65% of people in prison, and 15% in the community, cannot read, or struggle to. Even more struggle with numeracy. People who are unable to read are more likely to live in inadequate, overcrowded housing, and experience poor physical and mental health. It means they have reduced access to education, training and rehabilitation programmes that could transform their lives and give them hope for a better future, outside of the criminal justice system.

Shannon Trust delivers free, mentor-led reading, numeracy and life skills programmes in prisons and the community. Our approach is flexible, personalised and designed for people who have often had negative experiences of formal education. Through one-to-one support, practical learning resources and trained peer mentors, we help learners build confidence with words and numbers, develop essential life skills and access new opportunities in education, employment and everyday life.