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Guernsey Prison’s new Creative Learning in Prison Community (CLIP) Workshop is a step closer to opening after the building was completed.
By combination of Public, Private and Charitable sector donations, funding for the construction of the Community Workshop has successfully allowed for the construction of the building it needs to run.
This workshop will accommodate prisoners working and learning daily under tutored supervision by Prison Officers. They will have the chance to be involved with projects of direct benefit to the community. The building itself will allow for larger and more ambitious projects to be undertaken, thereby generating additional income and allowing CLIP to become a fully self-funding and sustainable charity.
Prison Governor Dave Matthews said: “This facility is an excellent example of public and private investment and has gone from planning permission to finish in less than a year. The work the prisoners do, which directly benefits the community, has been repeatedly shown in the media in recent months, and it is a testament to the quality produced that we have full order books.
"I am extremely grateful to all the charities and Home Affairs, which have provided the money to allow this workshop to be built. Allowing the prisoners to gain both practical woodwork and social skills, and this new, expanded workshop is a fantastic addition to the prison as we work to ensure the prisoners are equipped the best they can be for release.”
The start of the building work on the CLIP workshop.
CLIP works directly with prisoners in Les Nicolles, delivering creative activities that are meaningful and productive. Prisoners gain appropriate qualifications to enable employment, whilst also being engaged in projects that are of direct benefit to the community within a structured regime.
Guernsey Prison is proud to be a working prison, where the expectation is that prisoners who are able will be assigned jobs and expected to go to work each day. An average of more than 99% of all eligible prisoners are in employment.
With increased levels of funding, the Prison will be able to provide additional courses and classes to cater for the diverse range of needs represented within a complex prison environment such as in Guernsey. From 2017 to 2018, the percentage of prisoners engaged in Education increased from 75% to over 80%. In addition, an approximate increase of 20% was seen in the number of prisoners gaining accredited learning outcomes.
A total of 92 students achieved 162 qualifications/awards in 2018, compared to the 77 students who achieved 132 qualifications/awards in 2017 which included seven individuals gaining awards in Carpentry.
The workshop will soon be fitted out and an official opening will be held later this year.
Pictured top: The new CLIP workshop.
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