Evaluations
An evaluation of The Irene Taylor Trust’s Sounding Out programme 2016-2018
Sounding Out is a music traineeship which provides former prisoners with longer-term opportunities upon their release, to bridge the gap between inside and outside prison. The evaluation takes a qualitative approach to explore the views and experiences of participants, staff and family members to understand if and how Sounding Out ... read on →
The Lullaby Project: areas of change and mechanisms of impact
Creative projects and their potential towards positive psychosocial change have been consistently evidenced, particularly with vulnerable groups. The Lullaby Project (developed by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute in New York) has now been implemented in UK through two pilot experiences where the Irene Taylor Trust (who led the initiative), brought ... read on →
The Arts of Desistance: Evaluation of the Koestler Trust Arts Mentoring Programme for Former Prisoners
This report presents and discusses the findings of an evaluation of an arts-based mentoring scheme that is aimed at prolonging and enhancing desistance from crime through providing former prisoners with opportunities to continue engaging with the arts after release. The evaluation focused both on the implementation and effectiveness of the ... read on →
Write to be Heard: Supporting Offender Learning through Creative Writing
The report explores the impact of a creative writing programme developed to engage ‘hard to reach’ learners in prison. The mechanism was a creative writing competition, incorporating a schedule of workshops in 28 prisons, encouraging entrants to write pieces for broadcast on National Prison Radio (NPR). Using qualitative and quantitative ... read on →
Women at the HeArt Evaluation Report
Women at the HeArtwas a Thames Valley Partnership project, funded by Arts Council England, The Monument Trust and Thames Valley Probation, building on the organisation’s experience of using the arts with vulnerable groups. Aims:
Sounding Out - Jim Cartwright
The report followed Music in Prisons as they ran a pilot ‘through the gate’ project which, through music, aimed to provide longer-term rehabilitative opportunities to previous project participants in order to help bridge the gap between life inside and out prison. The key aims were to assist reintegration; impact on ... read on →
Re-imagining futures: Exploring arts interventions and the process of desistance
Carried out by Northumbria University and Bath Spa University, this report highlights examples of how the arts can support positive changes linked to personal agency, efficacy and identity, which are linked to the highly individualised journey of desistance from criminal behaviour. Key findings show that participation in arts activities enables ... read on →
Impact of theatre-based projects in a Medium Secure Hospital environment
This is an evaluation of a three year project which took place in St Andrews Medium Secure Hospital in Birmingham. The study will provide a comparison of the impact on the different wards and will include an exploration of the impact on the patients, the staff and the general atmosphere ... read on →
Family Man: 2012-13 Evaluation Scope
The purpose of this evaluation is to demonstrate the long-term impact and cost-effectiveness of Family Man to policy makers, funders, prisons and practitioners; and to complement Gwyneth Boswell’s qualitative study of the revised Family Man and other previous evaluations. read on →
The experience of ‘Journey Woman’ from the perspective of the participants
Using theoretical frameworks such as CBT, role theory, social learning theory and narrative therapy, Forensic Psychologist Rebecca Day explores women offenders’ experience of Geese Theatre Company’s one week project ‘Journey Woman’, which was delivered four times at HMP Foston during 2007/08. read on →
The ‘Family Man’ Impact Study
An Evaluation of the Longer-Term Effectiveness of Safe Ground’s Revised Family Relationships Programme on Prisoner Graduates, their Supporters and Families, this independent study assessed the longer-term impact of the Family Man programme delivered in HMPs Belmarsh, Birmingham, Bristol, Highpoint, Leeds, Parc (Wales) and Wandsworth from 2008-10. It concluded that the ... read on →
Stitching a Future - an Evaluation of Fine Cell Work
An independent qualitative evaluation into the work of Fine Cell Work (FCW) in five prisons across England and Scotland, to identify the key benefits of being involved with FCW, establish why offenders participate and continue their involvement and investigate changes in soft outcomes such as behaviour, feelings about prison and ... read on →
