Prison Project

"What has been the single best thing introduced in the last ten years? My money would be on the Toe by Toe reading scheme sponsored by the Shannon Trust. The simple but brilliant idea behind Toe by Toe is to recruit prisoners who are literate to help those who are not. By my estimate, several thousand prisoners have now learnt how to read as a result.

Toe by Toe began life as a prison venture at HMP Wandsworth in 2000. Since that time it has spread to just about every jail in the system. I know of the strong support the scheme has received from the trade unions as well as from many individual members of staff.  For Toe by Toe is as much, if not more, about successful rehabilitation and resettlement as any Offending Behaviour Programme."

Stephen Shaw, Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, October 2007 

Further articles related to the Shannon Trust Reading Plan are available on

the Documents Page of this website.

“I am looking forward to teaching my wife to read.  She is keen to learn.  We both went to special schools.”


Sunil – inmate and Toe by Toe mentor at HMP Erlestoke

The main protagonists in this story are Keda Cowling, creator of the Toe by Toe reading scheme, (left, below) and Christopher Morgan, founder of the Shannon Trust (right, below).  Both should politely be described as ‘of a certain age’ but the energy level they maintain would shame most people half their age.  It was Keda’s 80th birthday recently - celebrated with a 'ceiladh' where she danced and sang like a youngster, despite an attack of sciatica.  Her stirring rendition of Finnegan's Wake will live on in many memories.  Chris Morgan’s wife, Ann, meanwhile, has finally given up on trying to make him slow him down and simply lets him get on with it.  His life is a whirl of activity, flitting between his farm in Sussex and London; visiting prisons, meeting governors, telephoning ministers.  Contacting anyone whom he feels could help in his crusade.  Recognition is slowly coming his way and – along with his MBE - he was awarded the Longford Prize in 2004 and the Centre for Social Justice Award in 2005.
Keda and Chris Morgan in 2005 - ‘Grey Power’ at work in the community...

It is Chris’ extraordinary ambition to provide basic literacy skills for every habitual offender in the country.  The Toe by Toe reading manual is written to provide any literate adult with the skills to teach reading and Chris’ Shannon Trust Reading Plan is using the manual to bring literacy training inside the prison cell with literate prisoners teaching their cellmates to read.  The size of the challenge is enormous.  Conservative estimates putting the number of illiterate prisoners at 30,000 at any one time.  However, with so much of the prison population caught up in the tragic ‘revolving door’ of re-offending, the number of habitual offenders who cannot read is probably more like 100,000.  It is worth noting here that a recent government green paper pointed out that every re-offender costs £65,000 to re-imprison and £37,500 annually to keep them there.  Compare this to the cost of providing literacy using the Shannon Trust Reading Plan:  £70 per prisoner.  Cost to the taxpayer:  Nothing. 

“All I wanted to do at school was mess about.  When I came here, I could read a bit and write a bit but not much.  I started Toe by Toe in June last year; it took me about 9 months.  But now I can read my own letters – and write letters too.”


Eddie, 38, inmate at HMP Wandsworth

“Dogged does it…”  is Christopher’s motto and, in the early days, he resolutely refused to get discouraged and kept on ‘doggedly’ knocking on prison doors.   Eventually – one at HMP Wandsworth creaked slowly open and he succeeded in getting a pilot project established there in 2000.  Early success at Wandsworth would inevitably lead to success elsewhere – or so it was hoped.  However, persuading other prisons to adopt the plan proved highly problematic.  It was clear that governors were often reluctant to propose what might be seen as an extra duty to their hard pressed - and sometimes militant - prison officers. 

On average it takes 6 months for learners to absorb the manual from cover to cover.  Subsequently many move on to programmes in the education department – a place they used to avoid like the plague.  For many illiterate people, group learning is living hell.  

 

A prisoner in his 60s was found weeping in his cell after a family visit because he had just read to his granddaughter for the first time.
 

Prison Service News - February 2003

However, Christopher kept plugging away and he eventually realised the crucial importance of gaining the co-operation of prison officers.  Finally, in February 2003, he managed to persuade the Prison Officers Association of the plan’s benefits - not least for their own members.   As readers will appreciate, when a ‘buddy scheme’ works effectively the benefits flow both ways since the prisoner-mentor also benefits in terms of self-respect.  Prison officers were soon reporting that the level of violence and intimidation on the wings was down and that their own jobs were easier as a result.  This was the great breakthrough - all down to Christopher’s inspirational leadership and perseverance.  The Plan is extremely flexible and each prison adapts it to its own circumstances.   The Trust’s rules are simple – short, daily one-to-one lessons.   Ideally, it will be done on the wings or in work places and run by the prisoners themselves, facilitated by junior staff.   It does not matter what the facilitator’s job is provided they have the enthusiasm to solve the problems the mentors can’t solve for themselves.   Often learners are non-readers with a real fear of classrooms and the humiliation they can bring.   Nevertheless many members of prison education departments are strong believers in the plan and their support is invaluable.

Of all the prisons and young offender institutes in the UK, only some five have not yet tried Toe by Toe.   In addition, it is in all four Secure Training Centres for juveniles.   It is difficult to maintain good statistics because prisoners are constantly moving but the Shannon Trust has over 1000 verified ‘graduates’ many of whom have gone on to official qualifications.   It believes it currently has at least 3000 learners under tuition.

Statistics show that for every persistent re-offender, there are 35 victims of crime…

A report commissioned by the OLSU (Offenders’ Learning and Skills Unit) and released in August 2005 concluded that the continued success of the scheme relied very much upon:

The goodwill, enthusiasm and commitment of a few professionals working in prisons.

The fact that neither mentors nor mentees see the program as a part of formal education.

Prisoners reported that the scheme was effective for the following reasons:

  • The model of delivery – offender to offender – makes it a constructive part of rehabilitation.
     

  • The activity is the responsibility of the mentor and student… this works particularly well with offenders who have anti-teacher and anti-authority attitudes.  Thus it is important that literate offenders are seen to be taking the leading role.
     

  • Each learner can work at his/her own pace and in privacy; there is no competition and no danger of being made to look foolish. The scheme allows non-readers and reluctant readers to practise reading in a non-threatening environment, often for the first time.
     

  • The manual is highly structured and clearly written, with straightforward instructions for the mentor, who will usually have no teaching experience. The learner feels supported and the mentor gets satisfaction from supporting.
     

  • Toe by Toe is economically viable and sustainable. It can take place anywhere in the prison, including residential areas, the education unit, the library or the chapel.