The second in our Partnership Profile series - where we feature one of our partners that helps distribute our gift cards - is Catch22. We've been working with this great organisation for a while, so it was interesting to be able to find out more about them and the impact of our support for the people they are helping.
This interview provides more information about their Commissioned Rehabilitative Services.
Organisation name: Catch22
Describe your organisation: Catch22 works with young people and adults providing intervention, rehabilitation and victim services in prison and in the community all across the UK.
In particular, Catch22 delivers Commissioned Rehabilitative Services (CRS) across London and beyond, including Personal Wellbeing (PWB), Dependency & Recovery (D&R) and Finance, Benefit & Debt (FBD) services.
Who are the people that you typically support?
Catch22 supports men over the age of 18 who are reporting to Probation and have a PWB, D&R or FBD need identified.
What are the key challenges that those people face?
There are multiple barriers faced by the cohort of men Catch22 works with, both when in custody and in the community. Transitioning from custody into the community also presents its own challenges, from the emotional transition of adapting to a new environment to practical challenges such as housing, finances and managing appointments with multiple agencies upon release. This can be particularly overwhelming and stress-inducing, especially for those who have been in custody for extended periods of time.
Often our service users will have experience of trauma and poor mental health but have either not had access to or are not aware of the avenues for correct support. They often lack a strong support network and may have adopted negative coping strategies which are detrimental to their wellbeing.
Budgeting is a key challenge for many people our services support, particularly Catch22’s FBD service. This is especially true for individuals coming out of prison with no experience of having an income or tracking their expenditures. There is also the challenge our service users face with having court fines and arrears to pay, but no income to put towards this. Catch22 will help them contact the courts and other agencies and negotiate payment plans, or even succeed with debt write offs if eligible. ID is also another big issue, without which service users cannot open a bank account, which poses challenges for receiving benefits or setting up debt re-payment plans.
What specific support do you provide?
Our FBD service helps build financial independence, in turn reducing the likelihood of recidivism. We help with budgeting, checking benefit entitlements and applying for benefits, addressing debts (council tax, rent arrears, court fines etc.) and building confidence in money management. Our service helps build key life skills to do with money so that service users have a good foundation to reintegrate into society pro socially.
Catch22’s PWB service provides holistic support for service user’s wellbeing through one-to-one or group sessions, across 4 strands; Emotional Wellbeing, Social inclusion, Family & Significant Others, Lifestyle and Associates. The service aims to break down the barriers faced by men through tailored interventions that meet their bespoke wellbeing needs. Practitioners deliver a range of interventions to encourage men to; build positive coping strategies, understand triggers, work through emotions and strengthen resilience, as well as providing signposting and guidance for more specialised support if needed. In addition to this, PWB will support service users to identify pro-social activities and networks in their area to decrease social isolation and encourage a positive lifestyle.
Catch22’s D&R service, delivered in partnership with the Forward Trust, supports young adult males, aged 18-25, towards addressing their dependency issues and work towards recovery. The service aims to address their substance misuse issues but can also include sessions on improving their wellbeing and motivation. Through a close working relationship with their Recovery Practitioner, service users will be encouraged to engage positively in their communities, make positive lifestyle changes and focus on their future goals.
What is the impact of the clothing gift cards we provide for your service users?
The clothing vouchers have been a great form of support for service users who are struggling financially, particularly when leaving custody. They can have a huge impact practically, particularly in the colder months.
The vouchers are also incredibly valuable in their ability to give prison-leavers choice in what they wear; spend the voucher on items that best suit their needs and preferences. This has been a massive confidence boost for the men we support.
One of our team said the following: “The clothing vouchers were really useful and appreciated by the two Service Users I gave mine to. I know one of mine used theirs to buy new bedding they really needed. Another service user, who has a long-term kidney illness and has lost lots of weight, used theirs to buy some new clothes, as his old clothes no longer fitted.”
To help us provide gift cards for organisations like Catch22, please check out the various ways to support us, including donating clothes or via a corporate partnership.
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