PMNW VISITS NEWARK ACADEMY: EXPLORING THE REALITY OF INCARCERATION
On a recent visit to Newark Academy, Prison Me No Way offered a wide range of dynamic workshops to current Year 9 students, hoping educate them on the impacts of their life choices. This day was organised to grant young people with positive reinforcements to make educated choices about their futures. They also explored the benefits of building strong foundations now, as youngsters, in hopes that each righteous decision allows them to grow into confident young adults.
The highlight of the day was the opportunity for students to converse with a prisoner currently undergoing their sentence. The children had the chance to converse with the prisoner and ask valuable questions; a great way to deepen their knowledge on some of the bad choices that were made and the consequences that then followed. To begin, the prisoner shared his unique story and highlighted the decisions they had made that led to their imprisonment. They willingly opened up about their mistakes, how they could have handled the peer pressure that got them there in the first place, and what they wish to achieve in future to move on from their faults. In addition, they discussed both the expectations and rules the prison enforce, and some privileges prisoners are entitled to so the students gain a further understanding of what life really is like behind bars.
Subsequently, the students enjoyed the ‘Prison Life’ workshop, a workshop that provides an in-depth perspective of what working and living in a prison is like. The students were split into groups; one group remained in the classroom discussing some hardships and liberties prisoners face, whilst the other group toured our prison cell van. Here, they have the opportunity to visualise a typical day whilst incarcerated.
County Lines, Network Rail and One Punch were just a select few workshops Prison Me No Way also had to offer. These hours cover crucial topics some students may be unaware of, each adaptable to different areas of the country to make it relevant for the children. They are taught how to spot the signs of child exploitation and trafficking and the dangers associated with it.
Overall, PMNW’s visit to Newark Academy was a booming success, leaving the students with a deeper understanding of the dangers of society and the impact their choices may play out in future. By listening first-hand to trusted sources, the children left school better equipped to explore their futures with a better understanding of responsibility.