Integrated Offender Management (IOM)

As part of Knowsley Integrated offender management team, MALS Merseyside deliver an offender mentoring programme to provide focused support and mentoring opportunities to prisoners around the vulnerable period of transition from prison back to society. MALS Merseyside understand that in the intervening six months, there is growing evidence of the particularly acute difficulties faced by prisoners returning to mainstream society and, as a consequence, their vulnerability to negative influences. When returning to society and this stems from the social stigma that often attaches to them within their communities.

As part of the IOM programme, M.A.L.S Merseyside meets offenders at the end of their custodial sentence, providing them with a trained mentor to support them through the difficult transition from custody back into their communities. Our mentoring begins within the prison several weeks before the offender is due for release and is expected to continue for as long as the individual requires. One of our staff visits the client in prison in order to build trust, gain a better understanding of their client’s needs and help prepare them for release. When the offender is released our lead mentor will meet them at the gates as this is shown to significantly reduce the likelihood of that individual re –offending. Each individual is then matched with a mentor.

Following release, mentors will support their mentee through the provision of emotional support, as well as practical support around seeking workplace opportunities, accessing housing, education, training etc. Our mentors are all volunteers and we ask them to commit to the programme for a minimum of 12 months. Mentors are expected to be available at least twice a month for face to face mentoring sessions and be flexible as regards telephone and email contact. All our mentors are qualified and are offered Training and Support. You can read more about this project by visiting http://reducingreoffending.co.uk.