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New link centre at HMPYOI Aylesbury
A new link centre has been opened at Aylesbury Young Offenders Institute. The facility will be open to staff and family based at the prison, as well as local community members, and will be offering a range of online courses, including basic maths, languages and IT diplomas.
Resource and efficiency manager at the prison, Mike Sefton, says the centre will allow the prison to make stronger links with the community and to give something back.
“Prisons are usually very closed to the outside world,” he said. “It’s really nice to be able to build some community ties.” The learning centre, based in the former warden’s house, was funded by the POA, who have provided six computers with internet, set up specifically for e-learning and online courses. Meanwhile, the prison has provided the room and equipped the centre with tables and Bluetooth. “It’s something completely new for us,” added Mr Sefton. “It cost us near nothing, and it’s a win-win situation all round. It’s good to see the employer working with the trade union like this, too, as you often only get to see the two fighting. It’s such a good resource, too – there are literally thousands of courses available. I’m doing a diploma in project management. It’s great in this day and age too where everyone is trying to save money, as it’s completely free.” The learning centre was opened on Monday by Paul Ghatt, the deputy governor at the institute, and Mark Freeman, the general secretary of the national Prison Officers Association. How Bullingdon unlocks everyone's potential
There’s a ‘thank you’ card from a grateful member on display at the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) learning centre at Bullingdon prison, in Oxfordshire, which says: “Teacher – I’m a brainbox, thanks to you!” It’s not unusual for the centre staff to get positive feedback like that from the staff and local residents who use its facilities – and it makes all the difference, says centre manager David Dillon, who runs the centre alongside regional learner support officer Katrina Alexander. “Seeing the joy of people who have achieved something in their learning is the best part of the job – we helped one visitor write a CV and he went on to get a job,” David says. Set up with the blessing of the prison governor two years ago, the centre offers a wide array of learning opportunities to the 500-plus staff, including free Skills for Life sessions, foreign languages courses and vocational qualifications in business administration. There’s also a wide range of computer courses available, with newbies able to sign up for the free Myguide package, while the more experienced can access the full rage of learndirect courses online.
The prison management, POA and unionlearn between them funded the centre’s 12 desktop computers, three laptops, whiteboard, TV and DVD player, and the sofa was rescued from the staff mess (where it was about to be thrown away) and after a shampoo looks as good as new. The union has signed a learning agreement with the management, and all new staff are introduced to the centre and what they can get out of it during their induction. David and Katrina, both qualified to offer Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) to learners, are always on hand to help people get started and support individuals wherever they are on their own learning journeys. “For prison staff, we provide a relaxed, friendly atmosphere where they can improve their skills to help them in their career or as part of their personal development,” David says. Providing somewhere staff can relax, surf the internet, use the book exchange or pick up one of the latest Quick Reads is crucial, agrees Katrina. “Our centre recognises that learners need provision for quality learning in a relaxed and friendly environment, at a time and pace that suits them,” Katrina says. “I tell people to pop in for just half an hour during their lunch breaks and regard it as a de-stressing session,” she explains. Like many of its counterparts elsewhere in the POA’s network, the centre makes a point of reaching out to the local community to encourage people living nearby to make use of the centre to brush up old skills or develop new ones (the centre is located outside the prison gates next to the staff canteen). “We’ve advertised the centre through the local Chamber of Commerce and the local media: you need to contact all the local organisations,” David says.
Local resident Joe Kennedy was introduced to the centre by a friend who was already attending to improve his computer
skills. He had never used a computer before but by the end of his first visit had learnt how to type his own name and change the font and size onscreen, and now he’s using email, listening to music, watching videos and tracing family history – and catching up with his family in Denmark using a webcam. The centre has also organised a family festival of learning every year since it was opened in 2009, where the staff organise fun activities as well as taster sessions to encourage people to take up learning – including didgeridoo lessons, manicures, wildlife tours and tag rugby (plus a bouncy castle for the children). “The family festival is advertised throughout the local area, through local schools and other organisations, and we get quite an intake on that: you get people into the centre so they can see what goes on,” David says. The centre is definitely doing an awful lot right. Last year, David Dillon and ULR Steve Wrighton accepted a unionlearn Quality Award for Bullingdon POA Learning Centre presented by Quick Reads author Lola Jaye at the unionlearn SERTUC annual conference.
New Union Learning Centre at HMP Dorchester Picture L-R Steve Holland, Paul Goodwin, Pete McParlin
The Don Wood Learning centre at HMP Dartmoor has recently received the following letter of recognition from Maggie Fellows South West TUC after succesfully completing it's first year. "Dear Andy and the ‘Learning at Dartmoor Prison’ project team, I am writing following completion of the unionlearn ‘Skills for the Future’ project’s ‘sustainability strand’ to say “Thank you very much indeed” for your contribution to its success. We at unionlearn are very aware of just how much work has gone into the ‘Learning at Dartmoor Prison’ project. Through the work of the ‘sustainability strand’ projects, ‘Skills for the Future’ has seen 1184 people benefit from contact with unions to discuss their learning and skill development needs, and unions with their partners, have provided 1338 learning opportunities to workers in the South West. This has been made possible by the vision, dedication and very hard work of you and your project colleagues. I am very aware that turning a vision into a project plan, bidding for financial support and then dealing with the administration involved, has not been a straightforward or easy task. To do this and manage the day to day delivery of a learning project across a very short project term is no mean achievement; it would not have been possible without the considerable commitment and determination shown by you, your ULR team and union colleagues, and of course project partners and Dartmoor learners. The ‘Learning at Dartmoor Prison’ project has been especially successful; both in attracting learners and in helping people take up new opportunities. We consider the project to have been an example of best practice in what can be achieved when unions and employers work together to develop people and the skills needed for our future. Personally I would like to thank all involved; as a project manager it is very gratifying to see a sponsored project so well managed and so very satisfying to see so many people involved. On behalf of TUC unionlearn I would like to wish the Learning at Dartmoor Prison Project continued success and we look forward to continuing our partnership with you in the years ahead. Yours Sincerely Maggie Maggie Fellows POA Conference 2011 Staff from POA Learning have just returned from the POA's annual conference held in Southport. It was one of our most successful conferences in terms of support and recognition from all of the delegates and the POA NEC.
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Link Centre Opened at HMIRC Dover A brand new POA learning centre has been opened at Dover Immigration Removal Centre. The centre will offer staff the opportunity to access a range of e-learning and classroom based courses, providing them with the chance to learn new skills and gain qualifications at their workplace.
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