Evaluations

An evaluation of The Irene Taylor Trust’s Sounding Out programme 2016-2018

Sounding Out is a music traineeship which provides former prisoners with longer-term opportunities upon their release, to bridge the gap between inside and outside prison. The evaluation takes a qualitative approach to explore the views and experiences of participants, staff and family members to understand if and how Sounding Out ... read on →

Authors Laura Caulfield, Andrew Jolly, Rachel Massie (Institute for Community Research & Development, University of Wolverhampton)

Published March 2019

Artform Music

Organisation The Irene Taylor Trust (Music in Prisons)

Participant type Male Adult Ex offenders

Sample size: 10

Exploring Good Vibrations projects with vulnerable and challenging women in prison

This research involved 26 women who had successfully completed a Good Vibrations project, finding that:

  • for women in prison, taking part in a Good Vibrations project can reduce anger, worry, and levels of unhappiness, and improve social skills
  • reductions in anger, worry, and unhappiness may be sustained in the weeks ... read on →

    Author Laura Caulfield (Bath Spa University)

    Published December 2015

    Artform Music

    Organisation Good Vibrations

    Participant type Female Adult Offenders

  • Good Vibrations: health and wellbeing of older offenders

    The purpose of this research project was to explore the older offender population and there engagement with the Good Vibration project.  The research found that:

  • Older offenders also experience the same emotional benefits as the general prison population
  • Older offender’s comments on additional benefits of the Good Vibrations project for ... read on →

    Authors Laura Caulfield, Dean Wilkinson (Bath Spa University; University of Worcester)

    Published 2014

    Artform Music

    Organisation Good Vibrations

    Participant type Male Older Offenders

  • Women at the HeArt Evaluation Report

    Women at the HeArtwas a Thames Valley Partnership project, funded by Arts Council England,  The Monument Trust and Thames Valley Probation, building on the organisation’s experience of using the arts with vulnerable groups. Aims:

  • Creatively empower vulnerable women by offering participatory arts sessions
  • Embed good creative practice into support services ... read on →

    Author Alison Leverett-Morris (Thames Valley Partnership)

    Published February 2014

    Artforms Drama, Mixed Media, Visual Arts

    Organisation Thames Valley Partnership   Project venues Alana House Womens Centre, Crisis at the Old Fire Station, Elizabeth Fry Approved Premises

    Participant type Female Adult Vulnerable women

  • Re-imagining futures: Exploring arts interventions and the process of desistance

    Carried out by Northumbria University and Bath Spa University, this report highlights examples of how the arts can support positive changes linked to personal agency, efficacy and identity, which are linked to the highly individualised journey of desistance from criminal behaviour. Key findings show that participation in arts activities enables ... read on →

    Authors Charlotte Bilby, Laura Caulfield, Louise Ridley

    Published November 2013

    Artforms Craft, Creative Writing, Music, Visual Arts

    Organisation Arts Alliance

    Participant type Male and Female Adult Offenders

    Sample size: 30

    The experience of ‘Journey Woman’ from the perspective of the participants

    Using theoretical frameworks such as CBT, role theory, social learning theory and narrative therapy, Forensic Psychologist Rebecca Day explores women offenders’ experience of  Geese Theatre Company’s one week project ‘Journey Woman’, which was delivered four times at HMP Foston during 2007/08.  read on →

    Author Rebecca Day (Geese Theatre)

    Published January 2013

    Artform Drama

    Organisation Foston   Project venue Foston

    Participant type Female Adult Offenders

    Sample size: 34

    An Evaluation of a Pilot Study of a Literature-Based Intervention with Women in Prison

    This study investigated whether ‘Get Into Reading’, a literature-based intervention, which had been established in other custodial contexts and non-custodial mental health settings in the UK transposed to a female prison; HMP Low Newton, and whether any of the benefits identified in custodial and non-custodial contexts elsewhere were reported by ... read on →

    Authors Josie Billington, Jude Robinson (University of Liverpool)

    Published 2012

    Artform Creative Writing

    Organisations National Personality Disorder Team, The Reader Organisation, University of Liverpool   Project venue HMP Low Newton

    Participant type Female Adult Offenders

    Musical Learning and Desistance from Crime: The case of a 'Good Vibrations' Javanese Gamelan project with young offenders

    This paper discusses new empirical evidence for a positive relationship between musical learning and desistance from crime. On investigating the learning processes occurring within a Javanese gamelan project in a Young Offenders Institution, parallels between musical learning processes and the development of certain attributes linked to desistance from crime emerged.  ... read on →

    Author Jennie Henley (Institute of Education, University of London, University of London)

    Published February 2012

    Artform Music

    Organisation Good Vibrations

    Participant type Male Young Offenders

    Elmina's Kitchen

    An evaluation of the impact of the performance of play in HMP Brixton on the Synergy Theatre participants invloved and the audiences. read on →

    Author Karin van Maanen (Anne Peaker Centre)

    Published 2007

    Artform Drama

    Organisation Synergy Theatre   Project venue Brixton

    Participant type Male Adult Offenders, Male and Female Adult Prison Staff, Male and Female Adult Public Audience

    Sample size: 417

    Serious Play: an evaluation of arts activities in Pupil Referral Units and Learning Support Units

    The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation commissioned the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) to conduct research into the effects and effectiveness of arts projects in PRUs and LSUs. The study was also to consider the distinctive contribution that arts activities (as compared with other curriculum experiences) might make to pupils’ educational, ... read on →

    Authors Caroline Gulliver, Kay Kinder, Anne Wilkin (National Foundation for Educational Research)

    Published 2005

    Artform Multi-Arts

    Organisation Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

    Participant type Male and Female Child School pupils, Male and Female Adult Staff

    Sample size: 49

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