Life Skills
Photo by hue12 photography on Unsplash.
Find out how In2Out supports participants through our Life Skills Programme
Life Skills Challenge is a person-centred education and enrichment programme for young people approaching release from the Keppel Unit at HMYOI Wetherby.
The Life Skills Challenge aims to help young people make the transition to independent living in the community by learning skills such as cooking, cleaning, personal hygiene and budgeting.
The challenges are agreed with each young person to meet their individual needs and interests, and take around an hour each to complete. Generally, they do one a week for not more than 12 weeks leading up to their release.
​
During 2021, this pre-release programme was extended to include short trips out of prison for those who have this opportunity available to them. During the trips out, young people can complete tasks which make up part of the Life Skills Challenge such as shopping, planning a trip and using public transport. Alternative tasks are provided for those who are unable to leave the prison.
The enrichment part is like a youth club session taking place one evening a week. It helps with developing social and community skills through group work, which provides opportunities to explore issues like compromise and negotiation.
"The In2Out course has been really, really helpful. I have learnt about myself and feel like I have got something to focus on. It's nice to know people believe in me."
“Thank you to you all for helping me learn new stuff.”
“I really enjoy cooking and especially cooking things that other people will like too.”
“Communication is something I struggle with and I don’t think people really understand me or what I’m trying to say. I hope that now I will be more patient when talking to people.”
In2Out has been delivering the Life Skills Challenge since August 2019 with a number of volunteers helping out. The young people on the Keppel Unit have multiple, complex needs and many of them have gone on to self-refer to the In2Out mentoring process.
Completing the In2Out Life Skills Challenge leads to an ASDAN qualification which, when added to their CV, helps participants as they seek employment back in the community.