East Surrey College and High Down Prison’s Digital Innovation Joint Project supports rehabilitation aims

East Surrey College and High Down Prison’s Digital Innovation Joint Project supports rehabilitation aims 

East Surrey College and HMP High Down have been driving an initiative, called ‘Greys to Green’, that will transform learning opportunities and rehabilitation for prisoners. The collaborative project, which has been funded by the Mayor of London, aligns with the government’s Reducing Reoffending Plan.   

The two-year long collaboration has finally reached its goal in installing an Immersive Suite in the prison in Sutton. It will be used to prepare those nearing the end of their sentence for reintegration into society, by equipping them with employable skills within the green technology sector, as well as giving them digital immersive experiences of modern life.  

Howard Dawber, Deputy Mayor for Business and Growth said: “For people leaving prison, a secure job and hope for the future can be the thing that makes all the difference. It’s great to see business and London’s further education sector working together, supported by £400,000 City Hall funding, to help prison-leavers gain new skills and move into good work. Employers are at the heart of our plans for inclusive growth in the capital, ensuring that training equips Londoners with skills that are in demand. Together we can build a better, fairer and more prosperous London for everyone.’ 

To make this technically challenging project happen, partnerships with Metaverse Learning and BT have been vital, and all interested and involved parties gathered for the launch of the Immersive Suite at HMP High Down on Thursday 2 October. 

Emily Martin, Governor of HMP High Down, welcomed the visitors and described how significant and transformative this opportunity has the potential to be, in terms of rehabilitation. Learning the skills required for roles in a growing sustainability sector is exciting. And by offering a realistic preview of their post-sentence education pathways, the initiative also reduces anxieties and builds motivation for those looking to continue their learning journey.  It is hoped that this provides a blueprint for other prisons around the country. 

Through Metaverse Learning’s innovative virtual environments, participants can engage with interactive training modules including learning about heat pumps, solar panel installation and EV charging points. This knowledge can lead onto opportunities to retrain at their local college and gaining skills that align with emerging job markets, offering a gateway to future employment opportunities.  

The immersive resources also provide virtual “flythroughs” of East Surrey College, allowing users to explore the campus and discover courses that are available to them.  

This partnership underscores the collective commitment to expanding access to education, improving digital capabilities, and supporting skill development that has real-world impact. By integrating technology and forward-thinking educational approaches, the project ensures that those leaving HMP High Down can transition seamlessly into further learning and employment, equipped with the tools necessary to contribute positively to their communities and the evolving workforce.   

Julie Evans, Head of Reducing Reoffending at HMP High Down, knows how important something like this is to her sector: 

“This is an exciting opportunity for prison education and High Down are very pleased to be involved. An immersive suite within our large education department will enable prisoners to learn a variety of subjects in a new and exciting way.  This is ideal for our diverse prisoner population who may have disengaged with traditional learning earlier in their lives.  

Immersive learning is hugely effective as it provides digitally created content and artificial environments that accurately replicate real life scenarios so that new skills and techniques can be learned and perfected.  Prisoners are often cut off from the outside world whilst in custody and we are always looking at ways to bring the outside in; this is the perfect initiative.  It’s practice-based learning where the sky is the limit.  

We are confident that this innovative approach will significantly enhance the educational experiences of our prisoners, empowering them to build brighter futures and successfully reintegrate into society.” 

 East Surrey College Principal and CEO, Lindsay Pamphilon said of the project: 

“At ESC, we know that learning can change and develop someone’s future for the better. At the heart of this project is making education the golden thread through life, particularly for learners where that transition is hard. It has been hugely rewarding to be able to support our local prison in introducing green skills through this digital tool. We in turn want to be front of mind for their learners once they leave and are looking for further education and training.”