Support to Reduce Re-offending
Ex-offenders and prison officers tell us that men of African/Caribbean Heritage (ACH) require support for resettlement. On release, challenges can often be overwhelming, and some may reconnect with criminal associates or fall into substance misuse and offending behaviours.
SWIM’s PACT programme
Breaking the cycle of release and reoffending for older black men to:
Prepare for resettlement by acknowledging triggers to reoffending.
Adjust by stabilising housing, health, and family relationships.
Contribute through voluntary work to raise self-esteem and confidence.
Thrive by securing paid employment to sustain a stable and fulfilling life.
The professional expertise and lived experience of SWIM’s Support Workers via connections with local services, help to resettle ex-offenders into stable supported environments.
On release, we are there to secure suitable accommodation, register them with a GP, source benefits and apply for other financial assistance. We also connect them to mental health and drug & alcohol services where required.
Understanding the past to build a better future
PACT’s focus on the generational differences between older black men and their children and grandchildren’s generation, helps to provide perspective and acceptance. This equips participants to revisit and rebuild relationships positively. The goal is to empower people to become strong role models in family and social circles.
Through a mix of one-to-one and group work, we help older black men who have been involved with the Criminal Justice System to adopt new ways of being that rejects offending and anti-social behaviour. Working with SWIM, our clients explore their values, and how ethnicity, culture, faith, and family can influence life choices.
Their increasing sense of identity and self-awareness prepares them to re-connect and repair broken relationships and confront destructive drug and alcohol misuse behaviours.
Preparing for paid work and volunteering
Once clients have stabilised, we arrange opportunities for volunteering, skills development and education to reinforce self-esteem, pro-social behaviour, and core life skills. For those who are ready, we source paid work opportunities through local business and the New Futures Network so clients sustain law-abiding, independent lifestyles.