Skip links

Coronavirus information Read more

COVID-19 UPDATE 07.01.2021

COVID-19 and national restrictions meant we needed to quickly respond to a new way of delivery in prison education. Our teams have worked tirelessly to create workbooks and provide new ways of working so that we can continue to support our learners with access to education to enable them to achieve the best outcome they can. 

We are working closely with Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and Youth Custody Service (YCS) to create a COVID-safe programme of learning that has the health and safety of our learners and colleagues at its heart, just as other education settings are doing across the country. Health and safety is an area of critical importance to us and our central Group COVID team has been in continuous operation since the beginning of the pandemic managing and monitoring all risks and issues rigorously and consistently.

About
Creating Foundations for Change Our Story Our Practice Our People Our Locations Equality and Diversity Project and Service Delivery Partnerships
Adult Provision
New Directions Working in Partnership Tate Exchange
Youth Provision
New Directions Working in Partnership Custody to the Community Tate Liverpool
Novus Works
Novus Works Partner Employers Employer Charter
Careers
Let’s Work Together Teach With Novus
News & Case Studies

Contact Us

  • About Us
  • Adult Provision
  • Youth Provision
  • Partner With Us
  • Careers
  • News & Case Studies
  • Contact Us
  1. Homepage
  2. News
  3. Innovative project highlights role of family in rehabilitation

Innovative project highlights role of family in rehabilitation

Adult Provision


Thu 14 Dec 2017
Tate art installation

A North West prison project led by Novus has used art as a medium to support offenders in building and maintaining relationships with their families throughout their sentence.  The project aims to reduce reoffending by helping offenders maintain vital family links.

The project involved men from five North West prisons.  Inspired by the current exhibition at Tate Liverpool, ‘Artist Rooms: Roy Lichtenstein in Focus’, offenders created individual pieces of artwork which represent their life in prison.

Through art, the project has allowed the men to share their experiences with their families, both at family events within the prisons and by introducing their relatives to the prison environment by talking about the pieces they have produced.

Photographs of the prisoners’ artwork are now on show in Tate Exchange.

Barbara McDonough, Chief Operating Officer for Novus, said: “Maintaining strong family relationships whilst in prison can play an important role in supporting offenders to tackle issues, so that in release they are ready to live safe, healthy and productive lives, helping to reduce reoffending.

"The recently published Farmer Review into the importance of family demonstrates the value of family to the rehabilitation of offenders and, we believe, highlights how important this is to reform.

“This has been a valuable project in supporting the work we already do with families and we would like to thank Tate Liverpool for their support in hosting the presentation of artwork.”

One of the men who took part in the project, spoke about what he felt both himself and his family had gained from the opportunity. “The project gave us one on one time with our families and allowed us to share our newly acquired skills.

"My children enjoyed it immensely and I felt proud I’d been able to teach them new skills. It really helps to strengthen the bonds between families and gives us the opportunity to realise the potential our children possess.” 

James Timpson OBE, Tate Trustee and Chair of the Tate Liverpool Advisory Council, said:

“Tate Exchange aims to consider what the role of art might be in relation to broader societal systems to better understand how art makes a difference to people’s lives and, through that, to society more widely.
 
Novus provides a learning and skills building opportunity for the prisoners and raises their awareness of arts and culture. The project in Tate Exchange also builds community awareness of innovations that reduce reoffending.”

The presentation in Tate Exchange runs until Thursday 21 December and is open from 11am to 3pm each day.

Related Content

View All
Portrait image of Peter Cox

News

Adult Provision / Youth Provision

Ministry of Justice response to Prison White Paper consultation signals positive intent for prison education

Man sprays wall with plaster

News

Adult Provision

Adapting prison education to match employers needs

Get in touch

Novus
Whitworth House
Ashton Old Road
Openshaw
Manchester
M11 2WH

Enquiries:

enquiries@novus.ac.uk
03333 222 888

Careers:

HRSharedServices@ltegroup.co.uk
0161 674 1363

Quick links

  • About Us
  • Adult Provision
  • Youth Provision
  • Novus Works
  • Careers
  • News & Case Studies
  • Contact Us
  • Colleague HUB

Social media

Twitter Linkedin Facebook Instagram

Novus is a trading name of
LTE Group.

Copyright © LTE Group 2022

SEARCH:

  • Sitemap Terms of use Group Policies Accessibility Data Protection FOI