Stretch Digital

Creative digital inclusion for the people in and out of prison

Context

• Over the last 2 years the work of Stretch has become focused on digital delivery and technology. Using digital media creatively in film-making and story telling and also the practical application of using up to date IT
• Stretch has seen an unprecedented interest from groups wanting workshops that use new media, mac-suites, creative technology and promote entrepreneurial skills.
• Extending and continuing the work from the CLIF project (NIACE)

Stretch Story Box.

This was a hugely successful digital story telling project. Stretch digital story telling won a Digital Practitioner Award in 2012

NIACE report feedback:

“You outline in the report clearly the differences you have made. It is not therefore surprising that you have been successful in extending the work beyond the life of the project. We are keen to show case the work and raise its profile with other OLASS providers and prisons.

We would like to thank you for the commitment to making the project a success. It is a delight to work with such a talented and professional organisation as yours.”

• Stretch Charity is founded and run by Carlotta Allum who has a serious conviction and is a social entrepreneur. Carlotta has started various small businesses including catering and designing greetings cards. Carlotta is personally invested in promoting entrepreneurial skills in the prison groups Stretch works with, as well as creativity.
• Each year more than 80,000 prisoners are released from prison but nearly two thirds of them will have re-offended within 2 years. We know that there are many factors contributing to this re-offending that include family, social, educational and work problems. One of the real tragedies from this re-offending is the loss of the ex-offenders’ potential contribution to society and the damage to their families and children.
• Stretch Digital hopes to help ex-offenders solve some of these problems by becoming self-employed, or to think about marketing freelance skills online. We will sign post to agencies such as ‘Start Up’ that can further support

Responding to the “ Through the gateway: How computers can transform rehabilitation” Report.

Rod Clark, Chief Executive, Prisoners Education Trust, said:

“These days most people could not function without computers or the internet and if we can’t work, find a job or study without the use of ICT, how can we expect people in prison to do so? Technology can provide us with many solutions to help rehabilitate people in a safe, secure way and if we do not explore them, then we risk sending more people back into society without the skills or the motivation to live a life free from crime.”

ICT for education and training. ICT has the potential to improve individuality, flexibility and continuity of learning in prison and after release. There are clear opportunities for ICT to engage more prisoners in learning, as well as to expand the range of subjects and levels of education available through e-learning, remote tutorials and virtual academies. ICT in prisons is not yet being used to its full potential to exploit these opportunities and is therefore not providing a level-playing field with learners in the community.

Promoting family ties. Very few prisoners are able to make use of ICT for improving their relationships with their families. Use of email, in-cell telephony, video-calling (like Skype), virtual contact / video conferencing, in addition to face-to-face visits, would help to maintain family ties and provide opportunities for family learning and relationship counselling.

Through the gate. A website, which enables former prisoners to access their saved work after release, could be developed further to help bridge the gap between custody and the community.

Through the Gateway: How Computers Can Transform Rehabilitation examines the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in prisons and its potential as a tool for rehabilitation.

In the Foreword to the report, Nick Hardwick, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, writes:

“We can’t go on with prisons in a pre-internet dark age: inefficient, wasteful and leaving prisoners woefully unprepared for the real world they will face on release. I have not met one prison professional who does not think drastic change is needed.”

Nearly three quarters (74%) of the prison governors and managers who responded to the survey agreed that prisoners should have secure and controlled access to the internet. 94% agreed ICT skills were necessary for everyday living.

The report says greater and more effective use of ICT in prisons would improve opportunities for education, training, employment, resettlement and strengthen family ties – all factors which have been shown to reduce reoffending on release.