5 years of StandOut in Wandsworth
As StandOut celebrates an important anniversary, we asked Katie Nutley, Head of Reducing Reoffending in HMP Wandsworth, to reflect on what has been achieved in the last five years.
StandOut has been providing release preparation courses at Wandsworth since 2017 so we are celebrating their fifth year at the prison. Wandsworth is a busy local prison. Many men come to us unexpectedly and they are here for an unpredictable amount of time so they are facing uncertainty in their lives. Many have not had a good experience of being in school and may not have worked regularly or ever. Prison is a very difficult environment in which to deliver support for employment
From the start, StandOut has been completely committed to working in collaboration with the prison. They are flexible in delivery methods, whilst keeping focused on what men need to move forward with their lives. They have spent time getting to know staff and understanding the life of the whole establishment. As a result of this they are very well respected, and prison staff want to support them because they know how important their work is.
StandOut works with people who want to make a success of life after release and regardless of age, previous employment experience, number of convictions or any other irrelevant factor. It makes a difference for men to know that they will be offered the same chance no matter where they are starting from. The StandOut team works with the whole person, recognising that there are lots of factors which men need to address before they are ready to start on their first day at work, and to keep going in the face of setbacks.
There is space for men to think for themselves and receive genuine support and care from the coaches,who want them to succeed. This support lasts for as long or as short a time as each individual needs – it is guided by the men themselves rather than a contract or an artificial scheme of work. This is why StandOut has such a high success rate – the focus is on the success and growth of the men who have chosen to come to work with them.
During the pandemic most of the country shut down and many of our partners rightly withdrew from the prison. StandOut immediately pivoted to deliver a remote through the gate support service which helped over 600 men leaving Wandsworth and Pentonville . This help was needed more than ever given how difficult it was leaving prison during the lockdown. Services provided included practical help with housing and benefits, coaching and employment advice. As usual, help was determined by the unique needs of each individual and I am confident that it saved lives.
The StandOut team outside of HMP Wandsworth
StandOut coaches are now back delivering courses in Wandsworth and Pentonville, and are offering additional support to the Wandsworth Accelerator employment service which has secured job offers for over 70 men since the summer and sees 30 prison leavers in employment today.
It is impossible to quantify what StandOut has achieved in the past five years. Men achieving their potential after years of a revolving door of prison and crime. Employers seeing successful workers progressing in their companies. People who will never know that they weren’t a victim of crime because of the joint effort made by StandOut and people who decided to change their lives.
Thank you StandOut for what you have given us over this time. Everything you do is characterised by generosity, care, adaptability and a commitment to make change sustainable for the long haul. I am excited to see what will happen over the next five years and beyond, and very grateful that we have had the chance to work with you!