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UChoose Team
UChoose has 3.5 case workers supported by the UChoose Project Manager (a highly regarded ex-Prison Governor), an administrative assistant and the resource and partnership development co-ordinator. They are dynamic group of people with vast experience and skills drawn from a wide variety of criminal justice circles whose past employment includes the Prison Service, Probation, Social Services, University Research and The Princes Trust
Through their depth of knowledge the team has been able to develop an exceptionally diverse method of working that is able to respond to individual offender needs. UChoose is held in high regard by the Probation Service and County Durham Young People Service practitioners who are confident in the team’s ability to be able to meet the challenges of dealing with troublesome and chaotic lifestyles that have been badly damaged.
The core principles of UChoose practice are about working with offenders holistically and connecting them to services and activities in their local communities. The UChoose team with their knowledge, experiences, commitment, dedication and enthusiasm have been able to build a programme of intervention that has helped to stop the revolving door of custody to freedom, back to custody for many offenders.
Each case worker will handle 15 active offender referrals at any one time. The length of support will be anything up to 6 months for each referral this equates to an active projected referral rate for the year of 105. The team are well aware that some clients will have more complex needs to deal with than others and the recruitment of volunteers to complement the workforce will be pivotal in enabling capacity to be handled with confidence. Volunteer recruitment and training commenced July and to date UChoose has had 82 active referrals for the period October 2006 to July 2007 inclusive. The work is presently carried out in Northern County Durham. Age ranges are primarily 17 upwards to 35 though older clients are considered based on circumstance, gender balance is approximated at 75% Male 25% Female.
UChoose Services
UChoose provides services and support to offenders in the North East making a contribution to reducing offending behaviour. Its activities are based upon the relationship between the offender and the UChoose worker. The quality of the relationship enables the pair to work on rebuilding self esteem and confidence. With support, attitudes, values and beliefs are challenged and stability is established in order to work through the multiple, complex, but often low level needs of the individual. The services of specialist agencies are brokered where necessary.
The length and intensity of support is determined by offender need and is initially agreed through appointments for a period of approximately six months.
Returning to the community can be a frightening prospect and regrettably research has shown that it has been easier for some offenders to return to custody than remain outside in the community. Being removed from day to day life and then being released brings enormous challenges and statutory service provisions alone are unable to cope with the substantive demands and individual needs of offenders. UChoose is focussed on the individual needs of offenders and is not driven by statutory policy and helps offenders to reset their roots, live responsibly and lawfully within a community setting without discrimination for their past demeanours. It is able to provide the quality time needed to help offenders overcome what can be daunting obstacles, remove the stigma of Prison and assist in the transformation from custody to community thus enabling the best possible chance of successful society reintegration.
The level of involvement with offenders can be intense and substantive and the UChoose team has to earn the Trust, respect and understanding of individuals who have been reluctant, suspicious or never previously engaged with the type of service provided either in or outside of a custodial setting. Offenders are engaged in a way and at a level that not only provides support but real active life opportunities that can help them to identify that life does not have to be the way it has been. UChoose motivates offenders and works closely with them to reach achievable and realistic goals and adopt more fulfilling and positive ways of living.
UChoose services are provided through regular meetings with the offender giving day to day support and the life skills needed to establish a stable base to work from. Small steps are taken to assist with readjustment to society. The relationship is used to examine individual problems and issues which are often complex and challenging due to chaotic lifestyles and erratic behaviour. Once stability is achieved the support becomes centred upon goal setting to achieve a more productive and law abiding lifestyle and further reduces the potential for re-offending.
The project works at arms length from the Criminal Justice System and has developed a service that is valued by partners in the National Probation Service and Durham Children & Young People’s Service and the offenders it serves. UChoose has developed methods of working that adds value to the management of offenders in the community and provides a comprehensive person centred approach for offenders not afforded through any statutory provision. UChoose practice links offenders to support initially identified using the Resettlement Pathways highlighted in the National Offender Management Model.
The UChoose offender relationship is unique and is built upon mutual trust and respect. Offenders are encouraged to stay engaged and are closely supported through any setbacks. This person centred approach means that offenders are less likely to feel that they will be betrayed and instils much needed confidence into chaotic and potentially volatile lifestyles and makes them more likely to ask for help should temptation to regress arise or loom large.
Aims and Outcomes
- The outcomes are concerned with working with offenders and partner agencies to secure:
- The engagement of offenders referred to the project
- Relevant support for offenders identified by resettlement pathways
- The development of appropriate social and community networks
- Promoting and supporting law abiding and healthy lifestyles.
Activities and Outputs
UChoose practitioners have adopted a number of mechanisms and activities for working with offenders including:
- Befriending, listening and responding to individual needs and concerns
- Offering brokerage and advocacy in support of achieving service provision from statutory and non-statutory providers
- Offering a person centred relationship
- Offering positive activities, choices and role models
- Identifying objectives and personal plans with each offender.
UChoose has been established over the past three years and in that time has consulted and worked closely with a range of agencies such as Probation Services, Durham Children and Young People's Service, Youth Engagement Services, National Offender Management Services and others who all have a common interest in this field of work. UChoose complements and contributes towards the National Probation Service objectives of securing compliance, completion of offender programmes, resettlement and towards reducing offending. UChoose has a proven track record and has contributed substantially towards improving the long term prospects of many of its clients, keeping many free from custody who without this projects support would undoubtedly have returned to custody. UChoose has grown to become an integral and highly respected project that extends beyond anything statutory provision alone could ever provide.
UChoose has made a real and lasting difference and has many success stories to the point where some offenders that have been helped want to volunteer their time to help others. Regretably a few have returned to custody or committed further crime though the impact of their actions has been less than they otherwise might have been had it not been for UChoose. Working with UChoose this individual remained free from custody for 9 months and UChoose continue to work with him to this day.
UChoose helps to restore credibility to people’s lives, gives hope and raises aspirations and genuinely helps to identify the needs of the individual offender and is there for them whenever immediate challenges or needs arise. It engages the offender with their local communities building opportunity of a new life for offenders who have served their time and now need to be given the opportunity of long-term rehabilitation which can only be done by helping to tackle prejudices and discrimination.
In June this year the prison population in the UK made headline news when it reached record levels.
Despite incarcerating more people per capita than any other advanced nation crime rates in this country continue to rise.
The cost of keeping a young offender in prison is estimated at around £40,000 per year. The cost of crime runs into billions and the human cost is incalculable.
Rehabilitation schemes with a proven track record like UChoose are a much more effective investment.
Northumbria University have been evaluating and monitoring UChoose evolution, aims, outcomes, activities and outputs for the past two years. The research they have done has been instrumental in the way UChoose has shaped itself since conception helping to guide it through the challenges it faced in the early years through to the thriving and successful project that it has become today. The final Northumbria University UChoose report is scheduled to be published by the end of October 2007.
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