Nina Champion and Morwenna Bennallick Prisoners’ Education Trust 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 reducing Under 18 reducing Age and length of sentence increasing Education: Largely centrally run- OLASS contract Low level skills priority www.prisonerseducation.org.uk www.howardleague.org www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk

Developing Rehabilitative Cultures ‘… 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) . Resettlement Address attitudes and Thinking Address Drug and Alcohol Problems Rehabilitative Cultures Safety and Decency ‘You can’t change anyone- you can only create an environment that makes change possible’ (M. Whitelaw, HMP Swaleside) ‘Features of a rehabilitative prison: A hierarchy’ (MoJ, 2014)

What does a learning culture… Look like? Feel like? Sound Like?

Our definition of a learning culture Empowering Inclusive Aspirational Learning Culture Safe Engaging/ Relevant

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)

Involve, Improve, Inspire: The Intervention Prisoner Learner Voice Toolkit (PET, 2013) Three training sessions: Staff Only Staff and Prisoners Activity Launch

Who creates a learning culture? Governor Education Provider Gym Staff Prisoners Offender Management Security Officers Careers Service

Prison Sample Prison 2: Female Closed Prison Prison 1: Cat B Local Prison 3: Cat B Local - Private Prison 4: Open Prison Prison 5: Cat B Local – Modern Building Prison 6: Cat C Training – Poor Control Prison 7: Cat C Training – Good Control Prison 8: Young Offender Institution

Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation

Successful Innovations Relative Advantage Compatibility Simplicity Trialability Observability Horizontal communication

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.

Visionaries & Enthusiasts Three Cluster Model Visionaries & Enthusiasts Mainstream Adopters Characteristics Commitment throughout Effective communication Buy in from Governors and staff on the ground Consistency in approach Control and autonomy given to prisoners Resisters

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 Activity (approx 10 mins): Where do you put yourself (prisons in your country? A prison that you work in? A prison that you know?) on this ladder? How can you see things moving forward? Barriers, opportunities?

Thank you for Listening! Any Questions? Nina@prisonerseducation.org.uk Morwenna.bennallick@prisonerseducation.org.uk www.prisonerseducation.org.uk