You could be in any drop-in youth centre in the country. The walls are bright lilac, large, comfy beanbags are scattered on the floor and the shelves are full of files crammed with information.
Except this drop-in centre is a little different: it's on F-Wing at New Hall Young Offenders' Institution for women near Wakefield in West Yorkshire.
Only the occasional cold slam of a heavy prison door and the faint jangling of prison keys give the game away.
The centre is part of the YMCA's Partnerships in Prisons programme, which has projects in nine jails across England. The projects, which began in 1994 at Lancaster Farms Young Offenders' Institution in Cumbria, work with 2,500 young people a year and aim to cut reoffending rates and build personal and social skills.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
