Transforming Prisons and Prisoners Through Physical Education

1. Transforming Prisons and Prisoners Through Physical Education PE Services Operational Services and Interventions Group Jon CarneyCarl Hardwick

2. Why is PE so important for prisoners…… Physical Health • Offenders are increasingly likely to enter prison with physical health needs with a higher risk of non communicable diseases. • PE promotes physical health and can target those who may be difficult to engage with in the community. • An opportunity to improve health and well being regardless of age, ability or disability. • PE improves overall physical well being, reducing obesity, reducing sleep problems and disease progression. • Provides opportunities for prisoners to stop smoking and tackle substance misuse. Mental Health • PE provides depression, anxiety and stress relief. • PE provides opportunity for social interaction and to develop effective/positive relationships.

3. Key benefits for prisons in having a healthier prisoner population…. • Safer environment; order and control, violence reduction, diversion. • Improved relationships; better communication, staff sickness. • Less demand on Healthcare services; medication, escorts, treatments. • Regular/improved attendance at work and other regime activities; productivity, efficiency, programme completions, engaged in education.

4. Key benefits for the prisoners…… Health • Adopting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle; getting/keeping fit, stop smoking, stop taking drugs etc.. Social • Meeting/communicating with different people and developing positive relationships. Enjoyment/fun. Education • Learning different activities/sports/new skills. • Improving literacy/numeracy skills in a gym/sports context. • Gaining specific PE qualifications. Employability • Gaining vocational qualifications for the Sport and Leisure sector. • Transferrable skills relevant to any employment sector; communication, motivation, punctuality, self esteem, confidence, team working etc..

5. Key Issues and Challenges • Financial restraint, staff reductions, funding for PE courses, equipment purchase etc.. • Cross deployment, staff shortages, detached duty requirements etc… • Transition to new ways of working, staff structures, training/development needs, new core day and access to prisoners. • Mixed messages, different interpretations (local and Region/HQ) of the PE Service Specification and policy delivery requirements.

6. Core requirements In every prison PE departments must…. • Deliver the minimum PE Service Specification outputs. • Provide a PE programme that includes the key delivery elements from PSI 58/2011 Physical Education for Prisoners. • Ensure effective risk management of PE delivery. • Record and submit PE Performance data.

7. Who can PE staff get advice from? • Regional PE Managers • Clayton Hall College of PE • Other PE Departments • National Governing Bodies of Sport • Awarding Bodies • AfPE Safe Practice in PE publication.

8. Sharing Good Practice Despite the current difficult and challenging circumstances we have PE departments inspired and motivated not only to deliver minimum requirements but also to innovate and introduce new initiatives that add value to their PE programmes. There are lots of examples of good practice in PE departments throughout England and Wales; this event give us an opportunity to look at some of these examples. Regional PE Mangers are aware that there is a need to capture and share good practice which will be resumed on future regional PE workshops.