Involve, Improve, Inspire: Evaluation of a Learner Voice programme piloted in eight prisons to develop rehabilitative cultures

This report is based on a study that was part of a 12 month pilot, using action research, training sessions and on-going support to front line staff in eight prisons. The project aimed to facilitate the growth of a ‘rehabilitative culture’ by training staff about Learner Voice principles and activities.This study was the first to attempt to define, measure and improve the learning culture of prisons. Learning Culture was defined by six conceptual dimensions: Empowering, Aspirational, Safe, Engaging/Relevant, Inclusive and Changing Lives. This study used a multiple baseline research design and qualitative and quantitative tools to evaluate the effectiveness of individual projects in cultivating a learning culture. Tools included a baseline and follow up questionnaire for staff and prisoners, telephone interviews and observations from all sessions, feedback from training participants and focus groups with prisoner participants.

The overall results for the prisons placed the eight prisons into three broad clusters; ‘Visionaries & Enthusiasts’, ‘Mainstream Adopters’ and ‘Resisters’. Factors which influenced the resultant cluster for a prison site included levels of staff involvement and engagement, levels of prisoner involvement and engagement and the effectiveness communication systems.