Second Chapter in Prisons
March 31, 2026Posted by:
Second Chapter: storytelling that changes how men engage with prison education
Second Chapter is a literacy programme developed by PeoplePlus to address a persistent challenge within prison education: how to engage learners who have often disengaged from formal education long before they enter custody, and for whom traditional classroom approaches have rarely worked.
Rather than beginning with prescribed content or formal assessment, the programme is built around structured storytelling, with the Facilitator Steph (PeoplePlus’ Reading and Library Project Lead) encouraging use of different vocabulary to tell their story and improve their literacy levels. Learners are supported to draw on their own experiences, whether that is a single moment, a wider life journey, or thinking about the future and to shape those into written and spoken narratives over the course of eight weeks. The programme is underpinned by clear principles: no discussion of personal offences, active listening, mutual respect, and feedback that is always framed positively and constructively. It's designed to be psychologically safe, so that every participant feels heard, valued, and supported.
The programme is designed to work across mixed ability groups, which has proved to be one of its strengths. Those who are more confident writers naturally support those who are less so. That peer dynamic builds confidence quickly and helps establish a level of trust that can be difficult to achieve in more traditional classroom settings.
Sessions are structured, but deliberately light in feel, taking place in the prison library. Each one is planned for around 45 minutes, although in practice they often run longer as discussions open up and participants choose to continue. It is not unusual for learners to stay behind afterwards, continuing conversations informally over a game of chess or draughts; demonstrating that engagement is not being driven by compliance, but by genuine interest.
The programme has now been piloted across three establishments and is in the process of being rolled out more widely. Designed to improve literacy across all learning abilities, in HMP Littlehey it has served especially well as a stepping stone for entry-level learners, bridging the gap between Entry Level 3 and Level 1 - providing the additional support and confidence those learners need before they are ready to make that transition. At recent completion events at HMP Onley and HMP Littlehey, the outcomes were evident not only in the work produced, but in how participants described their experience of the programme.
Kyle, who is neurodivergent, admitted he had been resistant at the start and spoke openly about how his perspective shifted over the eight weeks. "I was resistant at first, I thought it would be boring. But Steph worked with me and I got so much out of it. I wanted to be a better version of myself. Hard at first, but Steph took time to listen. Constant reminding that I can be better. I'm grateful. Every day is a struggle to communicate and this really helped."
Others spoke about the difference in how the learning felt. James said “Once you learn to read and write it can change your life. It’s a beautiful way to learn” while Keith reflected that “when I feel low, I’ll use writing to let off steam”.
There was also a strong sense of the group itself becoming part of the process. Learners spoke about “bouncing off each other,” about hearing different perspectives, and about the absence of judgement in the room. For some, that created the conditions to speak more openly than they had before. One participant reflected that communication had been a daily struggle prior to the course, but that over time he had become more comfortable expressing himself and contributing to discussion.
The role of the facilitator sits at the centre of that shift, and is designed to be taken up by the Peer Mentors in prison as well as PeoplePlus employees. Steph, who delivered the programme at the prisons, was consistently referenced in terms of how she worked with the group rather than what she taught. Learners spoke about her willingness to listen, her patience, and her ability to guide conversations without taking control of them. As one of the group put it, “she didn’t tell us anything; she helped us realise things ourselves.”
Tom, the peer mentor at HMP Littlehey, is a good example of how that facilitative role can work beyond the PeoplePlus team. Peer mentors bring something a shared experience that can be difficult to replicate. Where a facilitator guides, a peer mentor can stand alongside, and for some learners that makes a difference to how willing they are to engage. Tom described the experience as a learning curve for himself as much as the group, finding that Second Chapter asked him to work differently to more traditional mentoring models. The learners noticed it with one saying "Tom was a big help, he really helped the sessions flow naturally."
Reflecting on the programme, Steph spoke about the importance of the safe environment the programme creates:
“This is a space where men can talk informally about things they might never otherwise discuss, where they can find themselves through the words they put on the page. It’s not about reaching a certain reading level, it's about helping people find a way of expressing themselves that works for them, and showing them that anyone can do it”
At the completion events the men spoke about their experience of the programme in their own words, describing what they had found challenging, what had changed for them, and what they were taking away from it. They then read their written pieces including poems, lyrics and stories aloud to the group something several acknowledged they would not have considered doing eight weeks earlier.
The events concluded with the presentation of certificates, marking completion of the programme. At HMP Littlehey, the Governor attended in person and learners were encouraged to bring a peer with them to share in the occasion.
HMP Onley’s Head of Education and Skills said to the group “Thank you for sharing. It’s a really brave thing to do. Reading and writing changes your life, so thank you for your energy.”
What was evident throughout the events was not just that learners had produced written work, but that they had developed a level of confidence in expressing themselves that can support further progression which is so important in a system where engagement can be the primary barrier.
They spoke about what the programme offered that other learning had not. Nov reflected that “This is different from the other ways of learning I’ve experienced. This is the only one which helps you learn through storytelling.” One learner has already put his name down to take part again. Another, speaking about education more broadly, said: “I don’t understand why people in this prison don’t go to education, it’s free!” There is already a waiting list at HMP Littlehey of men wanting to take part in the next cohort.
As Second Chapter expands into additional establishments, the focus will remain on maintaining the integrity of this approach. The model works because it is grounded in how people actually engage - with conversation, with reflection, and with each other, while still delivering the structure needed to build core literacy skills.
Making a difference – one story at a time
March 31, 2026Posted by:
