EVALUATION OF ONE SPIRIT for CHILDREN IN NEED
Dec 2012
1. YOUR PROJECT
Please describe the activities or services you have provided this year as a result of our grant.
Please use no more than 250 words.
One Spirit at HMYOI Feltham engaged young offenders in bespoke creative arts
activities, particularly music, equipping them with lifelong learning through
development of emotional, behavioural and technical skills. The curriculum of
learning, framed in music and creative arts related activities, was delivered
groups of young people across the prison in workshop style.
Participants embarked on personal journeys through different aspects of music
and performing arts, including music technology, song/rap writing, instrument
playing, music business (management, marketing and finance), performance,
stagecraft, with elements of drama and dance.
Participants were encouraged to use creativity to adopt an exploratory, critical
and reflexive approach to the whole spectrum of their behaviours - self-image,
social interaction and well-being - to develop self-discipline, problem-solving
skills and mutual support.
Running alongside the creative arts projects was the "through the gate"
mentoring programme, in which One Spirit artists engaged participants in one
to one mentoring, delivering both pastoral and progressive support, from their
time in Feltham to their release back into society.
When did each of these happen, how often and for how long? Please be specific, and give the
day and time (e.g. 38 weeks of the year, every Wednesday evening for two hours).
Please use no more than 150 words.
a) 3 x 1 week long intensive creative arts courses in April 2nd - 5th; July 23rd 27th and October 29th - November 2nd, 2 x 3 hour workshops per day- 8.45 4.45
b Mentoring took place in Feltham bi-weekly, on Mondays or Thursdays and
consisted of 3 x1hour morning sessions per visit; total 27 visits over the course of
the year.
Through the gate mentoring consisted of 36 x 3 hour meetings taking place on a
bi weekly basis, scheduled according to participants' availability in the afternoons
or early evenings.
c) A pilot program of 16 x 3hour workshops attended by the most vulnerable
under 18s in HMYOI Feltham, explored ways in which One Spirit work in this
area in the future consisted of 8 full day sessions divided into 2 x 3 hour
workshops, (8.45 - 4.15pm) on Tuesdays between October 4th and November
27th.
2. THE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
How many different children in total have benefited from your project this year? 63
How many of them were disadvantaged? 63
How many of the disadvantaged children were aged 0 to 4? 0
How many of the disadvantaged children were aged 5 to 9? 0
How many of the disadvantaged children were aged 10 to 15? 0
How many of the disadvantaged children were aged 16 to 18? 52
How many of the disadvantaged children were aged 19 and over? 11
Please briefly describe the type(s) of disadvantage experienced by your children and young
people.
Please use no more than 200 words.
One Spirit works with young offenders in HMYOI Feltham, the majority of
whom have committed crimes as a result of serious disadvantages ranging from
severe mental health issues (30%), emotional and behavioural difficulties, anger
management problems or learning difficulties (35%) to severe economic
disadvantage, family problems, low aspirations, poor attainment, peer group
pressures and substance misuse.
As Feltham is a remand prison, every prisoner's immediate future is very
uncertain. Many of the participants in One Spirit are in transit, awaiting
relocation to other prisons, often with only a day or less notice of transfer.
Others soon to be released have become accustomed to prison life's structure
and face the challenge of returning to the outside world, often to the difficulties
of gang culture, family problems and low expectations. In addition, they are at
significant disadvantage on release, in terms of work and other opportunities to
progress. Under the Vetting and Barring Scheme, introduced in October 2009,
young people with criminal records are prevented from employment across a
wider range of work, further narrowing their options.
WHAT YOU ACHIEVED
3. WHAT YOU ACHIEVED FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Please describe the three most important differences (outcomes) this project has lead to in
the lives of children and young people.
Difference 1:
Type of difference:
Behaviour / attitude change
Description of difference:
Raised levels of confidence, self-esteem and aspirations Improved:
• communication with artists/facilitators and each other
• contribution to group work
• attitude towards/ability in presentation and performance
• ability to reflect and analyse
How many of your children or young people aged 18 and under would you say:
a. Have experienced significant progress?
b. Have started to experience progress?
c. Are yet to experience progress?
45
18
0
To help us understand the story behind the numbers above, please describe the changes you
have seen across ALL the children during the year, including reasons why some children
might not have experienced change. Please include small changes as well as big ones. Please
provide evidence you have of these changes (such as statistics, feedback, observations etc).
One Spirit projects have had a 100% retention rate in 2012. Feedback and
observation tools confirm improvements in participants' confidence across all
groups and individuals.
"We have already seen positive changes re confidence and behaviour in our
learners since the event - further evidence of the project's success" David Smart,
Head Tutor Unit 5 Workshop HMYOI Feltham
Participants display improved confidence in the following ways:
-
active participation in group games/activities and discussions
positive contribution as team mate in competitive tasks
ability to work alone with prescribed aims
willingness to take risks, especially in front of the group
feeling more positive about the future
The most key areas in which participants' increased confidence has led to
positive changes, according to participants' feedback, include:
- working with others and/or alone
- managing anger/frustration
- performance/presentation skills
- leadership skills
- confidence about the future
"Before I got involved with One Sprit, I thought this was it, that jail was for me
and that would be my life. But they have made me feel like I can do something
else, more positive" Participant comment.
Measuring the level of progress requires thorough consideration of where
participants were at the start of a project. Significant progress can be defined as
"doing something you haven't done before" and perhaps more relevant to the
environment "taking risks in front of the group". Perhaps the most significant
progress is evident in young people
- who have come to the projects with low confidence and as a first time
experience have presented their work in front of the group
- or have displayed an ability to overcome low levels of self discipline by learning
to push themselves to achieve higher levels in their work
Approximately 30% of participants have made less significant progress. With
reference to the above "taking risks in front of the group" a portion of every
group of participants is less ready to do this, for a number of reasons. However,
their growth in confidence can still be seen in the way in which they engage
generally with project tasks, though maybe less willing to take the lead but
nevertheless still able to voice ideas and complete tasks.
Difference 2:
Type of difference:
Engagement in education / employment
Description of difference:
 Increased levels of technical skill and engagement with learning:
 improved engagement with technical tasks
 improved quality of work
 improved grasp and knowledge of music software
 improved ability to organise and manage workflow
How many of your children or young people aged 18 and under would you say:
a. Have experienced significant progress?
b. Have started to experience progress?
c. Are yet to experience progress?
54
9
0
To help us understand the story behind the numbers above, please describe the changes you
have seen across ALL the children during the year, including reasons why some children
might not have experienced change. Please include small changes as well as big ones. Please
provide evidence you have of these changes (such as statistics, feedback, observations etc).
"You showed me new ways of listening to music. Before I just thought a tune
was either good or not, but now I don't listen like a fan, more like someone who
knows what they're doing. I'll definitely holler you when I get out" participant
comment.
One Spirit has commanded a high level of engagement because the project
model is 100% accessible. Participants have been able to engage on levels with
which they feel comfortable, allowing for all speeds of progress. Project activities
are framed in a competitive environment, with one team pitted against the
other. This has further increased the engagement across the whole group.
On more than one occasion during projects, participants arrived for their
morning session and requested to skip or delay the usual icebreakers/warm ups
so that they could immediately carry on the work that they had left the previous
afternoon.
Within this environment of competitive energy and strong engagement all are
encouraged to "up their game" and increase their technical skills and quality of
work. Having deadlines to meet has enabled all participants to develop self
management skills.
75% of participants say they have improved their knowledge of music business,
which has involved them participating in workshops which explore the
marketing/promotion, legal and financial sides of running a small record label.
Of all those who professed, amongst other things, an interest/ability in
performance and/or music production, 90% agreed they had improved their skills
and technique in the course of a One Spirit project.
All participants engaged in developing skills in music software. In order to
understand how to "build" a beat the learner had first to consider meter and
tempo. Evidence has shown that most participants have never analysed this facet
of music. Gaining this skill seems a small change but it fills a large gap in the
music education of One Spirit participants, 99% of whom declare no formal
music training at all.
By their own admission, as shown in reflective sessions and feedback discussion
throughout the projects, as well as participant evaluation, the large majority of
participants have made significant progress with specific learning; each group
member has found at least one aspect in the broad range of activities to connect
meaningfully with. A smaller portion of young people, around 15%, have made
less significant progress, or less immediately obvious progress, which appears to
be because of learning challenges specific to individuals and other issues related
to prison life which cause distraction and stress to individuals on a daily basis, ie:
pending court dates, waiting for sentencing, worry about being transferred etc.
Some participants have their enrolment in projects interrupted midway through
by legal visits or court dates, which further hampers their ability to make
significant progress.
Difference 3
Type of difference:
Personal skills and development
Description of difference:
 Reduced levels of anti social behaviour & reduction in reoffending:
 improved general behaviour in custody
 improved outlook towards future and life on release from prison
 progressive pathways post custody
How many of your children or young people aged 18 and under would you say:
a. Have experienced significant progress?
b. Have started to experience progress?
c. Are yet to experience progress?
44
18
1
To help us understand the story behind the numbers above, please describe the changes you
have seen across ALL the children during the year, including reasons why some children
might not have experienced change. Please include small changes as well as big ones. Please
provide evidence you have of these changes (such as statistics, feedback, observations etc).
"There's a lot of love in the room!" Prison Officer comment on attending a
showing
The atmosphere in One Spirit projects has been commended since the start,
with feedback from education and prison staff confirming improvements in
participants' general behaviour out of workshops and back on the wing. One
Spirit continued to have this effect through 2012.
Participants in all projects have been known to take project work back to their
cells, including draft business plans for their label, hand drawn t shirt, cd and
flyer designs; one participant spent his evening sticking sheets of A4 together to
make up a spreadsheet. Boys being occupied in this way whilst on the wing has
been well observed by prison staff.
There has been a high take up for 1 to1 mentoring amongst boys still serving
sentences. Mentor reports on these sessions diarise changes in mentees as the
relationships build.
Some participants in the mentoring projects are looking at potentially long
sentences, and therefore are less inclined to be positive about their future or be
thinking about release. Changes manifested in this group have been represented
in more focused short term outlooks regarding surviving prison life and
occupying time constructively.
"Your work has helped me put into perspective for the boys what we do here"
David Smart, Head Tutor of Unit 5, HMYOI Feltham
One Spirit projects teach transferable skills; participants were able to learn
through a medium which engaged and inspired them. This year the focus on
participants relating what they were learning to their lives in the outside world
was greater and more successful. Evidence of the success of this approach is
displayed by the positive attitudes mentees have displayed towards realizing
their own ideas and aspirations on release while balancing these hopes with a
realistic vision regarding further training and the need for employment, not
necessarily in the field of their choice but as a means to support them while they
develop their own plans (typically relating to music and music business).
"If it wasn't for One Spirit I'd be back in jail" participant/mentee comment
4 out of 5 mentees released this year have not reoffended; National Statistics
put the general figure for reoffending at 70-80% within 12 months. 1 mentee is in
full time college, 4 have satisfied conditions of probation, 2 are still actively
recording music and making music videos with mentors. These rates have been
commended by interventions agencies working inside Feltham, who are keen to
refer other young people, who have not necessarily enrolled in One Spirit
projects whilst in jail, to One Spirit mentoring on release.
There has only been one young person who unfortunately reoffended 4 months
after release. This young person engaged in just one mentoring meeting and
displayed a range of severe learning difficulties. His probation officer was aware
of these and accepted that One Spirit mentoring could not possibly meet all the
needs displayed by this young person.
4. OTHER DIFFERENCES
We understand that the three differences you have described above may not show the full
picture of what your project has achieved for children and young people. Please tell us about
any other changes you have seen the children and young people experience.
Please use no more than 250 words.
"Your work has helped me put what we do here into perspective for the boys"
David Smart, Head Tutor, Unit 5 HMOI Feltham
Because the One Spirit model encourages learners to connect the theory with a
practice that is relevant to their own experiences and interests in life, the
projects give real hope and teach real skills.
Participants are better behaved and more focused this year and the projects
have enjoyed a very positive atmosphere throughout.
A much higher percentage of participants actively seek out One Spirit tutors'
contact details, whether they expect to be transferred or released. The prison
education staff have become more involved than before, proactively supporting
and contributing to theory and practical sessions.
"I would just like to say well done for yesterday. Any lingering quibbles I may
have about the fact that there isn't any art or drama in unit 5 were squashed
yesterday with the energetic and quite moving performances. Those young
people really rose to the occasion and I felt it was a very positive outcome." Gill
Jenkins, former Head Tutor Unit 5 HMYOI Feltham.
5. CASE STUDY
Nothing brings a project to life and helps us understand the true value of what you do better
than individual stories. It would be very helpful if you could write a brief case study (or case
studies) that illustrate how an individual child or young person has experienced a difference
in his/her life as a result of the project we have funded. Please be careful NOT to identify the
child by his or her real name. As a guide we do not feel that this should need more than
about 500 words, and may be much shorter if you wish. Any story you tell us here will not
be broadcast as part of our fundraising appeal without your prior consent.
Please use no more than 500 words.
H was released from HMYOI Feltham in April 2012, his second time in prison.
He had applied to participate in One Spirit but it was full. However,
Interventions arranged some 1 to 1 meetings inside and H signed up for
mentoring on release.
Initially painfully shy, he was unable to make eye contact or communicate openly.
He asked to learn how to use Logic Software to make music and expressed
interest in enrolling at college but meetings were slow. H had difficulty learning
to use the music software, showed no incentive to return to college, appeared
demotivated and communicated poorly. At one meeting he said "life's a trap.
Everything is a test, and I don't think I'm gonna pass it".
He regularly mentioned how the "youngers" in his area were a hazard who
looked up to him because of his past and tried to emulate him.
When H started to bring lyrics, the sessions focused on recording them and
making a music video. This encouraged him to notice his shyness, and began a
strong journey of self-reflection, analysis and self-improvement.
Satisfying the conditions of his release, got him off "tag" and he moved in with
his girlfriend, which got him away from negative influences in his area. By July,
his confidence growing visibly, he asked for help with his probation officer, who
had not been in contact. The mentor secured a new officer, who's helping with
an NI number and guidance towards training in mechanics, a skill he studied in
prison.
Recently H participated in a television interview for the Children in Need Appeal.
He totally rose to the occasion, being honest, articulate and at ease and also got
time to work in a full spec professional recording studio, during which time his
confidence exploded! The engineer was impressed with him and offered him the
opportunity to return and do more work there.
H's attitude and aspirations have transformed:
Without the project I would be back in jail. It's turned me into a philosopher to
look at my life.
Joining the project was the wake up call. Made me realize this is what I need and
slowly helped me build myself up. Made me really think about the effect on
people & family.
Made me realise I'm seen as a role model but I don't want kids to grow up doing
what I did. I need to lead by example and do something good for myself so they
can.
I would love to be mentoring and do the same thing for other people that
Charlie did for me and let the people in my area know that you don't need to go
to jail and stay like this for the rest of your life.
C's helping me get a job; I'm trying to get on a mechanics course & want to do
an apprenticeship. I want goodness around me - this was like a miracle, leading
me in the right direction and I want other people to have this too.
6. WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED
What, if anything, will you do differently next time to improve your project?
Please use no more than 250 words.
In year 1, the project was slow to get started because of issues with prison
security and struggled to get the mentoring going because of issues with prison
infrastructure re. communicating who and when YOs were released.
This year has been hugely more successful for a number of reasons:
1. Appointing Charlie Parker as Project Manager who is also workshop Leader
has meant that the whole project's approach is coherent and tight. Charlie has
developed really strong relationships with a number of departments within
Feltham which has helped hugely in moving forward and tightening the project's
structure.
2. The biggest change has been to start the mentoring inside Feltham and build
relationships of trust inside which can then be sustained and developed outside
and this has meant both that young men inside get a 1-1 in-depth relationship
which is both pastoral and inspires music-based skills training, and that outside,
young people seek and benefit from the range of support One Spirit offers.
3. Facilitators have responded quickly to participant feedback so that the
residency projects have changed focus from being performance based to
focusing on music and music business skills.
If funding is continued next year we will be able to build on these valuable
experiences to continue a sustained, coherent approach offering invaluable skills
and life-changing support to young offenders.