Archive
Prison-based services
From our award-winning Peer Advice Project to help with housing, we offer a range of support to help prison-leavers resettle.
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.
Click here to download the poster, 'What makes a St Giles Trust Peer Advisor?'
The Call Centre at HMP Send
Women prisoners have distinct needs around families, housing and finances and often require specialist support. This unique project trains serving prisoners at HMP Send to offer support over the phone to women at nearby HMP Downview through a secure phone line. The women who offer support are all trained or working towards the NVQ Level 3 in Information, Advice and Guidance. Click here to download a leaflet on this project.
Housing support services
Running alongside our peer-based support is a housing casework service provided under the prison's Housing Information and Advice Service (HIAS) in partnership with St Mungo's. It offers advice on housing-related issues to both newly sentenced prisoners and those about to be released.
The services aim to support the resettlement of prisoners and reduce re-offending on release. These caseworkers work alongside our peer advisors and the prisons staff to provide prisoners with support.
Click here to download the HIAS leaflet.
Where do we work?
We currently work directly in prisons in London, the South East, the Thames Valley and the South West. These include:
In addition to the prisons above, we also work closely with other prisons across the country through providing support services for prison leavers and skills and employment support in the community for serving prisoners eligible for release on temporary license.
