People in prison are constantly reminded of their mistakes. So, what happens when you are instead reminded of your strengths? In this blog, Rosie, one of our coaches, shares how affirmations and challenges help participants to see their potential, set goals, and grow.
Read MoreOur community coaches love being able to meet participants at the prison gates on their day of release, to support them on their first day in the community. Tony takes us through a typical ‘gate meet’.
Read MoreHM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Charlie Taylor, joined StandOut to discuss the four challenges facing rehabilitation in our prisons.
Read MoreA recent graduation at HMP Wandsworth reminded us of the importance of relationships for people preparing to leave prison.
Read MoreMoving through the justice system and rebuilding a life on the other side requires significant resilience. In this blog, Molly – StandOut Coach at HMP Pentonville – explains how we support our participants to recognise, and sustain, their inherent resilience.
Read MoreAs we launch our strategy for the next two years, we also announce our new value - Courageous - which will guide our work with people leaving London prisons in 2024-2026, and beyond.
Read MoreAfter prison, comes probation. For some, this transition can be confusing - even frustrating - and there are significant consequences if it goes wrong. In this blog, Senior Lead Coach Amrit explains why it’s important that we talk about the challenges and opportunities of working with probation during our three-week course in prison.
Read MoreWhat happens when you encourage people in prison to connect with people in the community? From building confidence to systems change, we spoke about what it really means to volunteer in prison as we celebrated PA Consulting reaching 100 StandOut volunteers.
Read MoreBy recognising that we have choices, we can feel more in control. But how does this work for someone in prison? Amy, one of our Lead Coaches, recalls a recent conversation with StandOut participants at HMP Pentonville about what it means to have "the slight edge".
Read MoreMen at HMP Wandsworth and HMP Wormwood Scrubs tell us what they’d like to see bridging the gap in provision that exists between leaving prison and thriving in the community - and how we could support them to navigate this transition.
Read MoreAs Alex, our Head of Programmes, moves on from StandOut after six years, he reflects on all that he has learnt, and all that he will take with him to his new role at The Hardman Trust.
Read MoreStandOut’s new Communications Lead, Hannah Stevens, reflects on her first six weeks in the role. She’s finding that an organisation’s values are easy to learn, when they’re woven into everything.
Read MoreAnyone who has been in a StandOut classroom will tell you that there’s something special about it, magical even. But it’s difficult to put your finger on what that is. Joe Tarbert, Programmes Manager at StandOut, puts into words what that “magic” looks - and feels - like to him.
Read MoreStandOut is taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2023 and we need your support. Donate to our campaign between 28 November and 5 December to have your donation, and your impact, doubled.
Read MoreAs we come together at the end of each StandOut course, we share special moments, reflect on progress, and recognise that each person's journey through the course has involved commitment, energy, and resilience. The recent graduation at HMP Pentonville was particularly special, as we were able to invite family and friends of the men on the course along to celebrate with us.
To mark StandOut’s fifth year as a registered charity, we welcomed guests to ‘join the conversation’ at our recent celebration event at Salesforce Tower in central London, where the stunning views provided a striking backdrop for the evening.
In July 2021, we asked Ahmed to share his experiences in a blog. He was two years on from completing the StandOut course at HMP Wandsworth and spoke of the challenges he’d faced since leaving prison and his determination to pursue a career in IT. After several setbacks applying for jobs, he called for employers to look at people’s passions, not their past when it came to the application process.
Almost another two years since his first blog, Ahmed updates us on where his journey has taken him since.
From the ground floor of our office in Vauxhall to the sky garden of PA Consulting’s office in Victoria, our most recent Career Hub reached new heights. Not only literally, but also in a new collaboration with volunteers.
Read MoreNelena Paparisva and her colleagues from PA Consulting volunteered with StandOut at HMP Pentonville last year to support people on the StandOut course develop their CVs. In her blog, she shares her experience - from her unique perspective as a former police officer.
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