The visit to Stocken was incredibly insightful and rewarding from both a professional perspective, but also personally. It was evident that the vast majority of the learners on the course, regardless of their story, current social position or past experiences, were engaged in the process of learning and development. Interestingly, many were multiple years from release, but still saw the course as a massive opportunity to improve their future upon the point of release. Aside from the bars on the windows and the inmate apparel worn by some learners, to the untrained eye the course could look to have been being delivered in any school or college classroom. The perception of what prison looks like, away from the cells and cell blocks, was very different to the reality.
