A pilot prison training project is launched

A pilot project in interpersonal skills development has been launched by Fair Shares at HMP Leyhill in conjunction with the trainer Roger de Wolf. The project aims to build on the skills that our mentors and volunteers already have and add some theory to work that they are often naturally doing when working to support fellow offenders. The  3 session course focuses on improving communication skills, how to raise the self esteem of those that they mentor/ support and how to help their learners to take responsibility for themselves.  The final session is a space for those on the course to reflect on using the skills they have acquired and how the training has benefited them and those they support.

The pilot has 4 learners on it, all of whom are maths mentors for Fair Shares but 2 of the men also volunteer as a wing listener and as a Turning Pages mentor. Feedback has been very positive from the men and requests for another course have been taken by the co-coordinator on site. There are plans to offer the course to other prisons that we are working with in the near future.