Doing What Really Matters (DWRM), a Warwick-based social enterprise that works with universities to offer degree courses to facilitate prisoner rehabilitation, has received £150,000 in funding.

The Growth Impact Fund, a social impact investment fund developed by Big Issue Invest (BIIFM) and UnLtd has provided the backing in order for the organisation to increase the number of students in prison accessing Further and Higher Education to 25 per cent of the prison population within 10 years – an increase of 20,000 students. 

It is well-documented that both prisoners and prison leavers have limited access to educational resources and opportunities, and DWRM works with universities and employers to help them reintegrate into society.

DWRM's co-founder Dan Whyte established the company after leaving prison in April 2021 with his co-founder, Ruth McFarlane, an educator and practitioner in the prison education field.

Dan achieved undergraduate and postgraduate degrees while in prison and is now studying for a PhD in criminology at the University of Westminster.

Dan Whyte gained undergraduate and postgraduate degrees while in prison (image via Big Issue Group)

He said: "I have had to overcome significant obstacles to achieve my place within the academic community, and I now use this alongside my extensive lived experience to work towards effective systems change within the Criminal Justice System.

"This is evidenced by what we have been able to accomplish at DWRM within our first three years – changes in policy, contributing to prison staff training and raising aspirations of the prison population.

"This paves the way for all those who are following behind me and demonstrates how an authentic voice can affect real change."

Research by the Ministry of Justice 2019 highlighted that people who had participated in education whilst in prison were significantly less likely to reoffend within 12 months of release than those who had not.

DWRM's co-founder, Ruth McFarlane (image via Big Issue Group)

DWRM's co-founder, Ruth McFarlane, added: "We encourage people to have high aspirations for their employment and address the lack of progression opportunities that exist.

"There are providers who have been delivering distance learning in prisons for a long time but students don't have a lot of choice. We've also worked with universities to get permission for students that have been released from prison to continue their studies on campus.

"The House of Commons Education Committee in 2016 (The Coates Review) and 2022 recommended that education should be 'at the heart of the prison system' but we've seen that this hasn't happened leaving prisoners without basic literacy and digital skills." 

The fund is backed by investors including Bank of America, Access - The Foundation for Social Investment, and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Social enterprises interested in the Growth Impact Fund can visit growthimpactfund.org.uk to learn more and register their interest or email [email protected].