Offender Learning
Adult Learning has developed an Offender Learning programme in response to Government guidance. Adults on probation are referred by Criminal Justice for assessment and an informal discussion about learning opportuntiies. A number of offenders have chosen to improve their communication and numeracy skills or to sign up to employability courses as a result. The service was awarded funding from the Scottish Government Offender Literacies Challenge Fund to cover this work during 2009 - 2011.
A group has also made a powerful flm 'Options' which looks at the causes of offending in Shetland, and the impacts that offending has on families. The group presented the film to a range of audiences and got involved in discussions about how alcohol is linked to offending behaviour and the impacts on children when a parent is sent to prison.
What difference did this make?
- Most participants improved their communication skills
- Some gained SQA certificates in communications and numeracy
- Some report better relationships with families
- Some moved into work, volunteering or further learning
- Most offenders referred by Criminal Justice did not re-offend while learning
Offender Literacies: Why Should I Care? Conference
In November last year, Adult Learning Development Officer, Marc Coyne, along with David Watt (former programme participant), attended an offender literacies conference in Elgin.
The conference consisted of 3 presentations, including Marc and Davie's talk on their work with the Voices project, 3 workshops , a keynote speech from the Governer of HMP Porterfield and a 'world cafe' discussion.
Over all the conference was a huge success and many positives were taken from it:
- Marc and Davie were able to give their point of view on offender literacies and were asked to leave a copy of their film, which will now be used at visitors' centers to promote discussion.
- The need for the Family Outside Coordinator (North of Scotland) to visit Shetland was highlighted so that they might gain an understanding of the differences in issues facing offender's families living such a distance away from prisoners.
- Davie was asked if he would be interested in coming into prison to teach a session on literacies.
- This also proved an excellent opportunity to exchange information and to establish networks with other similar organisations on mainland Scotland.
Adult Learning Shetland will be keeping in touch with the Families Outside Organisation and will try to tie in with their initiatives to promote communication and wellbeing for families of prisoners.
