These are the family-led courses currently being delivered at HMP The Mount
Family Links
This course is successful as The Mount has one of the highest retention figures amongst all the prisons that deliver it. The course is run on a part time basis in Education. Participants have cell work every night which can be academically and emotionally challenging. It gives time to reflect on how offending behaviour has impacted upon other family members and affected children in particular. The course focuses on breaking the cycle of offending within families and implementing change for the better.
PSA - Pre-School Alliance
A family support service offering:
• Signposting for education and training for parents, including basic skills and parenting
• Signposting to other community agencies. This support service is available in the Visitors’ Centre on every other Saturday afternoons from 1pm to 3pm for families with children up to 5 years old, or where the wife/partner is pregnant.
Referrals can be made to local children’s centres.
SOVA
SOVA is best known for providing strength-based mentoring that promotes sustained engagement with support services and involvement in the community. ‘Through the gate mentoring’ services provide targeted support aimed at easing resettlement and reducing the risk of re-offending. Support is available in custody and increased just prior to release. ‘Community mentoring’ is aimed to help individuals, whatever the circumstances or difficulty, to create a stable lifestyle in which a growing two-way relationship with the mentor can all play a part in improving their lives. To do so, we tackle issues including managing money, addressing drug and alcohol problems or managing family relationships. Furthermore, we help support to reduce the barriers to finding work by developing good relationships with local employers and setting up work experience and volunteer placements. All in all, we are here to help, whether that be employment, benefits, personal wellbeing, hobbies and activities or just meeting one of our volunteers for a chat.
Bold Moves - Safer Relationships
Bold Moves provide a 10 week group work Safer Relationship programme for anyone who wants to improve their relationships with their partner, ex-partner or children. The course covers 4 theme’s; Masculinity, Emotional Intelligence, Taking Responsibility and Changing Behaviours. As a communication course, it has benefits for those who are;
• Returning home from prison and are concerned about this transition, especially if their relationship has suffered due to their imprisonment or it has taken them from the family home for many years.
• Those who have substance addictions and their substance abuse has led to conflict and mistrust in the home.
• Where aggression has been part of their communication style.
• Visits Hall Play Area - Friendly, Supervised facilities in the visits hall for young children during visits.
• Visitors centre tea bar - the tea bar is an enjoyable part of the visitors centre particularly after a long journey with children. The Visitors Centre is open from 12pm.
• Bus Service - Free minibus service between Hemel Hempstead Train Station to HMP The Mount on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Small grants- on release, HACRO can provide small grants for essentials.
• Volunteers - HACRO has over 80 volunteers working at HMP The Mount.
