FACTS:
- 60% of prisoners have the literacy and numeracy skills of an 11 yr old
- Only 1 in 10 prisoners has no mental disorder (70% have two or more mental health disorders)
- The suicide rate in prisons is almost 15 times higher than in the general population
- 90% of service users did not experience a mental health relapse during involvement in our project (2008/2009 Outcomes Report)
- 100% of service users were housed after release (2008/2009 Outcomes Report)
- We receive 900 referrals yearly
- We've supported 4000 ex-offenders since our project started in 1999
Projects include:
- Through-the-gate outreach and resettlement support project: We support people from 13 prisons across London and the South East and people returning to any of the 33 London boroughs
- Peer Advocate Volunteering: we have 20 volunteers and a part-time coordinator all of whom have direct experience of mental health needs and/or are serving prisoners or ex-offenders. Volunteers work closely with the team to engage and support offenders in prison and ex-offenders on release. The peer advocate volunteers undertake a comprehensive induction and training program including access to an NVQ programme.
- A Link Worker scheme in Islington: working with referrals from police officers, police based mental health liaising teams, drug arrest referral teams based at the Islington police custody, probation officers, court based officials, Islington GPs, CMHTs, HMP Pentonville, HMP Holloway and self referrals
- Specialist BME services for male and female offenders and ex-offenders, delivering Race Equality Community Development Work.
- Intensive Support Project: an intensive service (funded by City Bridge Trust) for the first 48 hours of prison release, the most vulnerable period in resettlement
- Practical support; accommodation, benefits advice, access to health services, training and employment, drug detox, alcohol rehabilitation, family and social network and tenancy sustainment
We work with the following prisons; Brixton, Belmarsh, Coldingley, Downview, East Sutton Park, Highdown, Holloway, Latchmere House, Pentonville, Send, Stanford Hill, Wandsworth and Wormwood Scrubs.