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Community Projects
Working with Prisoners and Young Offenders
The National Football Museum recognises the way in which football can be used as a catalyst to engage with people who are socially excluded and who may have been disenchanted with, and disengaged from, formal education. The Museum has worked with a number of prisons and young offenders institutions to use this interest in football as a catalyst in the education of prisoners, particularly in terms of citizenship. The use of various Museum handling boxes has also allowed the prisoners and young offenders to access artefacts from the Museum that would otherwise be inaccessible to them.
At Her Majesty's Prison Lancaster Farms Young Offenders, a number of evening sessions on the themes of Citizenship and the History of Black Football and Women's Football in Britain , have been run for groups of Young Offenders (under 18's). Illustrated presentations on the Museum are followed by talks and discussions on Citizenship. A Handling Session using Museum artefacts includes the chance for the young men dressing up in football kit from over the past 125 years. The young offenders involved gave up part of their free time to voluntarily attend the sessions. Feedback from them and the Prison Officers was very positive.
Talks and interactive sessions were given as part of the prison's Anti Bullying week, with groups of the older prisoners (18-21). Themes addressed included Black Football and Racism, Women's Football and Disabled Football. The new Museum handling kit on ‘Citizenship' was used as a stimulus for discussion.
As part of the Prison's Football Fever Festival in 2006, a number of workshops on the theme of the World Cup and Citizenship were contributed by the Museum. As part of the Prison's Anti Bullying in November 2006, the Museum's workshops addressed the themes of Black Football and Racism, Women's Football and Disabled Football.
At HM Open Prison Kirkham the Museum contributed to the Prison's Community Links Day, which aimed to promote diversity through working in partnership with organisations and groups who can support prisoners, their families, staff and the community in the resettlement agenda, to reduce barriers that inhibit prisoners and ex-offenders from accessing community-based services due to discrimination. Over 500 people attended the event.
At HM Prison Preston the Museum has held sessions for prisoners on the theme of Citizenship, with quizzes, discussions and interactive handling sessions. Paul Cookson, the Museum's Poet in Residence, also delivered a session.
Workshop on football and citizenship, HM Prison, Preston.
Quotes
“Peter from the National Football Museum delivered a really interesting programme related to football which captured the prisoners' attention. It was informative and fun and contributed significantly to the Diversity Agenda at Lancaster Farms Young Offenders Prison.”
Lisa John, Governor and Head of Offender Management, HM Lancaster Farms Young Offenders Prison
“Brilliant, I really enjoyed it, especially learning about the history of the World Cup and dressing up in the winners' football kits.”
Young Offender aged 18, HM Lancaster Farms Young Offenders Prison
“Using the medium of football the session was an excellent introduction to Skills for Life using all forms of communication and literacy skills, including poetry, which were very relevant to the men.”
Ken Clark, Co-ordinator for Skills for Life, HM Prison, Preston