Jason Thorne
Jason Thorne has transformed his life by seizing the chance to educate himself while in prison, and he now has a career, a home and is part of the community.
Starting with Basic Maths, English, Key and Communication Skills, he continued his learning by taking a pre-release course in Budgeting, Social Living and Problem Solving. Determined to find a skill he could use outside prison, he completed forklift training and achieved a cleaning certificate, as well as attending an Enhanced Thinking course.
Leaving prison five years ago with a criminal record meant getting paid work would be a challenge, so Jason carried out voluntary work at Six Acres and the Albemarle Centre, a home for the elderly. To support this, he completed courses in Sign Language, Somerset Total Communication and Counselling Skills, as well as a Community Involvement Skills course. His volunteering led to a job with the Albemarle Centre, where he has taken advantage of work-based training and been awarded NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care.
Jason said, “I have been clean from drugs for seven years and out of prison for five. This is amazing, as most of my life has been in some sort of institution. My life has transformed since I started educating myself. I find it rewarding taking what I’ve learnt and applying it to my job role. Making positive changes in my life and learning different things have made me a more confident and positive person.”
