Joining the conversation: five years of StandOut as a registered charity
To mark this milestone in our journey, 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.
We were pleased to host a dry event, recognising that alcohol and addiction is often a significant issue for those in contact with the criminal justice system.
The event brought together over 100 friends of StandOut: from people who have been involved in the early days, to funders and supporters, collaborative partners and people who have completed the programme and worked with us since leaving prison. Guests had the opportunity to mingle, share stories and exchange insights.
As well as a moment to celebrate, our invitation to ‘join the conversation’ was an encouragement to guests to think seriously about the issues faced by people leaving prison.
We celebrated the achievements of men we have worked with and were delighted to have Steve and Ibrahim talk about their journeys. Both spoke powerfully of the importance of self belief and mindset and how that has helped them find fulfilling and rewarding roles. Ibrahim explained that working with StandOut was a process of collaboration, and that coaching from StandOut had empowered him to achieve his goals.
Our panel, Ian Bickers, London Prison Group Director, Amy Grant, Governor at HMP Wormwood Scrubs, and Egerton Bayode, a StandOut ambassador who participated in the Resurgo Spear programme then explored the importance of the third sector in prisons. Egerton spoke highly of StandOut and the unique nature of our work. He acknowledged that while StandOut empowers and supports by ‘providing the tools’, ultimately, people take ownership of their own growth.
Penny, our co-founder, reflected on StandOut’s mission:
“Ever since the early days of developing StandOut, I have reminded the team frequently that our ultimate mission is to not exist: what do I mean by that? Like many charities StandOut was a passion project - but more importantly, StandOut was a response to the need we had observed - for meaningful and effective person-centred support for people preparing to leave prison.
As and when we achieve system change, and we send less and not more people to prison, and our prisons are resourced to deliver the effective rehabilitative support that people need, then StandOut might not be needed. I believe it is good for us as a charity to hold that always in mind.”
She spoke of how despite being relatively small and young, StandOut has already punched above its weight and played a part in change. From taking a lead in our partner prisons by offering practical advice on disclosing a conviction during the job application process, to establishing our advisory group, Experts Beyond Bars (EBB).
EBB is formed of people who have participated in the StandOut programme. The group keeps our work rooted in the realities of life after prison and shares their insight more widely, including contributing to a Ministry of Justice focus group. We are also proud that from the outset we have taken a people-focused approach. This runs through everything we do at StandOut, and we are setting best practice for the use of people-focused language in the way we talk about our work and the people we support.
As Joe, our chair of trustees, closed the formal part of the evening with thanks and his hope that the event had inspired those in attendance. He encouraged guests to continue to support StandOut, and to join us in the next chapter of our journey.
Connection is one of our key values, and we are thankful to have had the opportunity to connect with people who have supported us at each stage of our journey so far. Most importantly, we are thankful to the men who have worked with us across the three prisons over the years, and the privilege they have given us by allowing us to journey with them as they work to fulfil their personal goals and realise their potential.
If you are interested in getting involved in supporting StandOut - by volunteering, a partnership, or fundraising for us, we would love to hear from you. Please find out more about the ways you can support us, here.
