Vision and Mission

Education helps me get through my sentence in a positive way, has shown me talents and skills I didn’t know I had. I plan to continue to pursue my studies after my release for a balanced and productive life.

The Prisoner Learning Alliance (PLA) is a network of organisations and individuals with expertise in and experience of prison education.

With a shared vision of learning opportunities which enable personal and professional transformation, we work together to influence prison education policy across England and Wales.

Our work is directed and governed by an elected Steering Committee.

Vision: That all prisoners can engage in high-quality and diverse learning opportunities to help them transform their lives.

Mission: To provide expertise and strategic vision to inform prison education priorities, policies and practices.

Objectives:

1. Shaping pivotal policies: To constructively engage with policymakers and influence governmental decisions with integrity.
2. Holding the Government to account: To comprehensively monitor the implementation of prison education policies and practices by the Government and stakeholders, and to critically evaluate the impact of these actions on prisoners.
3. Facilitating an ethical network: To gather, share and promote modes of good practice in prison education, supported by objective evidence, either acquired by the Prisoner Learning Alliance or other established organisations.
4. Advocating in every context: To connect with key audiences and stakeholders, such as commissioners, policy makers, prison governors, staff, prisoners and the public, to advocate for transformative prison education.
5. Platforming learner voices: To provide a space which amplifies the voices of prisoner learners, ensuring their views are integral to decisions on prison education practice, policy and research.
6. Uniting the sector as a whole: To create an open, active network of prison education professionals who share our vision and want to join our mission.
7. Operating with efficacy and transparency: To ensure exceptional, ethical governance throughout the Prisoner Learning Alliance to support Objectives 1-6.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: In addition to these objectives, the PLA is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion – both in people and operational delivery – and to monitoring our progress in this area. The Chair is responsible for ensuring that this is implemented and providing evaluations to the Prisoners’ Education Trust and the Steering Committee.