Prisoner Learning Alliance 16th September 2016 Cardiff Metropolitan University ‘The Future of Prison Education: Personalised and Peer-Enabled Approaches’

Vocational Maths Mentors Coates Review - maths skills embedded in work settings Maths naturally embedded in vocational learning Not always identified - opportunities rarely exploited Prisons have opportunities in vocational and industrial activities e.g. laundry, production and manufacturing “Vocational Mentors” develops sustainable support for vocational maths

Vocational Maths Mentors Barriers: staff skills, attitudes, capacity and capability Staff have limited resource to develop learners’ maths skills. Staff do not readily identify opportunities Many prisoners have high level maths skills, drive and capacity to support others Programme addresses issues through joint work with staff and mentors

Vocational Maths Mentors Three day programme Builds on previous maths mentor programmes Trains and supports vocational staff to develop opportunities and guidance to work with mentors Trains prisoners to support staff and other prisoners Use prisoners’ capacity and skills to help others develop their maths skills in vocational contexts.

Participating Prisons Cluster 1 Midlands: HMP Stafford, HMP Swinfen Hall, HMP Drake Hall Cluster 2 East of England: Group A: HMP Littlehay, HMP Bedford Day 1 Group B: HMP Lincoln, HMP North Sea Camp, HMP Stocken Group C: HMP Warren Hill, HMP Highpoint, HMP Holleslay Bay

Support programme Each prison has 3 day programme Raise awareness among prison staff of the importance of embedding maths in vocational activities Work with prison staff and prisoner mentors to identify, agree and implement realistic opportunities for vocational maths learning Work with prison staff and mentors to agree effective approaches, roles and responsibilities to embed maths in vocational activities Evidence the impact of the programme on the prison, staff, mentors and learners  

Day 1 Support Band 3 + Band 4 Officers to: Develop as maths champions / enablers Articulate personal feelings / concerns about role as math champions / enablers Become aware of the mathematics underpinning production in workshops Acknowledge that enhancing prisoners’ maths skills can improve productivity How maths can improve productivity and prisoners’ skills and attitudes Identify opportunities for prisoners’ mathematical development Explore some mathematical activity and develop personal maths skills Develop personal maths confidence Discuss mentor role, benefits and working practices

Identify maths mentors Before next session Identify maths mentors

Day2 Morning: mentor trainees  Understand role of a vocational maths mentor Understand benefits to mentors and mentees of the mentoring process Understand boundaries and responsibilities Explore personal maths history, and develop confidence to mentor Explore mathematical activities and develop confidence in mathematical competence Develop mentoring skills (listening skills, coaching skills) Explore potential for personal maths learning Afternoon: mentor trainees with Band 3 and 4 Officers Explore and agree how the mentoring scheme will run in the industrial workshops Try out maths learning materials Adapt maths learning materials for use by mentors with mentees Plan to adapt and trial more materials

Trial materials and mentoring model Identify resource gaps Before next session Trial materials and mentoring model Identify resource gaps

Day 3 Band 4 Officers and mentors Review trialled materials Develop materials further Develop new materials Review initial mentoring sessions Develop further mentor skills

Post - delivery Collating and analysing resources Ensuring resources mathematically and educationally sound Accessibility checks Hosting on VC Tracking access and use Exploring use of multiple stakeholder support Evaluation “What employers want”

Models Super-mentors and mentors Direct delivery Train the trainer

Roles Mentors Staff Prison Support peers in workshops/ on the wing/ in dedicated sessions Monitor and record mentor activities Co –design and develop maths resources for specific vocational areas Staff Identify opportunities to embed vocational maths Agree and facilitate mentor role Co-design maths resources Prison Facilitate and support mentor activities

Prison and staff attitudes Initially, industry managers / band 3 / band 4 officers resistant Following day 1 training “All of the training was eye opening. Great!” “fun to be involved in, made maths interesting” “very flexible approach” “a very good experience” “various activities which were fun to do” “very satisfied with all the training materials” “very inspirational!” “many ideas generated through day” “thoroughly enjoyable, informative and relaxed”

Future actions  “incorporate maths by letting prisoners take responsibility for counting work and estimating work left to do” “encourage the lads to focus on the maths side of things when we do our job” “help embed maths in the workshops and help empower the instructors . . . to do this without being “math TUTORS’ “do more active educational input with prisoners” co –design / adapt resources with mentors Work with and support mentors

Mentor responses Qualifications Responsibility Sense of achievement Worthwhile contribution and experience

Role of technology Resource hosting and prisoner access New peer mentor tile on the VC Host developed and adapted resources Passport to success Recording informal/ non accredited learning Multiple stakeholders set tasks

Technology Through the gate Data tracking How many access resources Staff Mentors Mentees For how long Through the gate

Discuss Comments / suggestions Are there possibilities to increase impact of mentor support? What are possibilities for vocational english? What are the future possibilities of technology, in this and other programmes?

Contact Susan Easton Head of Digital Learning Learning and Work Institute Susan.easton@learningandwork.org.uk Tel:07795 227283

Contact Susan Easton Head of Digital Learning Learning and Work Institute Tel: 07795 227283 Susan.easton@learningandwork.org.uk