Via and Shannon Trust provide life-changing literacy and numeracy project in Barking and Dagenham

 

We’re excited to announce that Via and Shannon Trust have been working together to help residents of Barking and Dagenham who struggle with reading and everyday numeracy.

This impactful project, funded by Barking and Dagenham Council, aims to provide essential skills that can transform lives, increase opportunities, and boost confidence and wellbeing.

The project leverages the expertise of Shannon Trust’s ‘Turning Pages’ and ‘Count Me In’ programmes – resources initially developed for use within the prison setting. Alongside these proven frameworks, a dedicated team of volunteer reading coaches has been recruited to deliver one-on-one sessions in the community. These sessions are available free of charge to adults and young people who are engaged with local drug and alcohol services, probation, and youth offending services.

Recent data from the Ministry of Justice shows 68% of people in prison have entry-level numeracy skills and 65% have entry-level literacy skills. For some UK probation services, it’s as high as 70%. These statistics show the importance of providing support for those who struggle with these fundamental skills both within and outside of the prison system.

A short video detailing the role of a reading coach and the positive impact of these programmes can be viewed here.

Some of the people who’ve benefitted from this support already have said:

• “At 53, for the first time in my life, I’m able to read the papers. I’ve also been able to travel independently outside of the UK for the first time.”
• “I’ve spent years in mainstream education, but this has been far more beneficial in a short period of time.”
• “Working with my coach has helped me feel less angry at people, at society in general.”

Genty Miller, CCJ Education Practitioner at Via Subwize said: “We’ve seen that there’s a large cohort of adults and young people in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham who struggle with basic literacy and numeracy for a variety of different reasons. This holds them back in a number of ways – broadly in terms of confidence to approach every-day challenges. The need is more apparent for those with drug and alcohol issues and within criminal justice settings, hence the commissioning of this service. It’s intended to be rehabilitative and offered as part of a wider support package for prison leavers and those accessing drug and alcohol support services. The programmes can have a hugely positive impact over a relatively short period of time and can be a stepping stone to further training or employment.”

Tariq Musinguzi, Service Manager at Via Subwize said: “The Shannon Trust offers such a unique and forward-thinking programme within Subwize, providing people with the best possible access to numeracy and literacy education, so as to support those involved in the criminal justice system and ensure that they have a greater chance of breaking out of the cycle of substance-linked criminal exploitation.”

Scott Haines, Community Programme Manager at Shannon Trust, said: “We know firsthand from our years working in prisons that our peer-led literacy and numeracy programmes work. Even people who have had bad experiences with education in the past have found success with Turning Pages and Count Me In. We know that learning to read and do basic numeracy can reduce re-offending and provide people with improved prospects for further education and employment. It makes sense to bring this work into community settings, and it can help people engage with support services more effectively. We’re grateful to Barking and Dagenham Council and Via for seeing the value in this work, and we look forward to working together towards Shannon Trust’s vision to ensure that nobody is left out of learning.”

Amolak Tatter, Commissioning Manager for London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, said: “Barking and Dagenham recognise that people using drugs and/or alcohol and for those in the criminal justice system, especially in prison, often experienced many challenges when they were in school and as a result do not have the basic literacy or numeracy skills. To break the cycle of offending and as part of their substance use recovery, it’s important for them to develop the skills which will help them to transform their lives and can lead into employment. Since the literacy and numeracy programmes have been delivered it has transformed several individuals lives and given them the confidence to pursue wider opportunities.”

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Become a volunteer reading or numeracy coach!

To expand the reach and impact of this programme, Via and Shannon Trust are looking for additional volunteer coaches. This is a unique opportunity for people to make a meaningful difference in their local community. Volunteers will receive comprehensive training and resources, ensuring they are well-prepared to support the individuals who come to us for help.

Are you working with people who need extra support with their reading or numeracy?

In addition to the direct support offered through volunteer coaches, this programme also provides free training, resources, and ongoing support for local professionals in Barking and Dagenham that wish to integrate these literacy and numeracy initiatives in-house. This ensures that the benefits of the programme can be widely distributed and sustained across various community services.

To get involved, refer someone you work with, or to find out more:

Phone: 07395 358 389

Email: genty.miller@viaorg.uk or scott.haines@shannontrust.org.uk.

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About Via

Via is a leading health and wellbeing charity that supports people to transform their lives for the better and helps them to manage their health and wellbeing independently. Providing safe and effective treatment and care around alcohol and drugs, mental health, smoking cessation, sexual health and employment support, Via supports thousands of people every year across the UK.

For more information about Via, visit: www.viaorg.uk or contact communications@viaorg.uk.

For more information about Via Subwize, visit: www.viaorg.uk/services/barking-and-dagenham-subwize.

 

About Shannon Trust

Shannon Trust is an education charity which works within prisons and community settings in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The organisation helps thousands of people each year to improve their reading and/or numeracy. This enables people to build a different, more positive future for themselves and their families.

To find out more about Shannon Trust please visit: www.shannontrust.org.uk.