365 days of the pandemic
A year of learning from the StandOut Helpline
365 days of lockdown, more than 3000 calls to our Helpline and record numbers of people released into homelessness. On the anniversary of lockdown, our Development Manager, Sarah Hocking, reflects on the impact of covid-19 on prisons and the people StandOut supports.
Imagine what it’s like spending almost a week in the cold and wet, with a bench for your bed. That was the reality for Paul who called our Helpline in winter.
Determined for this to be his last time leaving prison, Paul reached out to StandOut from a phone box – he was dirty, cold and his only clothes were soaked through. We were able to help Paul get the fundamental building blocks in place – warm clothes, a mobile phone, a roof over his head and a plan for the coming months.
Photo kindly provided by Andy Aitchison Photgraphy
Today marks 365 days of not being able to deliver our usual StandOut group programme inside prison. But standing still isn’t in our DNA and we set up a free Helpline service so that people like Paul could continue to work with StandOut when face-to-face work wasn’t possible.
It is also 365 days since prisons went into full lockdown to keep the staff and people in their care safe. That safety came at a price. People have been confined to their cells for 23 hours a day with very little access to support or training and, for those whose release date is looming, even less preparation for life afterwards.
Planned as a temporary fix, figures from our latest report show that the Helpline has now received over 3,000 calls from people both inside and outside of prison. Behind each of those calls is someone trying to get their life back on track and, more often than not, facing obstacles that can make change harder.
Our Community Coach Louisa preparing a basic release pack for a Helpline caller newly released from prison.
Just before Christmas, three days after leaving prison Kemar was placed in a hotel through the government’s covid-19 temporary response to homelessness. Whilst undeniably a step in the right direction, this is a sticking plaster solution.
People have been given long stays in hotels built for short stays. Kemar had somewhere to sleep but he didn’t have cooking facilities, a fridge or any money for food. Thankfully, StandOut was able to arrange delivery of cooked meals and support Kemar to purchase non-perishable foods that could be prepared using a kettle.
The system failed Paul and Kemar and when the system fails, we all miss out on an opportunity to prevent further harm. It isn’t rocket science. Those who leave prison with a roof over their head and the means to look after themselves are much more likely to find a way out of the justice system for good.
The government’s temporary housing scheme is coming to an end on 31st March and yet 2021 has seen a record number of calls to our Helpline from people at risk of homelessness. We should all be concerned that, without a long-term solution, we risk more crime, more victims and more spreading of covid-19 through our communities.
StandOut met Joey in prison in August. Soon to be released, he worked with StandOut coaches via his in-cell phone.
“When I was still in prison, StandOut helped me to write a wicked CV and talked me through my job options as I was determined to get my life back on track.”
Joey was released in December and StandOut supported him with a release pack of winter clothes and basic toiletries (people leaving prison receive a £46 grant that has stayed the same since 1996) as well as helping Joey with emergency accommodation until he was able to find long-term housing.
“I didn’t have any connections coming out of prison. StandOut take that first bit of anxiety away - hook you up with the right people. I’ve also had to do things for myself but StandOut gave me the resources that I needed to move things forward.”
Once his basic needs were met, Joey was able to complete further training and has just secured a job as an installer with a ventilation company. As I say, it’s not rocket science.
It’s because of Joey, Paul and Kemar that I’m sometimes hesitant to describe our support as a ‘Helpline’ which can suggest short-term advice for one-off issues. At StandOut we know that life is complicated and that there is rarely a quick fix. Just like our usual programme, we offer consistent support for as long as it takes for someone to build a brighter future and realise their potential.
We hope in another 365 days our covid-19 service won’t be needed. That will require decision-makers to put themselves in the shoes of someone newly released from prison and make sure they are given the foundations needed to make a success of life.
Surely, we could do this better?