College opens secure facility for young offenders

Weston College was chosen to deliver education packages to inmates at Portland YOI after winning a government Offender Learning contract worth £10 million in January.

The secure college, which opened last month, will enable young offenders at the all-male YOI to take a number of courses, including English, maths, home economics and carpentry.

The aim is to help young offenders gain the skills required to help them access training or employment when they are released.

Dr Paul Phillips, principal and chief executive of the college, said: “Our focus is courses and qualifications that lead to jobs with a wide range of education and training.

“Literacy and numeracy are a key focus in all courses to support and develop offenders and help them seek employment, further training or education upon release.

“The majority of prisoners want to engage in learning, but it has to be purposeful and induction at prison level is crucial, as is the need to maintain support when prisoners are about to be released. This new secure college is a huge step.”

As a result of winning the Offender Learning contract, Weston College will run courses in 11 prisons and YOIs in the region under the Offenders’ Learning and Skills Service Phase 4 (OLASS 4) provision.

Its logo will appear in all of the region’s prison educational facilities and all prisoners who sign up to a course will be official Weston College students.

Peggy Tovey, deputy principal of Weston College, who is responsible for implementing OLASS 4, said: “OLASS 4 is a challenging, rewarding contract. This secure college is part of this and our aim is to see a new generation of prisoners turn around their lives after taking up courses we offer.

“Raising the aspirations of the learners and linking with businesses will strengthen the opportunities for employment once the learners are released.”