DYSLEXIC inmates at Feltham's institution for young offenders will benefit from money raised by Richmond's dyslexia association, to continue invaluable literacy and numeracy work .
At their annual meeting recently Richmond Dyslexia Association presented a cheque for £2,500 to SOVA, the Society of Voluntary Association for their invaluable work at Feltham Young Offenders' Institution.
The money will be used to fund training for volunteers who assist young offenders between the ages of 15 and 21 to achieve basic literacy and numeracy skills to enable them to take part in education programmes at the Institution.
Trained volunteers who help youngsters at Feltham are able to specialise in supporting individual young offenders between the ages of 15 and 21 to work on their basic skills.
The SOVA project aims to reach prisoners who have poor basic skills and are unable to access Feltham's other educational provision. In the year 1999-2000, 126 students were matched with tutors and 60 certificates in basic numeracy or literacy were awarded. Three part-time paid staff support up to forty volunteer tutors with supervision, meetings and workshops.
Students are offered two hours of tuition a week. Funding for the scheme is not secure from one year to the next and comes from charitable sources outside the prison.
The report 'Young Offenders learn basic skills one to one' was published in 2001.
Among the comments made by students were: "I read three pages of a book for the first time."
"My mum, dad and sister are so happy that I can read." "They listen to you and don't treat you like a criminal." "If I had the confidence I do now three years ago, I wouldn't be in this place. A lot of it is down to SOVA."
A spokesman for The Richmond Dyslexia Association said: "SOVA's work is having a considerable impact on improving the rehabilitation of young offenders at Feltham. Richmond Dylexia Association is delighted to contribute to Sova as part of our initiative to support dyslexics within the local community."
For further information call SOVA on 8844 54 56.
ends
May 30, 2003 10:30
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