Norfolk prisoner mentoring scheme celebrates with podcast

Community Chaplaincy Norfolk manager Melanie Wheeler, with charity patron Lady Pippa Dannatt. It has helped 150 ex-offenders in the past five years

A charity that helps prisoners cope with life outside of jail through mentoring has recorded a podcast to celebrate its fifth anniversary.

The podcast by Community Chaplaincy Norfolk (CCN), based in Norwich, focuses on former prisoner, George.

He said being mentored by former probation officer Dot, after serving 16 months, made a huge difference to his life, as he "had no one".

"Leaving prison was anxious and scary," said George.

CCN manager Melanie Wheeler said she hoped the podcast, called "Hope after Prison: Out of the Tunnel", would help people understand more about the work they do and learn how much difference a mentor can make.

The people they help have committed a range of offences, from shoplifting to murder.

"You have to be careful how you measure success rates," Ms Wheeler said.

"Those who serve longer sentences - 10 years or more - seem to have the most success with mentoring.

"Offenders who have been in and out of jail frequently, for shorter spells, may have developed certain behaviours which sees them return," she said.

Ms Wheeler added that one ex-convict, who had spent 26 years in and out of prison and who had not been out of jail for more than six months, had turned a corner after support form CCN.

"He has celebrated two years out of jail after securing his first home at the age of 51," she said.

CCN is based in St Stephen's Church in Norwich

George, who has learning disabilities and mild autism, described how he felt "extremely disorientated" on leaving jail.

"I thought people were looking at me funny because they knew who I was and what I had done," he said.

"I had no coat, my phone wasn't charged. I didn't know who was coming to get me."

Mentor Dot, accompanied him to appointments, navigated the job market with him, as well as offering support on cooking and budgeting.

She said: "The thing about being in prison is that, as awful as it is - because you haven't got liberty - you have your meals provided, and you know exactly what you're doing all day.

"And for you [George], having autism, coming out and having to face everything, getting a job, getting accommodation, is really, very, scary."

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George chose the second part of title for the podcast - "Out of the Tunnel" - as he felt it reflected the journey he faced when he was released on licence, which meant he had to comply with certain terms and conditions.

"It's not as straightforward as driving through a tunnel," he said.

"You could be blocked off at any time and you're always digging your way back to normality.

"You could get blocked up again because things go wrong, you lose your job, or spiral out of control, or you can't find a house or you don't have any family.

"But as time goes on, that tunnel is getting wider and getting brighter."

The charity is hoping more people will come forward to train to mentor men and women leaving prisons across the East of England.