Over the past twenty years TiPP has established an unparalleled reputation for developing high quality creative work within custodial settings. Our staff team have worked on prison based projects in the UK, USA, South Africa and throughout the EU. In recent years we have worked to establish long term relationships establishing arts based workers posts within two of our regional prisons.

Drama and Video Project in HMYOI Hindley

HMYOI Hindley Since 2008 TiPP staff have been delivering regular creative drama based workshops. These programmes of activity last roughly ten weeks and have seen the young men participate in drama projects leading to performances, developing short radio plays and developing video skills. Designed to engage the young men in positive activities, these sessions also develop basic skills and improve the social skills of the participants. TiPP have a key worker permanently assigned to the institution which enables us to develop more ambitious, embedded programmes of performing arts activities for the juvenile population.

HMP Styal
Since late 2008 TiPP have been commissioned by HMP Styal to provide a drama and creative arts co-ordinator for HMP Styal. The responsibilities are wide ranging - from overseeing the publication of the prison's inmate newspaper, to delivering drama and creative writing sessions. The co-ordinator acts as alink point between TiPP and the prison, allowing us to more effectively co-ordinate arts activities in the prison.

Dealing with Drugs
In 1996 TiPP received a grant from Comic Relief which enabled us to pilot and launch a project that works specifically with drug users. The project was piloted across the North West in partnership with Greater Manchester Probation and the prison service. From 1997 - 2000 the project was on-going in HMP Buckley Hall in partnership with Turning Point and Group 4 and ran as part of a programme of support for those affected by drug use. For more information about this part of the project please read: Dealing with Drugs by Kate McCoy and Imogen Blood in Theatre in Prison - Theory and Practice Ed Michael Balfour (Intellect UK 2004).

Resettlement Between 1997 and 2004 TiPP developed and delivered theatre based workshops as a part of Partnership 2000, a long-term multi-agency resettlement project based in prisons in and around Manchester - HMP Buckley Hall, HMP Risley and HMP Forest Bank. The project worked with hard to help groups who have underlying problems that contributed to their offending eg homelessness or substance misuse. Weekly workshops aimed to develop social skills and develop confidence. Sessions were designed to complement conventional training sessions e.g. interview skills, recognising and overcoming barriers to employment. Although the Partnership 2000 project is now at an end, we remain committed to developing effective resettlement projects and regularly deliver workshops within secure settings.

National Children's Bureau
TiPP have been working with the National Children's Bureau, and organisation that promotes the voices, interests and well-being of all children and young people across every aspect of their lives. NCB have been researching aspects of young people's lives while in custody, particularly bullying and health. We have been involved in gathering the views of young people with experience of custody through a series of interactive drama workshops. These have taken place in the following young offender institutions/ secure units: Downview, Feltham, Hindley, Lancaster Farms, Wetherby and at Salford Youth Offending Team.

The findings from the work on health were presented at a National Seminar in London - 'Healthier Inside' in October 2005.