Guernsey Prison is committed to providing a working prison which enables prisoners to access learning opportunities and gain work skills, and achieve academic and vocational qualifications, increasing the likelihood of them finding employment on release.
There are three key work streams which offer vocational qualifications; catering, horticulture and wood working. The Prison also works closely with the charity CLIP to facilitate some qualifications through carpentry and assists prisoners in gaining life skills to aid them upon release.
Prisoners are able to apply for work, education, and training through the Activity Allocation Board (AAB) when vacancies become available. Sentence plan targets for education, training, and employment take priority when positions are allocated. Each employment area has a competency element, and all prisoners are required to complete an induction before they can commence work. Once training is complete, the prisoner signs a prisoner employment record to confirm their competency. There is set criteria to be met for every available vacancy, which includes the security category allocated to the position.
Employment, progression, and education classes and offending behaviour courses are also allocated, and payments are made for sessions attended Monday to Friday. Weekend work, such as in the kitchen, and essential cleaning, are paid at normal session rates. Payments are allocated for sessions as per the Prisoners' Pay Policy, and incorporate employment, education, training, and offending behaviour courses.
Regimes additional functions include: the Prison Library, prisoners are able to join the library and access the stock, which is served by the public Library (Guille Allez).
The chaplaincy team serve the faith needs of the prisoners. There are regular Sunday services and the prison chaplain facilitates bible study classes.
Guernsey prison has a dedicated Education facility, delivering a range of courses/classes where prisoners are able to study towards qualifications. All prisoners on completion of induction and assessment are given a College of FE enrolment. The curriculum varies and is subject to change depending on the needs of the prisoners.
Voluntary agencies and volunteers support areas of the regime enabling prisoners to gain skills such as working with charities and different organisations.
Catering
- The kitchen caters to the specific dietary requirements of all prisoners. Prisoners can request to undertake a Food & Hygiene Level 2 delivered by Education that lasts for 3 years.
- The catering team deliver a NVQ in catering which enables prisoner to gain qualifications and have more opportunity for employment on release. Some prisoners work towards ROTL where they help out in the community and then paid release.
- The catering department also provide Buffets for use within the prison and outside which is good experience for prisoners
- The HMP Inspectors found the quality of food to be ''excellent and portion sizes ample''. The Kitchen was awarded a 4 star rating for food health and hygiene. There will be a working group including PEI's Kitchen and Diversity Officers to make sure that we deliver healthy and diverse menus to Prisoners
- The kitchen also controls the Cup & Saucer which is the canteen for prisoners and visitors.
Chaplaincy
- The Prison Chaplaincy provides for the spiritual care of prisoners and staff of all religions. Anyone who needs support, spiritual help or guidance has access to the Chaplaincy.
- The Chaplaincy is there to support people whether they are religious or not.
- As part of the Prison's Induction every prisoner will be invited to meet with the Chaplain;
- To introduce themselves and the Chaplaincy Team
- For the team to offer reassurance and support
- To ensure that the person's religion is recorded correctly
- To explain what religious services and facilities are available
- Care and support
- The Chaplaincy is here to support and to listen whether someone is religious or not. We are here to offer a listening ear.
- One to one meetings
- Prisoners are welcome to contact the Chaplaincy by app to request support and one to one meetings are offered to those who wish to access pastoral support.
- If someone a prisoner cares about dies
- If someone close to a prisoner dies please feel free to offer to contact the Chaplaincy for support.
- If they hope to attend the funeral please also contact the Chaplain who will help them to find the necessary information to fill in the application to attend.
- If it is not possible to attend, the Chaplaincy is also available to support people at the time of the funeral with the offer of prayers if appropriate.
- Religious worship
- A Multi-Faith Room is available.
- A wide variety of Holy Books and resources from the major faith traditions are available.
- Prisoners will be supported to practise their faith and mark major religious festivals if it is their wish.
- The kitchen caters for the dietary needs of people of faith.
- Christian Sunday worship
- Christian Sunday worship takes place each week, from a variety of Christian traditions.
- Church of England Holy Communion is offered on alternate Sunday afternoons and if someone's religious practice is to receive the Eucharist weekly, and / or for Christian festivals, this can be arranged in consultation with the Chaplain.
- Chaplaincy Guitar Group
- There is also the opportunity for the Main Population to get involved with a small, relaxed music group with others to play guitars/percussion/sing.
- Bible Study
- There is an opportunity to study the Bible after an evening meal once a week.
- Northern Lights Choir
- There is the opportunity to join a choir group organised through Chaplaincy. A small number of members of an outside choir join us to sing a mixture of music - mostly not religious. The choir also sings at the annual Christmas Carol Service.
- Guernsey Caring for Ex-Offenders is a Christian charity with links to the Chaplaincy and supports people in a variety of ways in prison and after release.
Diversity
- Guernsey Prison Service is fully committed to providing an environment that is fully inclusive, fair and open toward all individuals. The principles of equality, diversity, and respect for an individual's differences are valued.
- As an organisation Guernsey Prison recognises that diversity is the responsibility of everyone, including managers, staff, members of the Independent Monitoring Panel, visitors and prisoners.
- What is diversity?
- Diversity is a term used to describe the variety and cultures that make up our communities.
- It is about every one of us and ensures that we are all treated in a fair and appropriate way.
- Definitions of Equality and Inclusion
- Equality is to do with policies, legislation and compliance.
- Inclusion is whether someone feels included and that they are being treated well and with fairness.
- There are many different facets to our individual identities and communities. It is essential to remember that Diversity is not just about established minority groups and that questions of "diversity" apply to all of us.
- The diversity strands and protected characteristics are:
- Age- over 55
- Age- young people and children
- Disability
- Females, Pregnancy and Maternity Care
- Foreign Nationals
- Gender Equality, Marriage and Civil Partnership
- Race
- Religion and Belief
- Sexuality, Sexual Orientation, Transgender
- Vulnerable Prisoners
- Diversity Team
- The role of the Diversity Team
- The overall monitoring of all diversity strands within Guernsey Prison is the responsibility of the Diversity Team.
- The Diversity Team meets on a regular basis to review and monitor diversity policies and procedures throughout the prison and to investigate alleged diversity incidents. It is responsible for all diversity training.
Education
- Education in Guernsey Prison aims to give individuals the skills they need to unlock their potential, gain employment and become assets to their communities. We aim to build social capital and improve the wellbeing of prisoners during their sentences and when released.
- Guernsey Education Department offers learning provision that is appropriate to the needs and aspirations of its prisoners - taking account of the prisoner cohort and is responsive to the evolving employment markets in the areas into which prisoners will be released.
- Prisoners are engaged and supported, from their arrival in prison to their release. They are inducted on arrival and assessed as to their learning needs so that they can attain their personal, learning and employment goals and enhance their ability to achieve and keep employment on release.
- Special attention shall be paid to the education and training of prisoners with special educational needs (SEND), and if necessary, they shall be taught within the hours normally allotted to work and in other 1:1 sessions where appropriate.
- We currently offer the following courses In House:
- Students would apply for courses at Induction and via app, which is the in-cell application.
- Art
- Barbering
- Book keeping
- Careers advice
- Cookery
- Customer Service
- Driving theory
- Diversity
- Duke of Edinburgh (under 21s)
- English
- Finance planning
- First Aid
- iHASCO Health & Safety
- ICT
- Italian
- Piano/keyboard
- Maths
- Prison magazine
- Reading
- Plumbing
- Painting
- Yoga
- Partnerships:
- Guernsey Education Department work with other organisations to offer learning and qualifications to students:
- The Open University
- iHASCO
- Guernsey College of Further Education
- City & Guilds
- Duke of Edinburgh Awards
- Prisoner's Education Trust
- Guilles-Allez Public Library
- We offer the following levels of qualifications:
- Entry level 1 - age 5-7
- Entry level 2 - age 7-9
- Entry level 3 - age 9-11
- Level 1 - GCSE D-G or 1-3
- Level 2 - GCSE A*-C or 4-9
- Level 3 - A Levels
- Level 4 - Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE)
- Level 5 - Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)
- Level 6 - Degree
- Level 7 - Master's degree
- Level 8 - Doctorate
Gym
- Guernsey Prison is proud to have a well equipped gym which gets used daily and by all populations as well as the Prison staff and this forms one of the main recreational activities which is recognised for it's value with supporting both physical and mental health.
- Prisoners are encouraged to take up active hobbies and activities as a constructive use of time that they will hopefully continue on release. Gym staff have links with local sports teams and gyms in the community and so can signpost those interested to continue their progress after release.
- There is a wonderful air of team spirit within the gym and sports department with many prisoners supporting and mentoring those with less experience in the area.
- Prisoners are able to play as part of the Prison football team "Prison Lions" against volunteering visiting teams and often take part in charitable events such as the Santa Fun Run which is run in partnership with the community's Santa Fun Run for Aid Reaching Children.
- The gym department offers support within other areas of the Prison too such as nutritional advice to both the catering and canteen stores and can facilitate rehabilitative exercises advised by healthcare and physiotherapists. Support is also available for those wanting assistance with weight management or wishing to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
The Workshops
- In Guernsey Prison Workshops our primary role is providing purposeful activity for prisoners to gain work experience, trade qualifications and life-based skills. We have 5 workshops that provide:
- Workshop 1 - The Main Workshop, collects, disposes, and recycles prison waste, replicating (as much as possible) our island wide recycling strategy, thus cutting down the amount of prison waste. We also upcycle furniture from the GO Charity, and produce briquettes for sale, with the proceeds going to our prison charity Creative Learning in Prison "CLIP". Additionally, we facilitate whole establishment duties such as prison vehicle cleaning and provide the base for the prison Paint Party, and area for the provision of qualifications and training in construction industry skills such as plumbing, painting and decorating.
- Workshop 2 - Our Carpentry Workshop makes to order garden furniture items for sale locally in the Bailiwick. Additionally, we undertake projects for the benefit of the community and charitable organisations. There is also a provision for carpentry qualifications and training.
- Workshop 3 - Le Tricoteur Workshop involves ironing unconstructed Tricoteur Jumpers, all panels of the jumpers need to be ironed flat, due to the natural wool curling. There is also a process known as mending in, this takes time to teach, and Prisoners employed in this time-consuming task, need good eyesight and an aptitude for the work. Also, World Aid walk medals are made up and dispatched, Health and Social Care leaflets are completed and dispatched and the Barbering Salon where our tailored barbering course is conducted.
- Workshop 4 - Is an outside, covered area where small furniture restoration projects are facilitated. CLIP charity painting projects, and community-based refurbishments of bespoke items, memorial benches and garden tables.
- Workshop 5 - Where individual items are designed and painted for sale in the CLIP shop. Hire car firm wallets are made up with various local company advertising leaflets. Guernsey Harbours, visitor arrival documentation, and survey forms for yachtsmen are all also packed.
