A day volunteering in prison

I had the privilege of coming to HMP Send prison to help on the Flourish Course in December,..

and it was a wonderful experience. Despite only helping on 2 out of the 3 weeks, (I learned that hard way that forgetting Photo ID really does mean NO ENTRY!), I really felt I learned and experienced the true essence of the Flourish Course, and the immense benefit of this course for the women who took part. 

Tracy set up a really relaxed and welcoming atmosphere right from the start, making it clear that this is a course where everyone will be listened to, valued and loved; something which made the women feel so comfortable, therefore allowing them to share quite personal thoughts even from week 1. 

We all introduced ourselves, and it was clear that this group were bubbly, engaged, and ready to share and learn. As a first time volunteer, I also felt welcome and the women were very happy to chat to me too. 

The themes that we covered in week 1 were about what we value, how we might not feel valued, the importance of relationships and how we can flourish. It was clear that these were themes that the women had not perhaps explored much before, so it was a joy to see everyone engaging, sharing, and laughing. 

A well deserved tea and biscuit break gave time for more informal chat and the chance to get to know the women on a more personal level, which again was such a privilege. It was a strange, but beautiful thing, that by the time the first week's session was over, it was like saying goodbye to friend. Everyone was really looking forward to coming back next week. 

By the 3rd and final week, the main task was to create a collage of words and pictures which represented the women and their futures. It was really great to see how the Flourish Course had impacted them in such a positive way, with many women committing to making healthier life choices and to rethinking some relationships which were perhaps not helping them to flourish.