Client Stories

Marvin

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“I’m so pleased that I stopped you and asked what you did”... that’s what Marvin told project worker Craig Milner just before he was released from prison. Although all new inmates are told about the SOVA/Yorkshire Prisons Employment, Training and Education Project when they first come into prison, they are not always ready to take up the offer of support, and so it was with Marvin. Project staff spend a lot of time out on the wings reminding inmates about what is on offer – and it was whilst Craig was on his wing that Marvin stopped him and asked him what he did. Craig, having explained how the SOVA project worked, offered Marvin an interview.

Marvin had originally received a two year sentence, but had been released with a tag after one year. Unfortunately, he breached his tagging conditions and was taken back into custody. When he attended his interview with Craig, he was in pessimistic mood: “I don’t know why I’m having this interview, I’ve had loads in the past, and nobody ever does anything to help me”. He was also confused as to why he had been recalled to prison – he hadn’t received the relevant documentation. Little by little Craig
worked at building Marvin’s trust in the project, starting with tracking down the paperwork pertaining to Marvin’s recall to custody.

In the short term, Marvin hoped to return to his previous employment as a road worker; but he was also interested in developing a career as a youth worker, and prior to coming into custody had gained two years’ work experience with young people. Focusing on his immediate needs first, Craig (with Marvin’s permission) contacted Marvin’s previous employer to discuss the prospect of re-employment, and arrangements were made for Marvin to visit the company as soon as he was released.

Some years before, when Marvin first became interested in youth work, he had been advised that he could qualify by compiling a ‘portfolio’. Craig discovered that this approach was now obsolete, and had to tell Marvin that the best way to qualify now was to study for an NVQ level 3, which comprised evening classes plus supervised fieldwork, probably as a volunteer, over a two year period. Craig expected Marvin’s response would be to lose interest in his ambitions, but instead Marvin asked Craig
to see if he could arrange for voluntary placement. This turned out to be quite a challenge, not because of Marvin’s criminal record but because of the demand for placements. Finally Craig found the ideal placement: an education project for 12 to 19 year olds which included football crafts: prior to his incarceration Marvin had played football at a semi-professional level. The project held daytime classes for excluded students, as well as three evening sessions a week, which would enable Marvin to work as
well as to gain his voluntary experience.

So... when the time came for Marvin’s release and he met with Craig for the last time, his final feedback was to say... “I am so pleased I stopped you and asked you what you did; no one has ever given me so
much help and support in prison”.

Name changed to protect identity

The majority of participants in SOVA projects around the country – 61%, or just over 10,000 individuals – are men and women in custody. The main focus of SOVA’s work with this client group is the provision of advice and guidance around employment, training and education, readying ex-prisoners to return to the labour market on release.

During the year under review the first of SOVA’s projects achieved the Matrix Standard, the quality standard for information, advice and guidance services; and the majority of staff have achieved or are pursuing the NVQ level 3 in Advice and Guidance.

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