Sharing a vision for digital literacy in prisons

Today, it was our privilege to host an event with representatives from the Ministry of Justice, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Services and like-minded education partners and content providers.

Presenting at Google’s new London headquarters in front of representatives from across the prison education services, we shared one clear message: that digital literacy is creating safer communities.

During the presentation, we acknowledged the digital divide that is growing for prisoners. Many don’t have the digital know-how or the life skills to find work, access benefits or secure a new home when they do leave prison. Yet, in the room, there was agreement that access to education increases a prisoner’s chances of rehabilitation - the evidence has been clear for a while now.

Leaving us with an important challenge to overcome - how do we put learning in the hands of prisoners in high-security, isolated environments. That is where we believe Coracle comes in.

Our devices, powered by Google Chrome operating system, are already trusted to deliver education to prisoners in two-thirds of UK prisons. Our platform is secure, our content is compatible with current prison learning, and our devices are effective in empowering people to build skills and prepare for life outside prison.

The vision we unveiled today to our guests is that over the next five years, we want to put Coracle devices in the hands of every UK prisoner. This unprecedented and universal access to educational content will help our prison community reintegrate with their communities and reduce chances of reoffending.

It’s an ambitious goal, and one that we know we cannot realise alone. Which is why we took the opportunity today to share our vision with our partners, as we look for new ways to collaborate together.

We are excited for the future - one where digital literacy is a right for all. We will continue to keep you updated here or you can contact us for more information.

“This unprecedented and universal access to educational content will help our prison community reintegrate with their communities and reduce chances of reoffending.” James Tweed, Coracle CEO