Offender education
As an e-learning provider with a remit to reach excluded learners, the need
for Ufi to create opportunities for offenders and ex-offenders to learn
is clear.
The Home Office’s Offender Learning and Skills Unit (OLSU)’s delivery plan for Offenders’ Learning 2003 makes several bold commitments, including to:
- provide learning in prisons comparable to that available in the community;
- offer improved access to education, enabling offenders to gain the skills and qualifications needed to find a job;
- to create a learning environment within prisons which encourages the use of e-learning.
With a the national network of learndirect centres, a unique supported e-learning offer and a range of courses designed to tackle specific skills gaps, Ufi is in a unique position to contribute to these objectives.
Ufi began working in prisons in 2002. There are currently 20 prisons in England with the capacity to offer a selection of 60 learndirect courses, through specially installed servers, to inmates. learndirect also offers training and telephone helpline advice to prison staff, and support on marketing e-learning to prisoners.
ESF Pathways Project
Ufi has recently been asked to manage a £1.5 million pilot project, financed by the European Social Fund (ESF), which will run from January 2005 for two years. Managed by Ufi East, The Pathways Project will work with 12 prisons and county-based probation offices across London and the East, South West and North East of England.
The Pathways Project will offer the Prison and Probation Service a tutor-supported portfolio of learndirect courses, and the opportunity to establish clear routes for prisoners to progress with their learning, for the duration of their sentence and then on release. For the first time learndirect will be offering learners the opportunity to work with the same tutor both pre- and post-release. Also new is the fact that learning records will be transferred to the offender on release, along with a user identification name and password enabling them to access their learning via the internet.
Case study: HMP
Swaleside
An independent evaluation of the ESF Pathways Project can be viewed here
A guide to delivering learndirect in prisons
Ufi has produced a guide for learndirect centres and general readers to outline good practice in delivering elearning to offenders in prison. Written by independent consultant Bob Powell, the guide covers all aspects of delivering learndirect in prisons from the location of the learning centre to the building and maintenance of the internet connectivity.
Probation
Ufi has also forged strong links with Probation Services in all nine English regions to encourage ex-offenders to start learning. 50% of all offenders have basic skills needs. Struggling with literacy or numeracy can be a barrier for anyone looking for a job, but coupled with a criminal record it can make finding a job virtually impossible. learndirect centres are building up referrals from local probation services and encouraging their clients to tackle their Skills for Life needs and to take the Certificates in Adult Numeracy and Literacy – giving the chance of a recognised qualification.
Case study: Shrewsbury
Probation Service
The way forward
Despite the successes to date, there are various barriers to making e-learning more widely available to offenders. Prison education is predominantly channelled through education blocks. Demand is high and as prisoners, particularly those on remand, are often moved around continuity can be as much of a problem as access. One potential option is to make learning available in cells, with prisoners given more choice about when and where they learn – Ufi believes e-learning in a controlled environment provides an effective solution.
Ufi also hopes to be able to offer a solution to the issue of ‘lost learners’ - those who have begun to learn but are unable to continue with their education because they are moved to another prison or are released. Plans for a network of learndirect link centres in prisons will enable prisoners to continue to learn and progress in a new location. While the centres located at the heart of local communities would allow ex-offenders to access their learning on release, no matter where they are.
For further information please contact Hilary Clifford , Head of Ufi in the East region, on 01223 253730 or at hclifford@ufi.com.