Dylan was a few months from his release date from HMP Isis and saw the Hero’s Journey programme advertised on the wing. What caught his attention was the through-the-gate coaching on release which appealed to him and was what convinced him to sign up.
Dylan knew it would be a challenge for him not to return to being a ‘roadman’ (including drug dealing) but to stick to a path away from crime, especially given the pressure of his peers, who are still involved in criminal activity. Dylan knew this would be tough, so he wanted coaching on release to help him stick to his goals.
Dylan was very quiet during the Hero’s Journey programme workshops amongst a very loud group. Even though quiet, Dylan stuck with all the sessions and was very committed. On release day, our Service Delivery Manager, Rishika checked in on him and finalised plans for coaching in the community.
Since release, Dylan has attended seven one-to-one coaching sessions with his coach, Lilian, in person. In these sessions, Lilian found Dylan has really come out of his shell, been chatty, and is ‘like a different person’. Dylan hasn’t missed one session and has used the coaching to work on his mindset and to keep him focused on applying for jobs. Dylan has applied for several roles and has experienced knockbacks. The hardest one was when an employer pulled a job offer once Dylan disclosed his criminal record. However, Dylan continues to use coaching to stick to his plans and build resilience.
He values having someone to be open with and who will encourage him to stick with his goals. This is even more important when his friends have questioned the value of applying for legitimate jobs. While still applying for roles, Dylan has begun setting up his own legitimate business – an online business selling nutritional products – Lilian is supporting him with this.
The story hasn’t ended yet, but Dylan’s feedback is that coaching with Lilian is the only place he gets non-judgemental, consistent and positive support.
