What we do

“They treated me like a person, not a problem. It was nice to feel I had someone on my side.” – A service user

For most prisoners, things get harder starting the day they are released. New Foundations is available to help them rebuild their lives.

Giving People hope

New Foundations works across south Hampshire to provide comprehensive support for prison leavers of all ages. Returning to a stable and productive life after prison is often an overwhelming challenge. Many have little hope for the future. Our volunteer mentors are a vital bridge of support to help ex-prisoners build a positive future in the community.

The reality of the situation

The people we support often have seriously disadvantaged backgrounds.

24% have grown up in care (compared with 2% of the general population)
29% have suffered abuse in childhood
42% have been permanently expelled from school (compared with less than 1% of pupils in England)
68% were unemployed before entering custody

Providing holistic support

Those we work with often present as depressed and anxious, having experienced trauma or struggles with substance misuse. They are out of prison but in many ways still held captive.

We come alongside to:

Provide practical support
Listen and encourage
Offer sensible guidance
Think with them about the future

Part of our befriending role is to challenge behaviour that may have led to offending and support the rehabilitation work of the National Probation Service.

What Service Users are saying

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“I was in a difficult situation a few months after my release. My mentor spoke up for me when I really needed it. I could see he cared and that really helped. It was nice to feel I had someone on my side.”M.K.

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“Walking out of prison was terrifying for me. The support that New Foundations mobilised and coordinated on the day made all the difference. I’m off to a good start with my mentor, feeling more hopeful at this point than I ever thought I would.”K.V.

One Man's Story

Life on the outside has been hard – a lot harder than I expected. Without the help of my NFCC mentor I don’t know where I’d be now. I still feel low and get frustrated sometimes. Just having him at the end of the phone has meant so much to me, he’s someone I can vent to.

He always finds the time to listen and he seems to understand, which most of the people I have to deal with don’t. He helped me sort out things with the local council so I got permanent housing. I honestly didn’t realise I needed someone like this to speak up on my behalf but I really did.

I feel like I’m finally starting to turn my life around.

P.B.

Service User

✨ Our Core Values

This charity is part of a vast voluntary sector of the Criminal Justice System, involving more people than the prison and probation services combined (12 July 2017 – The Guardian). It’s our values that ground us in what we aspire to deliver.

❤️ Caring

We are non-judgmental and believe those we support are not defined by their past.
We believe all prison leavers can become valuable members of society.
We invest compassionately in our clients’ lives, knowing there is no guarantee of a positive outcome.
We seek to act kindly in our engagement with those having a chaotic lifestyle.

🤝 Professional

We are trustworthy and reliable, managing risks in a way that helps us maintain safety while building relationships.
We adhere to established boundaries, protocols and regulatory guidance.
We seek to build professional relationships with our service users’ primary support workers.
We use a regularly updated Knowledge Base to maintain best practice in client management and guidance.

⚙️ Practical

We take a realistic approach as we assist with goal-setting and problem-solving.
We are resourceful role models, mentoring out of our own life experiences.
We work alongside individuals to find achievable ways to overcome obstacles.
We help people to think through the implications of the choices facing them.

😊 Empathetic

We believe ex-offenders should have a voice, therefore we practise active listening.
We are realistic about the problems that confront those seeking to reintegrate into the community.
We engage in an understanding way to help service users work within their existing constraints.
We model acceptance and bring the added value of community to the support we deliver.