As always, this time of the year makes us pause to reflect. Despite the challenges again faced this year, I remain amazed and proud at what the Spark Inside team has achieved.
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We launched our 3‑year Strategic Plan, outlining how we will be making a difference on an individual, institutional, and systemic level. You can read this on our website now.
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We re-started our coaching programme in prisons, after having to pause during the pandemic. Thank you to everybody that stood by us and supported us to make this happen.
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We continued to coach young people in the community, expanding our range of charity partners so we can reach more young people.
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We delivered our coaching programme at HMP Lincoln — our first time out of London/SE — with Lincolnshire Action Trust. What is special to me is how this new way of working is enabling us to have such an impact on young people around the country.
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We were able to see the impact that coaching prison staff had on their wellbeing, as well as on their interactions and relationships with the young people in prison
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We have been delighted to meet with our incredible coaches, introducing them to our new Coach Supervisors.
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We launched ‘Being Well Being Equal’ — our very first campaign advocating for wellbeing support for young men in prison, particularly young Black men, to be prioritised and tailored. We received national coverage on this topic, including on LBC and The Voice.
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We produced coaching podcasts with our life coaches, that were sent to MoJ to be uploaded to online rehabilitation content for young people in prison. You can listen to them on our website now.
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We are proud to have listened to and platformed young people’s voices this year, which has been at the core of our wellbeing campaign.
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We were hugely encouraged to see meaningful and positive Outcomes Star data this year, including that 100% of the young men who we coached at HMP Lincoln have made progress in their journey of change in three or more of the six areas of their lives that we measure.
Spark Inside enters the New Year with some long-standing staff having moved on to pastures new, and we thankful to them for their hard work and are excited to be welcoming new members of the team, who bring with them the same passion and expertise that we know and love at Spark Inside.
The Spark Inside team, trustees and coaches are an incredible bunch, who I give special thanks to — I look forward to what more we achieve together next year. And of course, thank you to our funders and supporters, as always, who have stuck by us to ensure that we have been able to deliver, innovate and make a real difference.
For now, I’ll leave you with some words from a young person who completed the Hero’s Journey this year. Have a peaceful season all.
Vicki
