‘ Active Citizenship Together ’ I ntegrating the prison into the lives of the local community .

1. ‘Active Citizenship Together’Integrating the prison into the lives of the local community. Andy Hudson Governor, HMP Standford Hill

2. HMP Standford Hill • An open prison with 464 male prisoners • From a few weeks to a ‘life’ sentence • Most prisoners are not local • We are part of the local community

3. What is ‘active citizenship?’ Being involved in your community, having your say and taking part in decisions that affect you.

4. The Governor - Senior Managers - Prison Staff - Offenders - Outside Community The Governor and Senior Managers Offenders Prison Staff The outside Community

5. Our Vision ‘Together we make Standford Hill a Safe, Decent and Positive Community’

6. Two examples • Active Citizenship Together for Swale • Island Sports College

7. Active Citizenship Together for Swale (A.C.T Swale) • A partnership project formed under the banner of the Swale Community Safety Partnership in March 2007 • Key partners include Amicus Horizon and Swale Borough Council • Project is joint funded and managed

8. Who are A.C.T Swale? • A team of five serving offenders on temporary release from HMP Standford Hill • A supervising Prison Officer • Supporting departments within the prison (Working Out Scheme, Gardens department, Offender Management Unit) • Operational project leads assigned from Amicus Horizon and the Council • A van, tools and a lot of good will and hard work

9. How does it work? • The Working Out Scheme identify and risk assess suitable candidates for the work • Offenders sign a compact to agree to work on the project and abide by certain rules • They receive training in the use of garden tools and general health and safety before starting on the project

10. How does it work, continued….. • Amicus Horizon and Swale Borough Council co-ordinate and primary risk assess jobs • Officer Supervisor conducts secondary risk assessment for hazards on site • Outcomes measured by • Amicus for customer/ resident satisfaction • SBC for cleaner greener targets and reduced fear of crime • HMPS for offender behaviour change • Outputs measured for Value for Money

11. Where does it work? • Swale area organisations have been the sole contributors for the two years of the pilot project, Canterbury City Council now buying in for 09/10 • Amicus use the project to clear gardens for vulnerable, disabled and elderly clients and also for project work in the Swale borough (and some further a field) • The Council use the team for public open spaces and community request work

12. Does it work? • Year 1 pilot project saw 23 offenders go through the scheme, 19 (83%) demonstrated a decrease in their re-offending likelihood • 199 jobs completed and 130 tonnes of waste cleared from the borough. • Amicus customer satisfaction rates rose 12% • Value for money assessment showed project worth double it’s actual cost (based on market price for work carried out)

13. Does it work, continued….. • Year 2- second ‘landscaping’ team established for a four month pilot Dec 08- Apr 09 • 300+ jobs completed by team 1 • Several large project jobs completed by team 2 • Over 160 tonnes of waste collected • 40 offenders have gone through the project and 32 (80%) have demonstrated sustained improvement in skills and a reduced risk of re-offending

14. Does it work, continued….. • Community response has been extremely positive, letters of thanks, emails, photos sent in by residents • Media response has also been very positive- numerous write ups and some high profile visits over the two years • Awards have been won for Environmental Excellence and other awards • Offenders on the scheme are better behaved in the establishment and more positive about their life after prison

15. Before and After Pictures • Mallard Court, Sheerness

16. Prince Charles Avenue, Minster

17. Painting Street Furniture Restoring Fencing Clearing Residential Areas Treating Benches in a Residential Home

18. Island Sports College Physical Education Department and Health Promotion Centre

19. Purpose of the PE Department • To address the offending behaviour of prisoners, to tackle the criminogenic factors and reduce the likelihood of re-offending upon release. • To provide a high quality physical education programme which includes structured classes and activities designed to meet the needs, abilities and aptitudes of prisoners and offer support and advice to prisoners and staff on issues relating to physical recreational and lifestyle activities. • All activities in the PE department will as far as possible reflect the activities on offer in the community which people can expect to participate in on release. • To encourage social responsibility through the medium of sport and recreation and offer relevant vocational training to assist in rehabilitation.

20. Peer Tutors • The Peer Tutor Scheme is well used across the PE Cluster. • They help to: • run courses passing on their knowledge to other prisoners, • increase learning and teaching across many areas, • it also helps to build self esteem and confidence. • many of the Peer Tutors have gained employment in the Leisure Industry.

21. Employer Links • Many links with Employers have been built up these include various health Clubs, companies and Sport Teams. Including Virgin Active, Fitness First , David Lloyd ,Serco Leisure, Greater London Leisure, Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient football Clubs, and London Towers Basketball Club. • Community outside • Health & Fitness solutions a social enterprise scheme set up with prisoners trained and delivering courses for the Island partnership in Sheerness

22. Community inside…….. • We have many community groups visit the PE department including • The Freedom Centre of Sheerness, • Sheppey Tickers, • Leysdown Care Home • Retired Teachers of Sheerness. • Some access the swimming pool where we provide life guards and swimming lessons and along with the working out scheme have provided prisoners to help at some their centres • We also deliver Team building and healthy living for local schools, at Borden Grammar who gave us £6000 towards our mobile team challenge kit .Minster College who we deliver team building and healthy living to for their staff and pupils .

23. Community Liaison

24. Charity for the local Community • We have raised over £5,000 for the local community charities. • Prisoners have raised money for Steve Brown a local Olympic paraplegic athlete. • The 3 Peaks Challenge • Plus many other sports challenges as each prisoner Sports Leaders award organises a charity event

25. What is ‘active citizenship?’ • Above all, it's about people making things happen and gives serving prisoners a real chance to give something back to the community by way of reparation for the offence that they have committed. and • As a result they are able to improve the quality of life for residents in the local community and positively enhance their personal confidence and self esteem. Being involved in your community, having your say and taking part in decisions that affect you.

26. ‘Together we make Standford Hill a Safe, Decent and Positive Community’ Andy Hudson Governor, HMP Standford Hill