Breaking Down The Walls
This study, commissioned from the University of Central England (now Birmingham City University) and published in 2006, looked at the educational benefits of taking part in Good Vibrations, setting our work in the context of prison education in the UK. It also assessed the value-for-money of Good Vibrations courses. It concluded:
"[Good Vibrations] gets prisoners into the education department, many of whom would never have considered enrolling on 'basic maths or English', and as such, for many of those who participate, the project acts as a gateway to other learning.
[Good Vibrations] encourages prisoners who have been isolated, to develop social and group skills, and in doing so has the ability to also facilitate changes to thinking and behaviour.
That [Good Vibrations] also facilitated the prison's achievement of a Key Performance Target is significant, especially as it would seem to have been achieved at a financial cost that was lower than would have been the case had more traditional educational courses been purchased by the prison.
It is quite clear that the project can play a major role in empowering prisoners to take their first steps towards stopping committing crime."
This study was written up in the Prison Service Journal in May 2007. For a copy of this report please contact us.
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