Peer Advice Project

The Peer Advice Project aims to meet the large demand for advice services amongst the prison population by using an under-used resource - serving prisoners themselves.

It trains serving prisoners to NVQ Level 3 in Information, Advice and Guidance and enables them to help other prisoners by gaining valuable practical experience as part of the vocational element of the course.

The course is externally verified by Advice UK and is an excellent way of improving the skills of serving prisoners and preparing them for employment upon release.

The Peer Advice Project was initially set up to address the high levels of homelessness amongst the prison population by training serving prisoners to act as housing advisors. However, in some prisons advisors cover other areas such as employment and training opportunities.

Hundreds of prisoners have gained the NVQ qualification under the Peer Advice Project and each individual has supported large numbers of their fellow prisoners, reaching a need which would otherwise be unmet.

The so-called Peer Advisors often find that they are regarded as highly credible, trusted sources of support as they are serving prisoners themselves. This is a real strength of the project and one we aim to replicate through our other services.

In addition, many prisoners in open prisons undertake the course on day release at our Head Office in Camberwell, south London. We also train ex-offenders in the community in the Thames Valley region, Sheffield Cathedral Archer Project in Sheffield and in a project for ex-offenders in Tower Hamlets, East London.