Forward is working with HMPPS to produce videos and podcasts that prisoners can listen to and watch in their cells.
Featuring the voice of ‘lived experience’, the content ranges from information to raise awareness of the dangers of misusing substances, to inspirational stories of recovery and rehabilitation.
We have been collaborating with His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) to share and develop content for ‘Launchpad’, a digital content hub that is currently available in 15 prisons through in-cell technology, with plans for further expansion in due course.
Inspiration & motivation
We started our collaboration with HMPPS by sharing More Than My Past ‘life stories’ of men and women with lived experience of prison and addiction. The aim was to reach offenders affected by substance misuse and to inspire and motivate them to step forward for help.
Advice & information
Since then, we have also made videos to make prisoners aware of the harm caused by substances. For example, we produced a video on fentanyl (a synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin), presenting the facts about the psychological and physical impact of the substance, and how to help people who have overdosed (e.g. through the ‘recovery position’).
We train and support members of our recovery community, Forward Connect, to present the videos, as they are people with lived experience who prison viewers can relate to (e.g. pictured below).
We also use subtitles and graphics to emphasise key information and make it easy to understand and remember.
Mental health
Most recently, we have worked with HMPPS to produce ‘audio workbooks’ to help prisoners manage stress, anxiety and other mental health problems. These feature exercises and activities (such as guided meditations, spoken aloud) that we have used in prison over many years.
We look forward to continuing this innovative work with HMPPS, developing new content in response to need, and to involving current and former service users in the process, bringing the value of their ‘lived experience’.
This blog was originally published by The Forward Trust. You can read the original post here.
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This content was created by The Forward Trust