PRISON EQ
Kevin George
After spending eight years as a Professional Footballer and ten years working in education, Kevin George qualified in Counselling and Psychotherapy.
Kevin's research has led to both national and international publications, publishing his work on mental health and behaviour related topics. He has lectured at over 95% ofPremier League football clubs, partnered with the British Council on international projects, delivered Professional Development for the Institute of Consultants, facilitated emotional literacy programmes in prison, taught and managed counselling projects in schools for over a decade.
Jermaine Pennant
Jermaine’s professional career started as a Professional Footballer. He was signed for £2 million at the age of 15 by Arsenal FC, a record transfer fee for a trainee and became Arsenal's youngest-ever first team player. He went on to make make 300 appearances for various clubs, including Liverpool FC and getting man of the match in the Champions League final.
Jermaine provides the Prison EQ programmewith football coaching and group mentoring. Shareing his unfortunate experiences from childhood, how they led to him going prison and how he was able to achieve success, based on application and what he needed from othersto flourish.
Jamie Lawarence
Jamie Lawrence is a former Premier League and international football player. His career included playing forthe likes of Leicester City FC, Bradford City FC and the Jamaican national team.
Jamie had an unconventional route to the Premier League, via prison.Which he details in his book 'From Prison to the Premiership'. Jamie now spends his timefitness training professional footballers and members of the community, and mentoring people in schools and prisons.
A role he also does as part of Prison EQ.
Approach
For many, the intimacy of one to one therapy can be intimidating, and the fear of facing childhood trauma can be crippling. The Prison EQ programme allows participants to hide behind the stories of footballers/metaphor of activities, whilst taking themselves through their own processes and exploring emotions.
INCLUSIVE ALTERNATIVE REALITY
It’s statistically proven that adverse childhood experiences (ACE Study) increase the chances of mental and physical health problems, and antisocial behaviour. Meaning that children internalise their adverse environment, and in some cases, recycle and feed adversity back out again. A process that they are victims of and unconsciously participate in, and yet punished for.
Football on the other hand, accepts people from all walks of life and in many cases praises those who struggle to self-regulate, display hyperactivity and displace their anger. Football is a safe place for the traumatised and accepts the parts of people that society rejects.
By leading with with this "buffer" to bring about positive change, improves the chances of positive change.
CREATIVE THERAPEUTIC SPACE
Football provides a space for people to express themselves.
People express theirfeelings without the filters of everyday life and they express their creativity through the art of football.
The link between creativity and mental health is important, because we create what we think and feel. Exploring our creativity is another way of exploring ourselves in depth, the unexplainables, motivations and the epithanies.
Prison EQ is intentional when using football, drawing a parallel between playing, living life, and the internal processes.
Former players use their experience of growing up within challenging environments, clinical education, professional football experiences and excepts from their books to facilitate the development of mental health awareness and emotional literacy.
WHY IS EMOTIONAL LITERACY NEEDED IN PRISON?
Academic education can provide opportunities that reduce reoffending however, for the 29% that do reoffend in the first year (50% if committed 11 or more previous offences), they need more. From unremedied trauma to a mismanagement of emotions, they respond to situations and life, from a place of great distortion.
For many, the intimacy of traditional therapy can be intimidating, and the fear of facing childhood trauma can be crippling. The Prison EQ Programme allows participants to hide behind the stories contributedby footballers/metaphor of activities, whilst taking themselves through their own processes, exploring emotions, coping mechanisms and re-strategising their emotional health.
The Prison EQ programme tackles the root cause, in the language and interests of the participants, and delivered by people they can relate to and have a shared experience.
WHAT IS THE PROGRAMME?
Our Prison EQ works from our 6 pillars of EASSSE-
Empathy
Autonomy
Self regulation
Self actualise
Self esteem
Emotional comfort
EASSSE provides participants with thetools to reduces risks of reoffending, increase chances of employment, improve mental health and creates active citizens.
HOW DO WE DELIVER THE PRISON EQ PROGRAMME?
Prison EQ is delivered in three elements-clinical, football and fitness. Clinical work is delivered utilising the arts, literacy and quizzes to create experiences and engage those with diverse learning needs and preferences.
Example day 1:Clinical group work in the classroom = AM + PM
Example day 2: Clinical group work AM + Fitness/Football PM
Participants will recieve signed copies of facilitator's books.
To book Prison EQ, you can contact Gavin at gavin@kevingeorge.online