Prison, Life and New Achievements (or PLAN A for short) is an innovative, evidence- based programme which involves children and young people in up to three interventions concurrently: one-to-one mentoring, group or one-to-one creative psychotherapy and restorative justice (RJ).

Support is delivered for up to 6 months during custody, after release from prison or whilst serving community sentences. The inclusion of three stands of intervention in PLAN A is unique to this programme, with each strand complementing the other, enabling other strands to be more successful and increasing the likelihood of overall engagement. For example, for many children and young people, until they have overcome trauma through creative psychotherapy sessions, or dealt with guilt and shame related to their offence through restorative justice, are unable to engage in the support offered through mentoring, such as seeking employment.  

Originally piloted in 2014, PLAN A has been independently evaluated by Royal Holloway University. In 2023, we completed a larger scale internal evaluation of PLAN A of outcomes achieved since 2016 at HMP/YOI Feltham, and found that out of 139 participants who took part in the evaluation: 

• 87% showed improvements in their mental and/or emotional well-being

• 83% decreased their resolve to reoffend

• 71% increased their prosocial relationships.  

• 81% increased their engagement, and

• 78% increased their access to education, employment and training. 

PLAN A delivers mentoring, psychotherapy and restorative justice interventions to over 50 young people aged 18–21 in the community or serving sentences at HMPYOI Feltham and HMPYOI Isis each year.

Nicholas’ Story:

When PLAN A therapy sessions begun, Nicholas was living in the prison’s segregation area due to his consecutive assaults of staff and consistent threats of using violence. Through therapy Nicholas explored his anger, fear and vulnerability, developing new skills to communicate rather than act out. He became better able to recognise feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness without becoming aggressive. With support Nicholas was able to accept his behaviour and choices as having consequences. He begun to show empathy towards victims of his previous assaults and take accountability for the part he played in misconceptions about his personality. He was able to identify his responsibility and ability to have positive interactions and relationships with others. Nicholas begun to show a newfound tolerance to others and built better relationships while advocating for his needs in less destructive ways.Feedback from our participants:

“(My PLAN A mentor) is someone to lean on when I need help, I don’t get any other support. Her support feels important. She listens to me, is open, doesn’t judge. I wouldn’t engage if I didn’t feel like I was being helped. I would still like the support to continue.”

 

“(PLAN A therapy sessions) pushed me to become a better version of myself and stopped me from hindering who I can become and what I can do with my life. (They) made me realise jail isn’t the end of me. PLAN A was the most unique programme I’ve done. There aren’t many programmes that care about your wellbeing or how to be a better version of yourself but this programme did that, 100%.”

“PLAN A helped me understand everything about my offence, my emotions, the consequences and victim awareness… it was respectful and there were good boundaries in place. Before PLAN A I just did things but now I think about the consequences. It also helped me to consider what other people are thinking.”