Sixty-One
Sixty-One supports people with a criminal conviction to lead meaningful, crime-free lives. We do this by inspiring, enabling and empowering the local community to provide the relational and practical support people need in, and on leaving prison.
MentorMe (goals-based mentoring for meaningful, crime-free lives)
MentorMe is a community mentoring programme for men and women in Bristol who have a criminal conviction, a desire for change and goals that they want to achieve. Mentees are carefully matched with a trained volunteer mentor from a local Christian church. Mentors receive rigorous training and ongoing support from MentorMe to equip them to flourish in their role. Training courses are run three time a year with an emphasis on educating and training the church in Bristol to respond to the needs of those in their community with a criminal conviction.
Hubs (safe community spaces for people with a criminal conviction)
Sixty-One’s partner church Hubs provide community-based meeting places for people with a criminal conviction. A welcoming space for attendees to learn, grow and share food or a hot drink, Hubs are places where people can find acceptance and belonging and overcome the isolation faced by so many people attempting to make a fresh start. Sixty-One provides extensive set-up advice to hub leaders and volunteers, makes referrals, gives risk management advice and ongoing support to ensure teams are equipped to effectively support the men and women who attend.
Gift Projects (a bag of thoughtful gifts for every serving prisoner at our four local prisons)
Our Christmas and Easter Gift Projects convey a message of hope and value to each recipient at a time when self-harming and suicide rates are high within the prisons. Every year, with funding and logistical support from local churches and the community, Sixty-One packs and then distributes over 1,400 Christmas Gift Bags in our three local men’s prisons and 400 Easter Gift Bags in our local woman’s prison.
Partnership (rehabilitation through partnership working)
Partnership working increases the scope of the needs we can address. Our aim with all of our partnerships is to support people in the community with a heart to reach marginalised groups, enabling them to utilise their strengths and resources. Through partnership working, Sixty-One facilitates: A six week course exploring constructive masculinity, a beekeeping course and Goal-Setting Workshops at HMP Bristol, as well as access in community to an MBA Empowerment Course.