2nd Chance Portland launched in September 2009 off the back of the Football Behind Bars series shown on sky 1, starring Footballing legend Ian Wright. The programme campaigned how sport can influence lives of young offenders in custody and its link to reducing re-offending.

We were delighted when we were asked by the Football Foundation to set up and manage the project at HMYOI Portland. 

In partnership with HMYOI Portland, Chelsea FC, the RFU and Southampton University we devised a different model to the one we had in HMP & YOI Ashfield which would allow us to measure the success outcomes from both projects.

We could also measure the success rate of targeting an older age group of 18+ years old and how their transition back into the community could be supported. 

This project also gave us an opportunity to work with Southampton University and have a fully independant monitoring and evaluating arm to the project. The first interim report will be available from October 2010 and the full report will be available by December 2011. For more information view our reports

The 2nd Chance Portland project is reguarly engaging with young people in the community highlighted as at risk of offending. By playing fixtures against community teams, academy particpants will present to groups of young people the harsh realities of life in custody. A great example of partnership work and the benefits of this project in action is the recent fixture against a group of young people working with Nacro and Bournemouth and Poole Youth Offending Team, click here for more information.

If you would like to find out more information regarding the project contact our office and ask one of our team.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our first corporate  sponsor and life long supporter Ralph Watson. Ralph attended the final match of our first Academy and sponsored the match kit and trophy. Thanks Ralph