Mindfulness
Prison Education
Prison Education Mindfulness Series
Do you want to bring Mindfulness to your Prison?
See how we've been introducing Mindfulness at HMP Norwich and get added to the upcoming Launch List
Finally, Mindfulness Workbooks for your Prisoners or Prison Learners
I’ve worked in a male B Category prison for over 12 years – first delivering English and Maths Assessments, and for the past 6 years as Exam Officer.
I know how challenging it can be. I’ve seen prisoners ‘stuck’, and also driven to rage. None of these are healthy reactions to stress.
Unsurprisingly, when we dig a little deeper, we find few prisoners have been taught how to manage their feelings and how to think well. My own Prison has an excellent programme of Personal Development but globally, there is much we can do to offer specifics in managing overwhelm. And Mindfulness is a currently popular solution - for good reason.
Most of us push through on the same automatic patterns, handling life the best way we know how.
In prison this often leads to unsocial behaviour, repercussions and self harm. It’s how prisoners handle their anger, despair, loss, separation, and hopelessness.
But it doesn’t have to stay like this.
The key is providing Education that helps prisoners with their thinking whilst teaching easy to learn techniques to manage stress.
And that could be either through your Prison Officer Team, or your Education Department.
When I wrote my 6 Meditation recordings for our in-house TV channel I felt I was the right person at the right time. What an opportunity! – they now stream directly to 55,000 + prisoners' TVs, every day.
I could not have envisaged the increased feelings of separation brought on by the Covid lockdown over 2020/21 and beyond.
By Summer 2020 I was asked to write a Mindfulness in-cell workbook to support our prisoner population because the Education team knew that Mindfulness helps prisoners manage their thinking. And that's what creates change.
Collaborating with a colleague, our Mindfulness workbook is now one of the core items in our Personal Development offering, and seen as an example of best practice.
Covid gave us an unexpected opportunity to engage with so many prisoners who wouldn’t usually attend Education. Once we began to share our expertise with in-cell workbooks, our engagement numbers soared, along with our potential for good.
At the same time I wrote a group of other Mindfulness Topic workbooks so that others could share the same good practice in their own Establishments.
See what courses you could be offering in your Prison.
Perhaps you want to offer in-cell courses but have no-one to write them. Or you may want to buy in topics to rapidly increase your range. Have you identified a need and want to test an idea before, but find you haven’t time to develop ideas yourself? You’ll get ready made Mindfulness topics to add to your Education offering
They’re all ready to go and come with inclusive audio recordings. Tutors don’t need to be specialists in Mindfulness.
All that's required is a commitment to the benefits Mindfulness can bring to challenging environments. Think of them as a ‘plug and play’ option.
My style of workbook and meditation recordings are proven.
Purchase gives you access to all the workbooks in the range for you to use within your Department.
FAQS
Like you, I work in a busy education department. Mindfulness isn’t a standard HMP topic, so a tried and tested format will give you a heads-up and help you spread ideas faster and wider. We know that Mindful approaches lower anxiety
You can either use them in your Classroom Delivery being taught by your PSD Tutors or send them out via a request list for in-cell independent study.
Your purchase gives you permission to use the workbooks within ONE establishment. Please contact me for Licensing details if you wish to sue them within larger organisations.
When I first introduced the workbooks to our HMP Governors there was a call for them to be used estate wide – not just in our own local prison but throughout the Service. You can do that too, with your own Prison Service permissions.
You may want to buy in the workbooks to widen specific Mindfulness provision through the Education Department. Or perhaps you see greater benefit with them being available, delivered or supported by your Induction Team, Training Department or Personal Officers.
Workbook delivery is flexible. Use whatever way works best in your Establishment.
The benefits of Mindfulness approach in Prison
Mindfulness helps Prisoners create a place of calm inside a noisy environment. It prompts them to notice, acknowledge and accept their feelings, without more personal judgment and shares easy to learn, non-invasive ways to handle their reactions to life inside. In the process they get to breathe a little easier, take time out and begin to go ‘with the flow’. The cumulative effects of this gentler attitude to themselves, and life inside, is huge.
8 Workbook Titles
Mindfulness
Meditation
Tapping
Dealing with Anger
Handling Pain
Habits
Guilt and Forgiveness
Coping with Change
Mp3 Audio Files To support learning
Mp4 videos
"The PSD suite of courses have been one of the major successes via in-cell delivery this year and have been in high demand by those studying in-cell. Learners were encouraged to work towards changing behaviour and attitudes and the in-cell packs have been used to support sentence plans. They have been showcased in other establishments due to their excellence"
Zenildo Cassoneca
Education Manager, HMP Norwich
"With Geraldine’s expert guidance and skills, we now have a new range of education which is directly impacting people’s life’s in a hugely positive manner. Courses like mindfulness are facilitating learners to cope with their current predicament and gives them strategies to help reduce stress and anxiety. Feedback received is invariably positive and shows that Geraldine’s courses can help everyone, no matter what situation you find yourself in. Thank you, you have made a difference! "
Pete Donovan
Deputy Education Manager, People Plus, HMP Norwich
"I found the mindful unwind before bed exercise the most helpful. It helped me clear my head and not think so much negativity about my past. What has been and done is out of my control. All I can do now is work towards changing my future and being a better man"
Prison Learner
Education Department, HMP Norwich
"It has taught me how certain ways can help you concentrate. The course has everything you need to work on your own thoughts and control them"
Prison Learner
Education Department, HMP Norwich
"Thank you for all the work you did developing the packs. They have benefitted the men and I hope will continue to add value to the in cell offer in the future"
Paul Mortimer
Learning, Skills and Employment Manager
"This Mindfulness Workbook looks great. Thank you Geraldine. It's very professional looking"
Richard Taylor
I.T. and Personal Development Curriculum Lead, People Plus
It’s important work. And now’s the time.
We know Mindfulness works on OUR inside. Isn't in time for it to work on THE inside too?
