The Conversation
Between 2014 — 2018, we piloted The Conversation®, our systems coaching programme for large groups of prison staff and prisoners, to enhance their relationships, improve empathy, and support sustained, positive cultural change on prison wings.
Systems coaching looks beyond individual behaviour, to the interactions between individuals, and the effect their relationships have on their environment. Through a facilitated systems coaching process, prisoners and prison staff on a prison wing came together to decide on issues they want to solve, to create a more rehabilitative culture and a safer working environment.
The pilot found that The Conversation improved empathy and understanding, and ultimately, relationships — as well as an 81% increase in prisoners’ positive behaviour.
The Conversation is currently undergoing redesign by a team of experts, prison staff and young people with lived experience, and will build on learning from the pilot but include engagement and training before the workshops, and be more embedded to create long term culture change.
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Prison staff coaching
During the pandemic, for the first time, we began offering life coaching to prison staff. In 2020, when prisons entered a ‘double lockdown’ and only prison staff were able to offer support and care to those living in prison, we believed it was important for our passionate and skilled life coaches to talk to staff.
Our life coaching programme aims to give prison officers the reflective space and tools to improve their own wellbeing and in turn, that of prisoners in their care, contributing to rehabilitation.
Over 150 hours of coaching were delivered to staff and the vast majority (94%) of staff coached reported making progress in their lives, including improved stress levels and emotional wellbeing and better interactions with people living in prison.
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Peer to Peer coaching
Our upcoming Peer to Peer coaching programme is set to equip people living in prison with coaching skills and qualifications. We will be developing this programme with people who have lived experience of prison, and we believe that it will help to embed a coaching mindset and culture in the prisons, which will make rehabilitation possible.
