff Only

2. Staff and Prisoners

3. Activity Launch

Involve, Improve, Inspire: The Intervention

Who creates a learning culture?

Prisoners

OfficersCareersService

SecurityOffender

Management

Gym Staff

GovernorEducatio

nProvider

Prison Sample

Prison 2: Fema

le Close

d Priso

n

Prison 1: Cat B Local

Prison 3: Cat B Local

- Privat

e

Prison 4: Open Priso

n

Prison 5: Cat B Local

– Mode

rn Buildi

ng

Prison 6: Cat C Training – Poor Contr

ol

Prison 7: Cat C Training – Good Contr

ol

Prison 8: Youn

g Offender

Institution

Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation

Successful Innovations

Relative

Advantage

Compatibility

Simplicity

Trialability

Observability

Horizontal com

munication

Behavioural Insights Team

Easy Attractive

Social Timely

(2012)

Final Projects

Learner Council

Rebranding of education department

Prisoner newsletter

Education and Skills Champions

Prisoner Information Desks

Wing based learner reps

Evaluating Changes in Learning Culture

Surveys with staff and prisoners – pre and post workshop.

Observations during workshops.

Interviews with staff and prisoners – pre and post workshops.

Focus Groups with prisoner participants- post workshops

Purpose of the evaluation: to capture the change in learning and rehabilitative culture from the perspective of both staff and prisoners.

Three Cluster Model

Visionaries &

EnthusiastsMainstrea

mAdopters

ResistersCharacteristics- Commitment throughout- Effective communication- Buy in from Governors and staff on

the ground- Consistency in approach- Control and autonomy given to

prisoners

Case Studies

Developing a learning culture across Europe

Other projects of interest across Europe include:HIPPO: How Individual Learning Plans are Possible for

Offenders

RISE partnership

FEFI: Formal Education for Female Inmate

KEYS

We would love to hear about more!

Now for your turn… Rate your prison or country between 1 and 5

Thank you for Listening!

Any Questions?

Nina@prisonerseducation.org.uk

Morwenna.bennallick@prisonerseducation.org.uk

www.prisonerseducation.org.uk