Once again we were very privileged to have a day run by the charity ‘Prison Me No Way’ for Year 9. The staff, current and exprison warders, ran a similar day last year and the impact they had on our young people was profound enough for us to ask them to return. The day consisted of different sessions that the pupils rotated around in tutor groups – ‘Fire arms and knife crime’, Domestic abuse, anti-social behaviour shown in a role play by staff against a custom made ‘street scene’, internet crime/abuse,’Prison Life’ a ‘real’ prison cell that pupils could go in, and talks given by ex-prisoners. Hayling College staff were once again very impressed by the professional and passionate nature of the PMNW members. They truly wanted to get the message across to our pupils that they must make the right choices, even small ones, now when they are young, to prevent unhappy lives in the future. You will gauge how successful the day was though from the following comments taken from questionnaires completed by Year 9 after the day. I truly hope that we will be able to run similar day next year.
Firearm and knife crime
Learned how you can to go jail for doing silly things even if it isn't a real firearm.
Gun crime - very valuable and informative and shocked you to reality
It helped me realise that police have to make fast decisions.
Street scene
Even I if you didn't do the crime but was in the wrong place at the wrong time you could be taken to prison too.
It made me realise what can be classed as a crime.
That anti social behaviour on the street can get you arrested.
Made me realise how bad the effects of heavy drinking can be.
Prison life/prison cell
Very valuable. Made you realise how prisoners live. It made me never want to go to prison.
Was good because it scared me. How horrible prison is to make us not want to end up there.
Cyber/internet crime/abuse
Learnt what to do if a stranger askes to meet you and what to do if you’re getting cyberbullied.
Someone you don't know in real life but only on the web, they could be like 40 year old man when you think that they are only 14: Made me realise that I should be more cautious
Meeting ex-prisoners
It was inspirational and teaches you about how hard jail is. I understand that one choice can change my life: My favourite because it really shocked me and made me feel for them.
It was inspirational and teaches you about how hard jail is.
Domestic abuse
What to do if you're abused and the different ways people abuse.
It helped me realise what would be counted in different types of abuse.