• MANAGEMENT AND STAFFING STRUCTURE
• YOUNG OFFENDER INSTITUTION PROJECTS
• INSIDE TIME'S REVIEW - YOI-BASED PROJECTS
• SCHOOLS' PROJECT
• ANTI CRIME WORKSHOP CONTENT
• STD/STI AWARENESS WORKSHOP CONTENT
• TAKE THE STD/STI AWARENESS QUIZ
• CHECK LIST FOR SCHOOLS
• SCHOOLS' PROJECT FAQs
• USER FEEDBACK
• OBSERVER FEEDBACK
• OUR SUPPORTERS
• OUR OPERATIONAL AREA AND FEES
• USEFUL LINKS TO APPROVED WEBSITES
• SCHOOLS' PROJECT NEWS

SCHOOLS' PROJECT

In late 2003, in response to an Evaluation Form completed by an inmate at HM YOI Aylesbury who wrote 'If I'd had something like this session at school, I don't think I'd be here now', Outside Chance developed a 70-minute workshop called 'You Don't Know Who You're Dealing With!. We trialed the project in West London between September 2003 and March 2004 with a forecast audience of 250 pupils and young people. In just 6 months, we had seen 860 young people, such was the response from local schools and youth groups who saw the workshop as an effective, powerful, crime intervention programme.

We successfully fundraised in the summer of 2004 before relaunching a three-year project with a forecast audience of 7,000 pupils and young people in community and youth groups.

At the time of writing, our workshops have been seen by 66,000+ young people across London and Essex venues.  We have achieved all of this with little additional funding since it costs the same to deliver a workshop to 5 people as it does to 500.  Only the people-moving logistics change in each venue.

In response to requests from primary schools, we are currently drawing towards the end of a 6-month pilot project in West London venues with 10 and 11 year old students, many facing the move to 'big' school in September 2009.  Teaching staff had reported to us that it was often in the transition from 'first' to 'big' school that behavioural problems began to develop as younger students looked for acceptance by their older peers.  This can, in some young people, lead to entry into gangs and their association with knives and guns.  Our aim is to make the youngster aware of the consequences of a criminal record and, inevitably, a prison term, both of which may haunt him or her well into adult life.

We challenge peer pressure, bullying, racism, binge drinking, homophobia, antisocial behaviour and deglamourise crime in all its forms.  We take the viewer through life in a young offender institution with prison clothing, prison conditions and the long term consequences of a criminal record on potential employment, training opportunities, travel, credit, etc.

We are currently fund-raising for the 2009-2010 school year and beyond.  See the 'User Feedback' page.