Impetus support package:

Impetus investment period: 2011 - 2012 (Planning phase investment**)
Planning phase grant funding: £37,500
Pro bono services donated: £38,000                Investment management value: £84k
Total funding package to date: £159k

Impetus has invested in Prisoners' Education Trust as part of the Impetus for Reducing Reoffending Initiative.

Background to the investment:

Developing a prisoner's education and skills is a recognised component in helping to rehabilitate prisoners in custody and to reduce their reoffending on release by embarking upon more stable lives and access mainstream services.

The impetus for our involvement is that PET has a clearly defined and cost-effective model of intervention which produces tangible outcomes around education and qualifications for prisoners.  PET's grants programme accounts for more than 70% of total grant monies distributed within prisons and the organisation is well-respected as an advocate of wider learning for prisoners.

PET is ambitious to develop its model and grow its impact given the unmet need for its services and approached Impetus as an engaged funder, which can support its scale-up plan.

Focus of Impetus expertise 2010/11:

• Workshops for the CEO and Chair on strategy development and monitoring and evaluation
• Review of strategic options and support in the development of a three-year business plan to scale up.

Key achievements 2010/11:

• Further funding confirmed for three years for advocacy and campaigning work through the "Learning Matters" project
• Developed a new advice service to help prisoners choose the right courses
• Published research on the challenges for prisoners who want to study above Level 2 (GCSE)
• Published a briefing paper on peer learning support roles inside prison.

 Read more about Prisoners' Education Trust.