Lesson video

Hello, my name's Mrs. Rawbone.

And I'd like to welcome you to this lesson on The Muslim Chaplains Association and Mosaic.

In today's lesson, you will be able to explain how prison chaplains and mentoring programmes like Mosaic support rehabilitation.

Keywords we'll be using today are chaplain, prison, and rehabilitation.

A chaplain is a religious representative who provides spiritual care, support, and guidance in places like prisons, hospitals, schools, or the armed forces.

Prison is a form of punishment where a criminal is locked in a secure, guarded building, known as a prison, for a period of time.

Rehabilitation is the process of helping offenders regain skills, change behaviour, and reintegrate into society after committing a crime.

In our lesson today, we'll be looking at prison and its role, at prison chaplains, and at Mosaic.

Let's start by looking at prison.

Prison is a type of punishment where a person is sent to a secure facility.

They lose their freedom for a set period as a result of committing a crime.

It's used for serious or repeated offences.

Sentences can range from a few months to life, and it's often combined with other punishments, such as fines, bans, for example, a driving ban, and post-release supervision.

Prison usually means living in a locked cell, wearing a prison uniform, strict routines and timetables, also access to counselling or behaviour programmes, and attending classes or skills training.

Prisons in the UK are divided into four categories.

Category A are the high security prisons for the most dangerous or high-risk offenders.

Category B is a standard closed prison.

It's secure, but it is not maximum security.

Category C is a lower security prison for prisoners who are not considered a high escape risk.

And category D are open prisons, these have minimal security, and are only used for trusted prisoners who are near release.

A person's experience in prison varies, depending on which prison they are sent to.

First of all, they'll be sentenced in court.

Everyone starts in a category B or C prison and is assessed based on risk, their sentence, and their needs.

They might then be transferred to a category A prison, or they might remain in category B or C.

Whichever category prison they are in, they would gain support, such as education, work, and rehabilitation programmes, or that's certainly what should happen.

Category C prisoners may move to a category D near the end of their sentence.

So what is prison? Take a moment, pause the video, jot down your definition, and then come back when you're ready to see what you could have written.

You could have said, "A form of punishment where a criminal is locked in a secure, guarded building, prison, for a period of time." Well done if you've got something along those lines.

There are positives and negatives of prison as a punishment.

As a positive, it's thought to deter people from crime, so put them off from either recommitting offences, or to put other people off from committing offences in the first place.

It protects society, so people are locked away, they cannot commit a crime or harm anyone again, or at least not whilst they're in prison.

And it allows time for rehabilitation.

The prisoner has time to engage in education.

The negatives are that actually, many prisoners re-offend after release.

In reality, of course, it can cause emotional or financial hardship for the families of those who are in prison.

And prison conditions are not always ideal.

They can damage a prisoner's mental and physical well-being.

So which negative and which positive seem most important to you? Take a moment to think about it.

Pause the video, turn and talk to someone nearby, or you can talk to me, and then come back when you are ready to move on.

Sofia is asking Neil, who's a defence barrister, about his views on prison.

She says, "I've heard people say prison is like a holiday, but others say conditions are tough, and so prison is a good deterrence, because it scares people into behaving." Neil says, "I've visited many prisons and seen harsh conditions like overcrowding, long hours in cells, and poor mental health support.

In my experience, prison doesn't deter crime.

Many re-offend after spending time with others who have more criminal experience.

The quality of support varies, and many people don't get proper access to education, training, or rehabilitation." So why might prison make re-offending more likely? Is it A, because prisons are given too much freedom and choice, B, because people spend time around others with more criminal experience and little chance to change, C, most prisoners are released too early, without serving full sentences, or D, prisoners have access to luxuries, like the internet and games? Take a moment, pause if you need to, come back when you're ready to check your answer.

Excellent work.

You chose B.

One of the main concerns about prison is that prisoners will spend time with other people who are more experienced than them in crime, and that may actually make re-offending more likely.

For task A, I'd like you to answer the following questions.

Number one, what is the difference between a category A and category D prison? Number two, why might prison help someone to change? And number three, why might prison fail to prevent re-offending? So take your time to answer those three questions.

Pause the video, come back when you're ready to see what you could have written.

You could have said, one, that category A prisons are high security, and category D prisons are very low security.

For number two, prison can offer rehabilitation through counselling, education, and skills training, helping offenders reflect and prepare for a better life after release.

And for number three, many prisoners re-offend because they mix with other criminals, lack proper rehabilitation, or face difficulties reintegrating into society.

So well done if you've got some of those points across and if you showed that you can see some of the positives and negatives of prison.

Moving on to the second part of our lesson, we're going to be looking at the role of prison chaplains.

This timeline outlines what the experience of going to prison should be like in the UK.

Before prison, there should be a fair trial and sentencing.

Whilst in prison, there should be humane treatment, rehabilitation, and also, later on, release preparation.

And then after prison, there should be help with reintegration into society.

So in the UK, everyone has the right to a fair trial, with legal support and an impartial judge.

Sentences must be fair and aim to punish, rehabilitate, deter, protect the public, and make amends.

In prison, prisoners must have food, healthcare, and a safe environment, fair treatment, limited solitary confinement, and reasonable family contact.

Prisoners should also receive education, training, and rehabilitation support.

They may be offered restorative justice.

Release preparation helps prisoners to plan their housing, their employment, and any other support needs that they might have.

And after release, reintegration support helps ex-prisoners find housing, work, and to rebuild their relationships.

Founded in 2010, the Muslim Chaplains Association supports Muslim chaplains in prisons across England and Wales.

It offers training and mentoring.

It provides guides and offers peer support.

It runs workshops and an annual conference.

It supports resettlement projects.

It connects with mosques to aid the reintegration of prisoners, and it supports post-release, for example, through mentoring.

So I'd like you to give one way the Muslim Chaplains Association supports its members.

Pause the video, take a moment, jot down your answer, come back when you're ready to check.

You could have said any one of the following, it offers training and mentoring to develop professional skills.

It provides guides and peer support to help chaplains in their daily work.

It connects with mosques to support the reintegration of prisoners.

It runs workshops and an annual conference for learning and networking, and it supports post-release resettlement, for example, through mentoring schemes.

So well done if you managed to put one of those ways that the Muslim Chaplains Association supports its members.

Abdi works as a Muslim prison chaplain in Leicester.

He's explaining how his beliefs influenced him to become a chaplain.

Abdi says, "I became a prison chaplain because Islam teaches that justice also includes mercy.

I wanted to follow the Prophet Muhammad's example of showing forgiveness.

My beliefs lead me to value compassion over condemnation, and to see every human being as created by Allah and deserving of respect.

Being a chaplain puts these values into practise by helping offenders see their potential.

I offer guidance, listen with compassion, and support their faith." Let's have a look at what Abdi does in his work.

It's a Friday, and he's also on-call as duty chaplain.

That means that he is the person who is immediately referred to for anyone's religious or spiritual needs in the prison, regardless of their faith.

It's 8:00 AM, so this is when Abdi arrives, he goes through security checks, and he also goes to a duty chaplain briefing to catch up on what has happened on the previous day.

At nine o'clock, he engages in duty chaplain visits.

This means that he's the person who sees new prisoners or prisoners who've been segregated, prisoners with healthcare issues, those who might have been bereaved, or those due for release.

At 11 o'clock, he works to support Muslim prisoners with prayer and repentance.

At 1:00 PM, he's working again with Muslim prisoners, leading the Jummah prayer, and delivering the khutbah.

At two o'clock, he might teach some Islamic classes, support rehabilitation and restorative justice programmes, and oversee what volunteers are doing.

So, for example, these might be people from a local mosque who are involved in prison visiting.

At three o'clock, he might check his supplies of Qurans and prayer mats, and also support halal provisions, so making sure that the canteen is providing the appropriate food.

He would also perhaps liaise with local mosques and other organisations.

At 4:30, he would complete his logs and reports before exiting and going through security.

So what is the missing word in this sentence, a Muslim prison chaplain might support, by teaching Islamic classes and contributing to restorative justice programmes.

Pause a video, take a moment if you need to, come back when you're ready to check your answer.

So well done if you put rehabilitation, that's a really important part of the prison chaplain's role.

For your task, I'd like you to complete the sentences below, so that they answer the question.

Outline three reasons why the role of prison chaplains is important in Islam.

One reason Muslim prison chaplains are important is? A second reason is that they? A third reason is that they? So pause the video, take your time, come back when you're ready to see what you could have written.

Let's have a look at what you could have said.

One reason Muslim imprison chaplains are important is that they help prisons pray, repent, and stay connected to their faith.

A second reason is that they support rehabilitation by guiding prisoners through repentance and personal change.

A third reason is that they show compassion by offering emotional and pastoral care to prisoners.

So well done if you've got three reasons why prison chaplains are important in Islam.

Moving on to the third part of our lesson, we're going to be looking at Mosaic.

Abdi works with a number of organisations, the National Zakat Foundation.

So he refers eligible prisoners or families for Zakat support during hardship.

Islamic relief, he delivers faith-based workshops through their partnership with the Muslim Chaplains Association.

Mosaic, he refers young or ex-offenders seeking mentoring or work opportunities to Mosaic.

And local mosques, he liaises with mosques to support reintegration after release.

So what is the missing word? A Muslim prison chaplain might refer young or ex-offenders to Mosaic to help them access, or work opportunities.

Take a moment, pause the video, come back when you're ready to check your answer.

So well done if you put mentoring.

A key part of Mosaic is its work in providing mentoring for ex-offenders, particularly young Muslim males.

Mosaic was founded in 2007 by King Charles III and is now part of The King's Trust.

Mosaic offers mentoring programmes in schools, communities, and prisons, and its aim is to support young people from disadvantaged or minority backgrounds who might face barriers, such as poverty, discrimination, or a lack of role models.

Mentoring aims to raise ambitions by building confidence and helping mentees believe in their potential.

Mentors also provide help with CVs, interview preparation, goal-setting, and building links to education, training, or employment.

Rasool is a Shi'a Muslim.

He's explaining why he volunteers for Mosaic.

He says, "As a Muslim, I believe in showing mercy and giving people a second chance.

I work freelance, which gives me the flexibility to volunteer with Mosaic, where I support rehabilitation by mentoring young Muslim people in prison who are nearing release.

It's important that I'm Muslim, because being supported by someone who shares your background can make it easier to feel understood.

However, my role isn't about providing faith-based guidance.

It's about helping them build confidence, set goals, and move forward." So what is the main way Mosaic supports rehabilitation? Is it A, by giving religious advice to prisoners, B, by offering legal support to young offenders, C, by mentoring young Muslim people to build confidence and set goals, or D, by organising funding for education programmes? Take a moment, pause if you need to, come back when you're ready to check your answer.

So well done if you put C.

Remember the importance of mentoring in the Mosaic approach.

For your task, Jun has written part of a paragraph for the statement referring to Muslim teachings.

"Everyone, even those who break the law, deserves a second chance." Evaluate the statement considering arguments for and against.

In your response, you should refer to Muslim teachings, refer to non-religious arguments, reach a justified conclusion.

I'd like you to complete his paragraph by finishing his points.

So here's Jun's work so far.

Jun says, "Islam teaches that forgiveness is central to justice, and that people who break the law should be given the chance to repent and change.

Many Muslim prison chaplains encourage rehabilitation by helping offenders reconnect with their faith and take responsibility for their actions.

Programmes like Mosaic, mentors can.

." So take your time to complete the end of that paragraph, developing what he has to say about Mosaic and mentoring.

Come back when you're ready to see what you could have written.

You could have said, "Islam teaches that forgiveness is central to justice, and that people who break the law should be given the chance to repent and change.

Many Muslim prison chaplains encourage rehabilitation by helping offenders reconnect with their faith and take responsibility for their actions.

Programmes like Mosaic support this approach by providing mentors who understand the background and identity of offenders, helping them to rebuild competence and make positive choices.

These mentors can act as positive role models, offering guidance and encouragement, that helps offenders turn their lives around." So excellent work if you've managed to talk about the importance of mentoring, particularly from someone who understands your background and about the idea that these mentors might act as positive role models, as well as providing direct support for ex-offenders.

Today, in our lesson, we have learned that prison is a form of punishment that removes freedom, but also offers rehabilitation through education, skills, and behaviour programmes, that Islamic teachings stress mercy and second chances, encouraging support for those who want to change, that prison chaplains support rehabilitation by helping prisoners repent, reconnect with faith, and receive emotional care, that Muslim chaplains work with mosque, charities, and mentoring groups to support reintegration, and that Mosaic offers mentoring in schools, prisons, and communities to help young people overcome barriers and build confidence.

Thank you so much for working with me on this lesson today and for all of the effort that you've put into your work.