Directory

Fine Cell Work trains and pays prisoners to do craftwork in their cells to encourage motivation, improve mental health and build employability skills. FCW is geared to long-term, male and female, high risk offenders who stay on the programme for 2 to 10 years. Our goal is to enable prisoners to gain social and employment skills so they can desist from re-offending in the future. Prisoners on the programme work for 20-40 hours a week in their cells.

We have a workforce of approximately 250 prisoners across 30 prisons. The apprenticeship training is done by 50 skilled volunteers. The prisoners make hand-embroidered quilts, cushions, clothes, rugs and furniture covers which are sold internationally and to museums and designers.

Our aim is to enable prisoners to gain motivation and “work-readiness” by doing cellwork and to follow on with further employment preparation in workshops where they can do accredited training in soft furnishings, machine embroidery and upholstery.

Geese Theatre Company is a team of professional theatre practitioners who present interactive drama and facilitate workshops, staff training and consultation in prisons, secure mental health settings, young offender institutions, and in the community with probation services, youth offending teams and related agencies. A registered charity based in Birmingham, Geese works throughout the UK and overseas and has gained an international reputation for innovative work with vulnerable and socially excluded groups, becoming widely acknowledged as one of the key organisations championing the role of arts in the criminal justice system and wider social welfare arena. Our work provides solutions to a range of criminogenic issues, primarily focussing on attitudes, thinking and behaviour and addressing themes such as domestic abuse, sexual offending, violence, resettlement, substance misuse and offending, self-efficacy, and employability.

Inside Time is a newspaper provided to every prison in the country. We also publish Inside Information, a comprehensive guide to prisons, legal fact sheets and support organisations for prisoners and their families.

Since 1962 the Koestler Awards have played a unique, national role in motivating prisoners, secure hospital patients and immigration detainees to take part in the arts. The Koestler Awards are simple and powerful – we reward achievement, build self-confidence and broaden horizons for some of society’s most disadvantaged and marginalised people.

Our work harnesses the uniquely transformative power of the arts to help individuals learn the skills and gain the confidence to live creative, positive and productive lives. Each year we receive more than 7,000 entries from over 3,500 entrants across the UK in 52 categories. More than 2,000 Awards are granted by over 100 esteemed judges, and each year culminates in a curated exhibition at Southbank Centre which showcases the incredible power of the arts to transform lives, as well as regular exhibitions and displays across the UK.

We also run an Arts Mentoring project partnering talented Koestler Award winners with professional artists.

New Bridge match people in prisons with trained volunteers who offer long-term support through a combination of correspondence and visits. This provides people in prison with a bridge to the outside world, along with an increased sense of value and potential for their future.

Our mission is to show Christ’s love to people in prison by coming alongside them and supporting them. We seek, through prayer and practical care, to help, support and develop a Christian ministry to people in prison and their families.

We do this through our network of over 2,500 volunteers. We are currently ministering in almost all of the 120 prisons in England and Wales.

The PPT supports prisoners, ex-prisoners and prison staff in their spiritual lives through meditation, yoga, silence and the breath. We recommend breath-focussed stretches and meditation sensitively tailored to students' needs. To this end, we send free books and a CD to prisoners so they can start a practice in their cell, we have a team of specially trained volunteer letter writers who correspond with prisoners who want support in their practice; we offer taster workshops so prisons can judge if they want to include weekly yoga classes as part of their regimes; and we train qualified yoga teachers for the specific challenges of working in prison.

There are currently 143 weekly yoga and meditation classes in 75 institutions across the UK and Ireland. Most of these are prisons, though we also work in approved premises, IRCs and secure hospitals. 32 of these classes are for prison officers and staff.

We maintain contact with over 5,766 prisoners in 223 institutions.

We make it possible for volunteers in the community to write letters to prisoners, and to receive letters in return, and to do so in safety.

The Prisoners' Advice Service provides free legal advice and representation to adult prisoners in England and Wales regarding their rights, and regardless of the individual prisoners' means. PAS aims to educate and empower prisoners regarding the law and their legal and human rights.

Since 1989, PET has supported prisoners to engage in rehabilitation through learning. We do this by providing distance learning courses, advice and support in subjects and levels not available in prisons. PET also promotes and argues the case for prisoner education, and undertakes research informed by prisoner learners, to improve policies and practice.

Restorative Solutions is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC) committed to enabling the use of innovative restorative approaches as a practical and cost-effective intervention for reducing harm or conflict.
We introduce restorative practices to organisations, volunteers and front line workers who are looking for a proven and worthwhile alternative to existing conventional approaches to reducing conflict, disputes, anti-social behaviour, bullying, crime and re-offending. We deliver bespoke, commissioned Restorative Justice services to organisations.

Samaritans provides confidential emotional support to prisoners, either by telephone or face-to-face. The organisation also selects, trains and supports prisoners, known as Listeners, to offer confidential, emotional support to their fellow-inmates.

Shannon Trust is a national charity supporting people in the criminal justice system to learn to read, and improve other basic skills. Currently, 62% of people that end up in prison either can't read or struggle to. Shannon Trust inspires and trains prisoners who can read to teach prisoners who can’t, so they're better set up for a positive future. We also support people in prison with basic maths.

In the community, we work with partner organisations supporting people to learn to read in the same peer-led way.

We are a national caseworking charity for serving and ex-service men and women and their families in times of need. We require only one day's paid service in the British Armed Forces to be eligible for our help. We try to offer emotional, practical and financial support. We have a network of trained volunteer case workers throughout the UK.

Established in 2000, Synergy Theatre Project works with prisoners, ex-prisoners and young people at risk, towards rehabilitation, through theatre and related activities, while placing the wider issues surrounding criminal justice in the public arena.

Skills for Justice is the Government-licensed Sector Skills Council for Justice and Community Safety, working with public, private and third-sector organisations to ensure that workforces (including volunteers) have the right skills now and for the future.

Unlock is an independent award-winning national charity that provides a voice and support for people with convictions who are facing stigma and obstacles because of their criminal record, often long after they have served their sentence.

Firstly, we help people. We provide information, advice and support to people with convictions, including running an information site and confidential peer-run helpline. We help practitioners support people with convictions by providing criminal record disclosure training. And we support employers and universities in treating people with criminal records fairly.

Secondly, we advocate for change, working at policy level to address systemic and structural issues. We listen to and consult with people with criminal records, undertake research and produce evidence-based reports to inform policy makers and the public. We challenge bad practice, influence attitudes and speak truth to power. We co-founded and support the Ban the Box campaign.