Our prison trainer Piero is celebrated by prisoners

Our prison trainer Piero is celebrated by prisoners

Our staff member Piero Izzolino has been won a Prisoner Learning Alliance award for going the extra mile to inspire prisoners to engage in education.

Furthermore, Piero was nominated for the award from the Prisoners Education Trust by prisoners themselves.

Piero, who works as a prison-based Trainer Assessor at St Giles Trust, was nominated for his specialist work with foreign national prisoners in HMPs Huntercombe, Send and Holloway when it was open as a female prison. This work is funded by The Bell Foundation.

The nomination letter for Piero said:
“Piero will go the extra mile in a hostile environment to help people like me use our time positive and better ourselves.”

His role involves training prisoners to become Level 3 Advice and Guidance qualified Peer Advisors who can then help other serving prisoners to access the support and advice they need. Foreign national prisoners often have unaddressed needs. Helping the access specialist support helps relieve tensions, improves their resettlement prospects and reduces the pressure on busy prison staff.

Thanks to further support from The Bell Foundation, prisoners can now benefit from qualifying at Level 4 Advice and Guidance and take on additional roles and responsibilities to prepare them for employment.

Piero said:
“I am taken aback but delighted to have received this award. Many thanks to the prisoners who nominated me and to St Giles Trust for giving me the opportunity to do this life-changing work.”

Piero received his award on 16 September at a conference in Cardiff.

Get the latest from the St Giles Newsletter

Receiving our newsletter will mean you will be the first to hear about the impact of our work. latest news, invitations to events and find out ways you can support us.