What others say…

“The model of delivery – ‘by prisoners for prisoners’ makes it a highly constructive part of rehabilitation. It works particularly well with offenders who have anti-teacher or anti-authority attitudes. The scheme allows non-readers and reluctant learners to practice reading in a non-threatening environment.”

“…the single best thing introduced into prisons in the last ten years”

“I am pleased to be able to support the Shannon Trust’s work, and it was a very positive experience to go and see the Toe by Toe scheme in action and meet some of the mentors and mentees. Learning to read represents a significant turning point in anyone’s life, and may be the one thing that makes a difference to help people in prison turn their lives around”

“The change in the guys I see is overwhelming. I see smiles. I see shyness disappear. I see withdrawn men change to confident men. I would like to say thank you for all the lives this is changing – and that includes mine.”

“The beauty of the Toe by Toe scheme is its economy and simplicity. Instead of taking place on the Education Wing, it is designed to work on the prisoner’s own wing. It requires no external teaching staff, just Keda Cowling’s little book”.

“Tackling offending behaviour is fundamental to what we do. Before Toe by Toe, we couldn’t do that, and it was incredibly frustrating. Now they don’t slip through the system unchallenged.”

“When Jamie, 31, a heroin addict and prolific offender, was transferred to The Verne prison in Dorset last year, the only word he could read was ‘-chips’. Twelve months on, he is a fluent reader who now spends several hours a week teaching illiterate prisoners. Due for release soon, he speaks excitedly about his plans to enrol in college in September.

Ken, a first-time offender serving eight years, could neither read nor write when he arrived at the category C prison, built on the foundations of a 19th-century fortress overlooking Portland harbour. He now works on the prison magazine. In the edition he shows me, Ken has interviewed a visiting bishop and written an engaging short story. He says his mother was ‘thrilled to bits’ at seeing his name in print. Like Jamie, he teaches literacy to other prisoners.

In isolation, these would be two remarkable stories. Incredibly, they are replicated in dozens of jails across England and Wales. Jamie and Ken are part of Toe by Toe, a scheme run by the Shannon Trust, a charity devoted to literacy in prisons, which was set up in 1996 by Christopher Morgan. Around 38% of adult prisoners are described as having no useful literacy skills, while a further 29% have a reading age below that of an eight-year-old.”

“Toe by Toe has been a big improvement in my reading. It has helped me to understand how to break down letters one by one. I have not finished yet but I could not read and now I can. There are a lot of inmates it could help.”

“All I wanted to do at school was mess about. When I came here, I could read a bit and write a bit, but not much. I started Toe by Toe in June last year; it took me about nine months. But now I can read my own letters – and write letters too”

“This is my second time in prison. Last time I didn’t learn anything at all. I couldn’t read or write. This time my teacher has given me Toe by Toe. Everyone thinks I’m a star because I am doing so well. I was 16 two weeks ago and I have been told I am the youngest person in prison to be doing Toe by Toe.”

“As a peer mentor I hold an important position of trust. I have surprised myself with what I have learnt here”

“… the structure (of Toe by Toe) makes it less intimidating for both mentor and mentee. Its not hard to pick up the book and go through it with someone if you got reading and writing ability… everyone succeeds in the end.”

“its not the same as going to education because you got 12 people in a room but here you got one to one and you can take your time.”

“I know there is no financial gain for me. but helping these (learners) to get to the stage where they can pick up a magazine and know and understand what is written is satisfaction in itself.”