Our Big Give Christmas Challenge is now live, where your donation can be doubled!
The Big Give Christmas Challenge is so important in funding our work. Last year’s challenge helped to fund 76 courses for people in prison including GCSEs, A-levels and professional qualifications.
A donation to our Christmas Challenge can help someone like Joanna find hope through learning.
Joanna’s IOSH Managing Safely course was funded through donations like yours during our 2019 Christmas Challenge. While she was in prison, she started working with the logistics company DHL on Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) and now works on their Nisa contract, delivering to just over 500 stores in the North West.
Before prison, I lived in a two-bedroom bungalow with my two kids. There was only one way in and one way out; there was no fire exit; no smoke alarm; none of the windows opened out enough to escape. That drove me to apply for the IOSH Managing Safely course. I thought, “Right, time to get my own back!” And I’m so glad I did.
Once I started the course, I literally went through the folder in a week. Then when I got started on the NEBOSH Level 3 National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety, I didn’t even come out of my room – I was just constantly reading.
At the same time, I started working for DHL on their ROTL programme. The prison staff had been talking about us going out to work, but I never thought I’d actually get to. I was amazed when they put me out. I think the fact that I had started studying pushed them in favour of it.
When my General Manager at DHL found out that I was doing health and safety courses with PET, he said he would make sure I got to spend some time upstairs with the Health and Safety Manager. And true to his word, that’s what he did.
DHL offered me a full-time contract upon my release. I came out of prison on the Thursday; the following Tuesday I started work. I’ve been there three and a half years now, five if you include my time on ROTL. It feels like I’m going to be there forever – I’ve done longer here than I’ve done in any prison.
I thought it would always be the same: stuck in that revolving door – “I’ve been in prison too many times; I’m no good to no one; my life’s never going to change.” But there’s hope. Look at where I am now – it’s the polar opposite to where I used to be. I now look in the mirror and think, “Who are you? I actually like who you are today.”
This Christmas, we hope to raise just over £43,000 to fund distance learning courses for people like Joanna.
We have secured nearly £22,000 of generous match-funding towards this target which means that any donations received between now and midday Tuesday 10 December will be doubled! Remember, without your donations we will lose that match-funding.
Thank you so much for your support that means more people in prison can find hope through learning.
You can sign up to our email newsletter here. Illustration by PET Lived Experience Consultant Erika – find more of her work here.