HMP GREENOCK were delighted to get the ‘Sycamore Tree’ course up and running again after it was paused during the course of the Covid pandemic.
‘Sycamore Tree’ is a volunteer-led victim awareness programme that teaches the principles of restorative justice. The course is run by Prison Fellowship Scotland and invites individuals to explore the effects of crime on victims and the wider community, how to take responsibility for past actions and identifying active steps to take to avoid future offending.
Seven individuals completed the recent course in Greenock and were presented with certificates by Governor in Charge Morag Stirling.
One attendee said “this course has totally made me reassess my thoughts about my offending, my thoughts are now about the many victims affected by what I have done.”
Prison Fellowship Scotland has a long standing partnership with the SPS and currently work in every prison in Scotland. In addition to the Sycamore Tree course, they run weekly fellowship groups where they use music, real-life stories, drama and arts as methods and means to give the men and women in prison the opportunity to explore faith and the bible.
They are also starting a letter writing programme called ‘A Time to Write’ where volunteers will be trained to write regular letters (normally monthly) to individuals in custody who have expressed an interest in corresponding with a Prison Fellowship volunteer.