“I can see a bit of tomorrow now” participant, Peterborough Prison
Good Vibrations was a major Firebird project running from 2003 to 2009 that aimed to help prisoners develop team-working, communications and other important life skills, through participating in gamelan (Indonesian percussion) workshops. The project is now hosted by an independent organisation, Good Vibrations Ltd, created by Firebird to take on this work and develop it further. For more information about its current work, please contact:
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, CEO of Good Vibrations Ltd or visit their website: www.good-vibrations.org.uk
How does gamelan help prisoners? - it is very accessible
- you don’t need to have any previous musical experience
- you don’t need to be able to read music
- it’s easy to learn the basics
- it’s a very communal activity – there is no overall conductor or leader and everyone’s contribution is equally important
- you have to listen to everyone else to fit your own part in
A Good Vibrations project typically runs as a week-long residency for a group of 15-20 prisoners. Most will not have done anything musical before. On average, half will have never taken part in prison education. At the end of the week, they perform in front of an audience of their peers, prison staff and, occasionally, family and visitors from outside the prison. Each performance is recorded and a CD produced, a copy of which is given to everyone who has taken part.
“Good Vibrations gets prisoners into the education department, many of whom would never have considered enroling on ‘basic maths or English’, and as such, for many of those who participate, the project acts as a gateway to other learning.” Professor David Wilson, University of Central England “The project provided motivation for the development of a respectful and focussed group environment, but also for the development of skills with which to achieve this.” research team led by Dr Alison Liebling, Institute of Criminology, Cambridge University
Achievements
Over four successful years, Good Vibrations has worked in 17 secure institutions across the UK: - one Category A prison (HMP Wakefield)
- six Category B/local prisons (HMP Brixton, Dovegate, Hull, Nottingham, Peterborough and Wandsworth)
- two Category C prisons (Whatton and Wolds)
- five young offenders institutions (HMP/YOI Cookham Wood, HMP/YOI Downview, HMYOIs Feltham, Glen Parva and Huntercombe)
- three secure hospitals (Broadmoor, Rampton and The State Hospital in Scotland, Carstairs)
Over 1000 prisoners have taken part, many of whom have developed significantly in the course of a project. For example: - Inmates from Dovegate’s Reintegration Unit (for men who are persistent trouble-makers at the prison) worked together successfully throughout a week-long project, learning about giving and taking feedback, understanding others’ points of view, and enjoying taking part in a constructive group activity
- Six weeks after a project for female self-harming inmates at Peterborough prison, self-harm in all the participants still at the prison had dramatically decreased or stopped altogether, and all were engaged in constructive activities
- Patients in Broadmoor Hospital’s DSPD (Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder) Unit worked together successfully over a two-week project, including an impressive final performance during which they helped and supported each other
- After a project at Brixton Prison aimed at unemployed and low-skilled inmates, more than half enrolled in a Social & Life Skills course
- 100% of participants doing Good Vibrations projects at HMYOI Huntercombe were accredited for Communications Skills Level 1
- After completing the project, previously disengaged prisoners at Wakefield (who were compelled to participate as part of their sentence planning) were motivated to take part in other educational activities for the first time
- A prolific female self-harmer at Rampton Hospital amazed staff by not only showing up for our project, but sticking it out for the whole week. She blossomed during the course of the project, and was encouraged enough to continue with other constructive activities afterwards
Participants themselves consistently report feeling calmer and less stressed, feeling a strong sense of achievement, enjoying being part of a positive group endeavour and feeling good about themselves. Prison staff have observed striking improvements in people’s ability to work together, to listen to each other, and their levels of concentration and sense of self-worth. They have found the workshops very effective at engaging prisoners who have not previously participated in constructive activities and who do not respond well to more “traditional” forms of education. We have run workshops targeted at: prolific self-harmers, the very low-skilled and “failed learners”, non-English speakers, VPs (“vulnerable prisoners”), people who persistently get into trouble in prison, people coming off drugs, people with severe personality disorders and mental health problems.
Good Vibrations projects address several of the “Offender Pathways” specified by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS): Education, Training & Employment
We engage prisoners unable or unwilling to take part in conventional education and enable them to obtain accredited key and life skills qualifications (eg Communications Skills, Group & Teamwork, responding to Diversity) solely by attending Good Vibrations workshops, with no classroom-based study required. Additionally, through boosting people’s self-confidence, motivation, ability to concentrate, and communication skills, we are an effective gateway to education courses. Please see Professor David Wilson’s evaluation, Breaking Down the Walls, for more on the educational benefits of Good Vibrations. Attitudes, Thinking & Behaviour
Participants develop significantly in their ability to communicate, listen and co-operate with others. They improve their ability to concentrate and apply themselves. Good Vibrations projects help prepare inmates for Offending Behaviour programmes and give them the skills, confidence and motivation they need to take part successfully in such programmes. (please see the evaluation of Good Vibrations, All Together Now, by Cambridge University’s Institute of Criminology, for more on this) Drugs & Alcohol
Good Vibrations projects are a useful component of rehab programmes, as they calm people down, take people’s minds off drink/drugs, and help people get used to the routine of taking part in a regular, constructive activity. Health
Taking part in Good Vibrations projects can reduce levels of self-harm, boost self-esteem and feelings of well-being.
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