Winter Well-Being: Boosting spirits on the inside

More than 87,000 people are set to spend the holidays in prison this year. It’s a particularly difficult time to be inside, while those on the outside are celebrating the season with friends and family.

During this period, seemingly small acts of compassion by prison staff can make a huge difference to prisoners. Things like helping those in their care send a Christmas card home to loved ones, which we know helps to keep family ties strong and can be so crucial to improving outcomes on release. Or putting on a group decorating session with prisoners and staff where everyone can come together to make something festive and improve prisoner-staff trust in the process.

Unlocked Graduates are supporting officers on our Leadership Development Programme to change the mood in prisons. Innovation Acceleration Projects (IAPs) such as Christmas Day distraction packs are making a real impact, lowering the usual spikes of self-harm and poor mental health over the festive period.

We spoke with Unlocked participant Erin (2022 Cohort) about what she’s doing to foster improved well-being for prisoners and staff spending the festive period inside:

Unwrapping the impact of festive distraction packs with Erin (2022 Cohort)

From my experiences of working in prison last winter, I noticed that around Christmas time, we were seeing spikes in incidents of self-harm and the general mood on my wing was really low. I look after prisoners with schizophrenia and psychosis, and their paranoia became particularly heightened.

I thought I’d create Christmas-themed distraction packs with puzzles and crosswords that I know that the lads like doing. I matched them to literacy levels as well, because a lot of prisoners have quite poor literacy. I wanted to make sure there was something for everybody.

With my IAP funding from Unlocked Graduates, I put in chocolates, a fidget toy, a Christmas card and a stamp, so that they could send a Christmas card home. Not forgetting a Christmas coffee too, so they had something nice to wake up to on Christmas Day.

It seems so simple, but these things can make a difference in prison!

I included paper for origami and held an activity during association on Christmas Day where they could make Santas or Christmas trees out of origami. It was far better for everyone than spending the day saying, “get your food and go back behind your door.”

We ended up seeing far fewer incidents of self-harm and poor mental health.

That’s not to say it’s necessarily a direct impact of my distraction packs, but I think the festive activities really improved the general mood. Knowing this, I was obviously keen again to do it again, especially as this Christmas, I’ll be working right the way through from Christmas to New Year’s!  

I’ve learnt from last year, sourcing new puzzles and origamis, and packing them with my colleague in early December so there’s plenty of time to send Christmas cards. On our mental health support unit, we’re also helping some of the men to write their cards.

We’ve also planned Christmas party for people on my wing with more complex cases, where we’ll have food, music, and creative activities – making Santa hats, Christmas cookie decorating and painting.

I’ve started a Christmas ornament contest on my wing, with whatever craft supplies I could find. So far, prisoners have created a footlong Grinch, a star for the top, and angel… the competitiveness really came out!

I’m bringing in my other colleagues too to help, not just other Unlocked grads, because they really love getting involved. My line manager is amazing in helping me to run these projects, and I’m really appreciative of one Governor in particular who is incredibly supportive.

From all of us at Unlocked Graduates, we wanted to take the chance to wish you a happy and festive holiday. And to all those working in the prison system over the festive season, we say a huge thank you for your tireless hard work.