Urban Outreach has been involved with Styal Prison for a number of years. It is a closed category prison for female adults and young offenders located in Cheshire.

Recently Eve’s Space (a Project of Urban Outreach) was given the opportunity to deliver a course in Styal Prison, called “Stepping out in Styal”. The aim of the course was to enable inmates make their release from prison and back into the community an easier process by focusing on FOUR POSITIVE PATHWAYS, those being to:-

• Engage with Eve’s Space to set up benefits
• Register with Housing at Bolton Town Hall
• Attend an appointment with BIDAS (Bolton Integrated Drug and Alcohol Team)
• Report to Probation.

The course was delivered in two, two hourly sessions over two days with each group reaching six women. The course material was creative and interactive also encouraging the ladies to participate by drawing their own pathways and filling in the relevant important phone numbers and other useful information needed.

“Stepping Out in Styal” was received well by the women providing Eve’s Space with very positive feedback including how the knowledge they had acquired took a lot of stress out of leaving prison.

Sally, who took part in the course said: “I wish I had done this last time I was inside, because I messed up and ended up back here again”

Lena, another participant said: “I liked the way I could see the pathways drawn out – it helped me remember what I had to do better”