Educator of the Year - Inspire Justice Awards
September 13, 2024Posted by:
We are delighted to announce that Matthew Bysouth, our carpentry tutor, has won the Educator of the Year award in the prestigious Inspire Justice Awards.
The Inspire Justice Awards, organized by Skills for Justice, highlight the remarkable contributions of individuals and teams within the wider justice sector. These awards aim to recognise those who often go unnoticed but play a crucial role in maintaining the smooth operation of our criminal justice system.
Professional carpenter Matt joined PeoplePlus in 2012 and has since gone on to be rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted. Over the years, he has consistently demonstrated outstanding dedication and expertise in his role, making significant contributions to the education and rehabilitation of prisoners. His meticulous lesson planning, innovative curriculum development, and commitment to high standards make him a worthy winner.
“He is such a calm and good-humoured tutor, he has a lot of patience to demonstrate his own skills and I have learnt so much from him, I will leave HMP Littlehey knowing that I have the carpentry skills to use confidently and hopefully find a job where I can use them,” said one of his learners.
“Matt uses real life scenarios as to when and how you make and how you make and build certain pieces, you always feel challenged and you don’t feel rushed, we have the time to practise, and Matt offers supportive guidance in doing so. He instills in us the importance of a tidy workshop and everyone works hard to make sure that it is, I have loved this course,” said another.
Accepting his award at an awards ceremony held in London on 12th September Matt said:
“Absolutely amazing – I seriously wasn't expecting it from the very first minute that I was told that I was put forward for an award. Everything I've ever done has just been for my learners and to help other people. And at no point do I do it for recognition. I'm just so humbled that I've won it, even being runner up I would have been chuffed, let alone winning it. I just can't believe it.
“You see all the bad stuff in the news and all the bad stuff that's going on and no one really sees inside prisons and the good stuff that’s going on. People have got such a fixed idea of what a prisoner is and it's nothing like that in reality. When you see someone that comes in with no skills and you see them develop their skills and stuff like that, it's amazing to see.”
The Inspire Justice Awards is the UK’s only awards programme dedicated to recognising the achievements of the entire justice sector. In addition to celebrating Matthew’s achievements, PeoplePlus proudly sponsored the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Initiative of the Year category at this year’s awards.
Visit the Skills for Justice website for more information.
September 13, 2024Posted by:
