New pilot project offers hope and support for people leaving prison
Date published:
Prisoners leaving Hydebank Wood College will get practical support to begin life on the outside, thanks to a new pilot project.
The Northern Ireland Prison Service have teamed up with Start 360 and Ardoyne Youth Club to support people leaving prison by providing each one with a ‘You Matter’ pack of toiletries including toothpaste, shower gel and antiperspirant, as well as water and cuppa soup.
Hydebank Prisoner Development Unit Governor Seaneen Farrelly welcomed the project: “While most people leaving prison will have a place to live, for some, leaving prison will be an uncertain time and can mean they have nowhere to stay. This project gives practical support and a sense of dignity at a critical point in their lives. I want to thank Start 360 for getting this project off the ground and the fantastic young people from Ardoyne Youth Club who turned an idea into reality.”
Grainne Griffith, Services Manager at Start 360 said:
“The project is a great example of working in partnership, bringing together Start360 and Hydebank as well as the incredible young people from Ardoyne Youth Club, whose creativity and commitment have been instrumental in shaping this work. This highlights the power of community collaboration in tackling some of the most complex social challenges.”
Stephen Konrad from Ardoyne Youth Club welcomed the chance to get involved in the project.
“This was a great opportunity for the young men in our Club to help people less fortunate than ourselves. Our Club motto is ‘Believe, Achieve, Succeed’ and we hope our work can help people leaving prison to get the support that they need to succeed.”
Notes to editors:
1.Hydebank Wood Secure College and Women’s Prison is located in South Belfast and serves both the male young adult population (18-24) and the female adult population.
2. In the last unannounced independent inspection in 2024, Hydebank Wood gained full marks across all areas including Respect and Purposeful Activity. The full report can be found at Report on an unannounced Inspection of Hydebank Wood Secure College - November 2024 - CJI NI
3. Media enquiries to the Department of Justice Press Office email or phone: 028 9052 6444
4. To keep up to date with news from the Department follow us on : LinkedIn, Bluesky, Instagram, Youtube, Justice NI (@Justice_NI) / X, www.justice-ni.gov.uk
5. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800 hrs and 0800 hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.