Campaigners call for expansion of student councils in YOIs

The Prisoners' Education Trust (PET) is calling on all youth custody facilities to bring in student councils, which it believes are more successful at encouraging take-up of courses than “through force or to obtain good behaviour privileges".

The call comes as the Ministry of Justice launches a review into privileges in young offender institutions (YOIs), secure training centres and secure children’s homes. This will look at whether privileges such as televisions and games consoles should be earned through good behaviour and participation in prison life rather than be seen as a right.

A PET spokeswoman said: “The experience of those prisons and YOIs that already use student councils tells us that they are working: behaviour is better and it creates a far nicer environment.”

Among those to already use the student council model is Cookham Wood YOI in Kent. Its governor Emily Thomas said: “Reoffending carries a huge cost for society. That is why it is so important to ensure that opportunities for learning in prison are effective in enabling prisoners to develop and transform their lives.”

PET has launched a toolkit, called Involve, Improve, Inspire: A Prisoner Learner Voice, which gives examples of good practice in YOIs and prisons such as Cookham Wood. Other examples of education good practice include involving prisoners in newsletters and holding Question Time-style events.

PET head of policy Nina Champion added: “In schools or colleges a student council is something you would expect to see so why not in a prison learning environment? By taking on an important role as a learner representative or a student council member they can gain a positive sense of identity, making them less likely to reoffend when they are released.”