(The photos on this page do not represent real people in prison)
Prison co-operation
Between May 2006 & May 2007 Everythin's Possible developedon the partnerships it has built up over the last few years to develop a co-operation project between prisons & organisations working with young offenders, ex-offenders and those at risk of offending in
UK
Estonia
Belgium
Netherlands
Denmark
This partnership has allowed communication between young people in prison & in offenders projects, mobility of these young people being given the chance to travel abroad and volunteer in one of the partner projects for up to three weeks and opportunities for on-going co-operation between partners; some of the concrete results we are celebrating now are:
Everything's Possible has had the chance to promote EVS & Youth Initiatives in two UK prisons & Young Offender Units, with one Youth Offending Team & two Probation Service departments
We have placed 2 long-term volunteers & 5 short-term volunteers, in UK prisons.
We have hosted 8 young people from offending backgrounds from our European partners on short-term EVS projects.
We have sent 7 young people from this group, ex-offenders & young people at risk of offending on projects between 2 & 4 weeks to our partners abroad
Quotes from some of the young people involved:
This project allowed me to do many interesting things much more than I expected; it even gave me the chance to come to England for three weeks; much more than anyone offered me before. It's not only talking really this programme gives people one more chance to try and get their life good again. I am very happy for this chance. Estonia
First time I heard I thought it could be a bit stupid, telling us stuff we could do abroad when we are locked up, finally the things they told us can happen inside as well as when we get out. Now I am looking at what things I can do here then when I get out Im off to Netherlands “ cool eh? “ UK Prison
"One month after I got out of prison I went to Leeds to make a training, preparing me for the chance to go to abroad. I did not believe it would really happen but it's true, I went, came back & now I have the chance to do something different with my life“ UK Prison
If I knew there was a thing like this for me when I was 16 I would never have ended in prison, I want to tell people from my town about this project, maybe they won't get into trouble. D - Belgium
Case study
Andrew
Andrew was in prison for petty crimes and was introduced to Everything's Possible by his probation officer, through a workshop we delivered to them, about international opportunities. Andrew was inspired by, a host project in Sweden who offered him a project working with music, dance and sport. The project inspired Andrew to look into European Voluntary Service further and consider a second project maybe even for a longer period. Recently Andrew was invited to join a member of Everything's Possible staff to visit one of the prisons in Estonia which has also been active in the YOUTH programme. Andrew attended this event and a rap song he wrote promoting European Voluntary Service was included in this event. this song was also used in the SALTO social inclusion forum.
After returning from this event Andrew has begun work with three friends on a group initiatives project for which they were awarded £7,000 where the group will set up a basement recording studio aimed at young people at risk of offending. The studio will encourage young people to learn about rapping & making music videos and will also give them chance to see themselves on TV maybe, for the first time in a positive light.