The Safety Box ® Aspire Higher Program is an AQA accredited holistic life skills & personal development program designed in partnership with Syrus Consultancy CIC to change behaviour traits and negative mindsets.
It uses advanced coaching methodologies and a refined system of training and development in helping youth and adults to develop important life skills such as leadership, team work, relationship building, presentation, communication, financial literacy, money management, business basics, conflict resolution, violence reduction, personal development and problem solving.
We recognise that these are some of the essential keys to success. They open doors to learning, to life in addition to work. They are a platform on which to build employability skills and the gateway to future well-being and prosperity.
In our program we aim to improve the levels of safety within prisons and with wider strategic priorities for reducing re-offending and addressing the poorer outcomes experienced by young people and adults who don’t normally engage in employment or education within the estate.
We use a combination of evidenced based methodologies which compliment each other and have a proven track record of working within the custodial setting and within the community.
The program can be delivered either through face-to-face delivery in a group setting and one-to-one coaching & therapeutic support or as a distance learning course using DVD tutoring, workbook course material and telephone coaching and therapy.
All of our workshops are delivered by dynamic facilitators and the workers are labelled as being “credible messengers” (those with experiences of achieving great success after formally being involved in violence, gang affiliation and or offending behaviour). This allows for a cognizant connection with many of the participants and an approach which leads to a potent peer led program.
The group work face-to-face program runs over a period of 2 months and contains full day programs (2 days / week) over 4 weeks, including 2 * one to one life coaching days. Following the taught group program we assist with 2 group therapy sessions with the graduates which are run twice a month after the intervention.
The program utilizes reflective practice and seeks to test the impact of peer to peer mentorship in increasing awareness of the living with better values outside of the intervention.
The program is inspirational, impactful and empowering.
It utilises the following methodology of engagement.
Focus Group Work
Open Dialogue
1-2-1 Life Coaching
1-2-1 & Group Therapeutic Sessions
Evaluation sheets
Empathy Tools
Music Therapy
Cultural Identifications
Positive Speech & Affirmations
Role Play
Reflective Practice
We believe that the greatest impact is found when the entire community understands the intervention and works in partnership. We therefore encourage a multi-level approach working with both prisoners and staff.
This program can be booked using the Ministry of Justice Prison Education DPS Java.
A New Culture
We develop a rehabilitative culture by training and developing both staff and prisoners and embedding values, behaviours and attitudes within all members of the prison community using innovative solutions which are of benefit to young, violent offenders.
Post program deployment we provide learning that will help, inform and enable development of a whole prison approach to working with young, violent offenders. Reflective practice is a key component of our training and a necessary element which is used to better manage situations.
Increased cultural competence among prison officers and staff groups within the prisons is something which we also focus on which supports the development of a rehabilitative culture within the estate especially with Black, Asian and other minority groups.
Our Focus
To engage both those actively participating in high-risk activity and those on the periphery (in separate contexts)
To facilitate the candidates’ ability to view their actions through the eyes of others
To provide credible skills and techniques to resolve potentially violent conflicts without violence
To address the shocking realities of “street life” and destroy popular myths and misconceptions
To facilitate a change in thinking and ultimately behaviour within the estate and outside once released.
OUR AIMS
Development of more inclusive services which better meet the diverse needs of the prisoner cohort based on increased staff awareness of the impact of discrimination, the susceptibility to bias and greater cultural competence.
Reduction in violent incidents amongst selected cohorts of high risk offenders and a more general reduction in violence, use of force and anti-social behaviour as a result of the staff training.
Positive changes in attitudes and behaviour from both staff and prisoners which reduce risk of harm to self and others and improves the opportunities for rehabilitation.
Improvements in the resilience of staff through increased understanding and empathy for the young men in their care leading to improved retention rates.
Positive changes to how violence is managed and individual behaviour in the prison is informed by the training and the reflective practice
Watch this ITV Feature clip from our Intervention in HMP Elmley
The Safety Box Founder, Nathaniel Peat speaks on Violence Reduction within the estate at the Youth Justice Convention, December 2015.
Other Panelists
- Javed Khan, CEO, Barnardos
- Glenn Knight, Governor, Feltham Young Offenders Institution
- Seamus Oates, Board Member, Youth Justice Board
- Alisa Purton, Young People's Cluster Lead Psychologist, Public Sector Prisons Psychology Services
Casestudy
HMP Elmley saw a rise in violence since the start of the 2017 year, both in relation to prisoner and staff assaults. In response to this, the prison engaged a the partnership of The Safety Box & Syrus Consultancy CIC, to deliver the Aspire Higher programme, a bespoke programme for those individuals who are responsible for a high proportion of this recurring violence.
