Success story.

From resistance to reflection. 

When Clive first met an individual at HMP Whitemoor engagement seemed almost impossible. The individual had served a long sentence and had recently been relocated from the therapeutic wing after a period of instability. 

At the time, the individual described himself as feeling “lost with little motivation”, with no clear goals, and a deep mistrust of anything that felt like “self-improvement”, he spoke openly about his struggles with neurodiversity and his low education levels, explaining that he often felt overlooked or dismissed. 

When Clive first approached the individual to complete a Learning and Work Plan (LWP), he couldn’t see the point. He believed his sentence length, and his past behaviour meant his opportunities were already gone. But Clive saw something different, someone who, with the right encouragement, could begin to believe in themselves again. 

Breaking down barriers. 

Clive encourage the individual to sit down for a private conversation. The goal wasn’t to talk about rules or systems, but to listen and understand what was really holding him back. Once the discussion began, something remarkable happened. For the first time, the individual opened up about his life before prison, the jobs he’d had, the moments when he’d felt capable and respected, and the ambitions he once held. 

He revealed that he had worked in several different roles, and one stood out: sales. He smiled as he recalled his time cold calling, describing himself as “really good at it.” Within twenty minutes, this individual had gone from negativity and self-doubt to genuine pride, rediscovering a part of himself that had been buried under years of frustration and low confidence. 

Building purpose from within. 

From that point onwards, the individual began to engage more actively, discussing his personal strengths and how these could be applied to new opportunities within the prison. 

Clive encouraged him to see that personal growth didn’t have to wait until release and with this support the individual went on to take up an internal work role giving him a renewed sense of responsibility. He created a plan with Clive and set goals to eventually move on to a lower category prison where he would have more activity and re-training options.  

Clive commented: “Sometimes, all it takes is someone to listen, really listen, and to treat someone with respect. In the sea of 450 men who live in HMP Whitemoor, this might seem like a small win. But sometimes, the small wins turn out to be the biggest.” 

Get Set for Career Support demonstrates that with the right support, small moments of belief can become the foundation for lasting change and through personalised guidance, skills development, and meaningful one-to-one conversations, this service can help individuals rebuild confidence, self-worth, and purpose. 

Find out more about the Get Set for Career Support service here