Approximately 140 students participated in a rotation of workshops that covered topics ranging from knife crime to county lines drug trafficking. Other sessions included ‘choices’, which explored the impact of domestic abuse, and ‘prison life’ which provided students with an opportunity to visit a mobile prison cell, housed in a specially converted van.

Volunteers were also given an opportunity to take part in a mock search scenario, conducted by prison service search dogs. To show the outcome of a positive result, one person was chosen to carry the scent of something detectable by the dog to demonstrate its response of stopping and sitting down to indicate that something had been found.    

Harriet Elvidge, co-organiser of the event said: “I would like to thank the Prison! Me! No-Way! team for yet another successful visit to the school. Our students responded in a really positive way to the hard-hitting stories and life-lessons that were shared on the day by taking a genuine interest in the causes and consequences of crime.

“With six different workshops on rotation, covering a range of contemporary issues, there was a lot for the students to take in. They handled all sessions with great maturity and will hopefully use them as a platform for reflection to ensure they remain positive members of the community.”

Reflecting on the day’s activities, one student said: “The highlight of my day was the knife crime workshop. I learned how easy it is to get caught with a weapon and that choices in the past can get turned around. I was also really surprised at how small the search dogs were - I thought they would have been bigger like a German Shepherd when, in fact, they were Springer Spaniels. It was also interesting to learn how the smallest amount of drugs can have a massive impact on lives.”

Another added: “The best thing about the day was the search dogs. I thought they were very clever. I also thought they would have been a lot bigger. In other sessions I learned how many people carry knives every day, which was shocking. I was also really surprised to hear how easy it is to get spiked, so in future I will be more aware.”

Set-up as the Prison! Me! No Way! (PMNW) Project by three Prison Officers from HMP Hull in 1993, PMNW has operated as a registered charity, The No Way Trust Ltd, since 1995. During this time, it has worked face-to-face with over 1.3 million children and young people nationwide.

The No Way Trust provides real-life learning experiences for learners between the ages of 8 and 18, collectively helping young people and their communities to reduce crime, reoffending and anti-social behaviour and contribute towards creating safer communities for all.

The trust encourages young people to stay safe and think carefully about the decisions that they make throughout their lives, helping them to positively manage the temptations of modern society, and the increasing risks posed through social media, to develop into law-abiding citizens.

Neil McCunnell, PMNW crime day coordinator, said: “Prison! Me! No-way! provides real-life learning experiences for young people to help reduce risky behaviour and prevent them becoming involved in crime. We want young people to think carefully about the decisions they make throughout their lives, to stay safe and continue their development into law-abiding citizens. Every young person should have the knowledge and confidence to take control; to stay safe and realise their full potential by making positive choices that avoid them becoming involved in crime.

“The students at Withernsea were superb throughout the day - they are very consistent, keen to learn and are a credit to the school. It’s always a pleasure to return to Withernsea High School and it’s always one of our smoothest and easiest days of the year.”

ABOVE: Head of additional provision, John Blades, joins year 9 students in helping to demonstrate a mock search scenario. 

ABOVE: Students were surprised by the size of the visiting prison cell.