4A:How to achieve success in guidance and support

Effective support ensures that arrangements are in place from entry to exit for young offenders on Skills for Life learning programmes, however long or short the period of time this may be. A holistic approach will allow young offenders the opportunity to crystallise their learning goals often for the first time and provide them with new knowledge and understanding to improve their self-esteem and confidence. Effective support is crucial for the success of all learners and will include support for educational and often very difficult personal and family matters.

Information, advice and guidance

Procedures must be in place to cover the quality and accuracy of the guidance given to prospective learners and to ensure that they are on the right learning programme for their literacy, numeracy and language needs.

Well-organised provision has qualified staff such as guidance workers, counsellors and mentors who work with learners to give accurate and impartial advice and guidance as appropriate. Some guidance workers may be part time and work on an appointment system. Any learner that indicates that he or she wishes to leave the programme may be referred to the guidance workers for an exit or leaver’s interview.

In some instances support workers can also help staff with monitoring inmates’ bad behaviour. This often helps staff to deal with any personal and social problems that may inhibit learners’ progress. Clear links are then established with teachers and non-confidential details can be shared to help support individuals.

Advice and guidance must also be given to prepare learners for release. Details of progression routes will be recorded at exit interviews and include suitable courses for learners. For example, arrangements for progressing into further education or attending interviews as part of a probation order or temporary licence may be offered. Any arrangements made must be recorded in the young person’s resettlement file.

Assessment and induction

Initial screening

Initial screening will accurately identify literacy, numeracy or language needs. These will be taken into account when ensuring learners are on the right programmes to meet individual needs and that any additional learning support is carefully planned. Time must be spent with each individual to recognise their needs, goals and aspirations. Teachers must be aware of the extra support that learners are entitled to and this could include working with external partners or specialist support services.

In some establishments, support may be provided through a student support services coordinator and team who deliver mentoring services. They can provide one-to-one mentoring and support to help learners overcome negative attitudes to learning.

Induction

The purpose of induction is to welcome learners on to the programme and to ensure that they have the basic information they need about their learning programmes. It enables learners to settle in quickly. It is essential that induction sessions are well-structured with clear learning goals for each session. Young prisoners need to understand the benefits to them of attending learning programmes or they will quickly lose interest and become inattentive. Effective provision ensures that induction is carried out over a suitable period of time in order to identify any additional learning needs and to prescribe the methods for dealing with them.

For example, induction may be spread over a period of one week and include preparation for work, such as health and safety and safe lifting, as learners are unable to work unless this is done. Learner contracts may be issued to give rights and responsibilities for staff and learners. These should be open and honest, and written in clear language that is accessible to the learner. In one institution, an external adviser employed by Jobcentre Plus provides advice and guidance on benefits, housing and employment. Another gives learners the opportunity to use laptops to access national job sites.

Learners should receive a timetable of subjects at induction so that they understand what is on offer to them. They require clear information on the range of qualifications offered and how the development of literacy, numeracy or ESOL is relevant to them. They also need to know how they will be supported in developing these skills in a vocational context.

Information on courses

A simple but comprehensive booklet that includes information on what learners can work towards from Pre-entry to Entry Level 3 and Levels 1 and 2 onwards in literacy, numeracy, language (and, where appropriate, key skills) is a useful start. This is important as many new young prisoners may be too unwell to absorb lots of new information, particularly if it is poorly written and in small font sizes. It is important to include progression routes up to and including Level 3 so that learners have a good understanding of what they can aim for.

Higher levels can illustrate a range of external qualifications such as advanced GCSEs or explain any arrangements with nationally recognised organisations to provide distance learning materials for study at degree level. Colourful leaflets on vocational work areas that contain good visual displays will stimulate interest in courses.

Specialist support services

These should be made available to all learners at induction within the restrictions and constraints of the regime. They can include access to external organisations such as Nacro, Connexions, Careers Services, the Chaplaincy and The Samaritans and other specialist support agencies. In one establishment, volunteer mentors from an external agency visit the institution weekly. They provide useful individual support to learners, which often continues following their release.

Entitlement

Staff need to be particularly sensitive when supporting young offenders. Teachers with a good knowledge of their learners will be able to help them with learning or with their personal difficulties. They will often deal rapidly with issues that hinder learning such as disruptive behaviour. Effective provision ensures that staff help to create a relaxed and productive atmosphere which facilitates learning. Learners are treated with respect and the relationship between staff and learners may be one of equals. In some establishments there are ‘learn to read’ schemes that involve the use of mentors to give one-to-one support. These schemes are usually overseen by Skills for Life staff.

Support outside classes

Effective support may mean providing structured literacy, numeracy and language skills support outside the education classes. Innovative reading schemes may operate on the wings. In some establishments, inmates attend wing teacher groups because they are vulnerable in one way or another. Wing classes provide a safer environment for these inmates. In others, education staff visit wings at lunchtimes three times a week for literacy and numeracy outreach sessions. They also provide individual support to meet specific needs.

Staff in one establishment regularly visit learners who are unable or unwilling to attend timetabled education sessions, meeting them on the residential wings or in the healthcare unit. They offer appropriate individual tuition and ensure learners have sufficient material for private study.

All support should be linked back to literacy learning carried out in the education department and recorded on individual learning plans (ILPs). This will include any particular support arrangements for learners with dyslexia as this may require extra activities to take into account specific learning needs. The adult literacy, numeracy and ESOL curricula will enable teachers to reference targets effectively in ILPs and progress reviews.

Staff training for learning support assistants

The introduction of learning support assistants and learning support managers in some establishments to support learners in the young offenders’ estate has been a particular success. Effective provision ensures that support roles for learners and teachers are clarified. This means sharing ideas and planning work with teachers to meet targets, monitoring the class while the teacher works with an individual or a small group and supporting any individual learners with statements of special educational needs. Learning support assistants also often have a key role in supporting staff to help learners modify their behaviour.

Feedback

Successful support encourages young offenders to solve problems and practise new skills without assistance. It offers learners regular and constructive feedback on their achievements. It also means teaching learners to avoid making the same errors again, for example on corrected worksheets or assignments. One young man was able to achieve goals that he did not think were possible because his learning support assistant had motivated and encouraged him on a one-to-one basis.

Learning styles

Individual learning styles will be taken into account from the start of all learning programmes for literacy, numeracy and ESOL. This information must be made available for all staff involved in teaching and supporting learners as it will influence the type of support offered to meet individual needs. The LSC Skills for Life Quality Initiative learning materials and the Access for All training both offer useful ideas for helping teachers understand the different learning styles by interpreting the comments made by different types of learners.

Vocational work and literacy, numeracy and language

Learning support is also an opportunity for staff to help learners develop transferable literacy, numeracy and language skills. In the words of one teacher, ‘It’s about training, guiding, supporting and steering them to make the best of their talents.’

Support should be available in vocational workshops, kitchens and other work areas to enable learners to progress effectively. Collaborative support will enhance learners’ knowledge and understanding of literacy, numeracy and language. Partnerships between staff will also promote the sharing of good practice.

Good support systems and procedures are crucial to success. The type and effectiveness of support should be recorded and analysed as part of the quality assurance arrangements.