Ian Wright/MAX VIDEO
In Ian Wright's TV series "Football Behind Bars", aired September to October 2009 on Sky1 and repeated 2010 on Sky3, former professional footballer and previous young offender Ian Wright is on a personal mission to help to try and break the re-offending cycle. MAX was involved in the filming of the second episode and we are shown in the video helping the inmates at HMYOI Portland develop assertive rather than aggressive traits, specifically to help with anger management.
Click here for our Football Academy Programme "Keep Your Cool"The root cause of a great deal of offending behaviour is the lack of understanding of social boundaries, communication skills and the difference between standing up for oneself and being aggressive. Handling peer pressure can be a huge challenge in itself.
In June 2009 we were invited to help with training inmates at HMYOI (Young Offenders Institution) Portland as part of the above mentioned Ian Wright programme. The inmates were in custody for offences ranging from Grievous Bodily Harm to Drug Dealing and other very serious offences. The training focused on providing two groups of young men with new skills to avoid responding aggressively or passively to personally challenging situations.
The young offenders, aged 18-21, learnt how to maintain their personal space and were shown how being passive or aggressive can end up with very serious and potentially life-threatening consequences.
The inmates were shown and then learnt through having to do this for themselves, that the best outcome is an assertive position, perhaps even employing the very under-used word "sorry". Instead of relying on bravado and being cocky, their first option was to learn to communicate assertively without resorting to their fists.
They were subjected to very intimidating scenarios and supported by a coach and their fellow inmates at all times. We were very pleased that all attending successfully managed to control situations without recourse to violence and their controlled responses boded well for their future options when they are released from custody.
The young men were very receptive, realising that they could modify their own sometimes challenging behaviour by handling the adrenaline which accompanies fearful situations better. They successfully learnt how to control themselves under very stressful situations and thereby we trust they will rehabilitate more successfully back into society.
At schools we challenge young people's perceptions that carrying a knife can be a good idea from a defensive point of view or a cool thing to do. Knife crime is not a game has some sobering material:
http://www.itsnotagame.org/real-stories.php
Travelling to see your club play the other end of the country or abroad? Have you any idea what you are letting yourself in for from a personal safety point of view?
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