In our dedication to improving the lives of those affected by imprisonment, YMCA Worcestershire shares updates from our work through the Hewell Rainbow Project, supported by the Charles Haywood Foundation and HMP Hewell. This initiative serves as a beacon of hope for families confronting the challenges of incarceration, aiming to uplift them and empower offenders for a better future.
Central to our efforts are engaging Family Days and craft-making workshops, providing families with opportunities to bond and create cherished memories. These events draw an average of 15 families each quarter, building connections beyond prison walls.
Our bi-weekly craft-making workshops offer prisoners creative outlets to maintain family ties, crafting heartfelt mementos like cards to send home. The Storybook Dads program allows prisoners to record stories for their children, promoting literacy and emotional bonds. Our goal this year is to produce 50 recordings, each enriched with sound effects.
Beyond these initiatives, Hidden Sentence training helps professionals and inmates understand the familial impacts of incarceration, creating stronger support networks.
Courses like Me and My Dad and Bumps to Babies equip fathers with essential parenting skills, and initiatives like the Child Contact Room and the Garden of Hope provide private spaces for family interactions and relaxation.
Together, we’re truly making a difference.
