Education provided a turning point for Jonathan. Beginning with GCSEs funded by PET, he went on to complete a Masters degree and begin a PhD in prison, working as a graduate tutor whilst on day release.
Bullied at school and disillusioned with the education system, Dalton fell in with the wrong crowd and ended up in prison. But in amongst the chaos, he discovered the courses offered by PET and a world of new possibilities.
Earlier this month, PET alumnus Dalton spoke at the PLA conference about the impact of studying science in prison. Find out how the innovative Think Like a Scientist programme helped him find his freedom.
‘Emma’ started her life sentence with a history of domestic violence and addiction. She tells PET how studying for a degree in English Literature helped her towards recovery and a positive future.
Mark left prison in 2018 after serving a Discretionary Life Sentence. Now he’s heading back inside as part of PeoplePlus’ Wayout TV – delivering educational content through televisions in cells.
When Erika went to prison she set herself the task of drawing a postcard a day for the whole of her sentence. Getting funding for a BA Hons in Visual Arts inside opened the door to working as an artist and tutor after release.
Some of the women we’ve funded have gone on to support others on a similar journey. Studying for a Diploma in counselling meant Ola could help other women in prison transform their lives through education.
Jason was 17 when he went to prison. At the end of his sentence he decided to apply to university. In this video interview, he talks about overcoming rejection to gain a place at university, and why all institutions should welcome people with a history of imprisonment.
Egerton’s path to working in finance started in prison, when he saw a book about investing in the library. Getting funding from PET allowed him to take the next step towards realising his ambitions and still inspires today.
© Prisoners' Education Trust 2026