The Shannon Trust is a charity dedicated to improving literacy skills within the UK prison population. The Trust runs the Toe By Toe reading plan, an award-winning, peer mentoring programme which encourages and supports prisoners who can read to give one-to-one tuition to prisoners who struggle to read.

The Trust have been working on the development of a reading network for young offenders institutions to enable more young offenders to engage with the Toe By Toe reading plan. Brinsford is the hub of the West Midlands reading network, which brings together five young offenders institutions.

Toe By Toe facilitates one-to-one learning opportunities for prisoners, and complements other educational and general activities. Every year the trust provides resources to teach thousands of new learners in prison. Brinsford is an excellent model for how Toe By Toe can be delivered effectively in any establishment.

Everybody at Brinsford has thrown their support behind the introduction of the reading network, from the management team, to officers and educational staff. And the benefits are being felt within all areas of prison life.

With improvements to life skills and with more access to learning opportunities, offenders are developing skills which benefit them now, and for the future, providing opportunities for employment and reducing the risk of re-offending