How did taking GLS into prisons come about?

At The C3 Church we were approached by Wayout TV when the first wave of the Covid19 pandemic hit the UK early in 2020. They had seen our services on Facebook and liked them so they asked if we would be willing to allow them to be used each week as the main Sunday Service for prisons where Wayout TV operated. As prisoners at that stage were spending up to 23 hours a day in their cells, this was a vital and important service. We of course agreed and since March 2020 The C3 Church services have been broadcast each Sunday morning.

When we took on the National Leadership of GLN we very early on wondered if Wayout TV would be interested in any of the GLS content as we could see how the material could be of benefit to those who were incarcerated. This came about because we were aware that GLS has been very popular and successful in prisons around the world. Of course, these are usually delivered live but this was no longer possible due to Covid restrictions and so we approached Wayout TV and asked would they consider such a partnership.

They loved the material both in its production qualities and content. We agreed to provide them with 26 programmes that are no longer than 32 minutes long which are broadcast twice a week in prisons. These programmes are then repeated in the second half of the year. So, for 52 weeks a year there is a GLS programme that is broadcast into prisons under the title “Lead to Succeed”.

How many facilities / individuals are reached?

Currently, and this number is expanding all the time, there are 77 prisons where Wayout TV operate across England and Wales.

This has the potential to reach 66,000 prisoners. Recent estimates show that up to half of these inmates access the material. It is worth noting that each cell has its own TV so this way the programmes are broadcast on the Wayout TV Channel directly to each cell and not into a shared common space.

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Why is it important to provide access to leadership development in prisons?

One of the core values of GLN GLS is that anyone can have influence. This may be with our friends, family and indeed even on ourselves.

Many people have fallen into crime because they failed to lead themselves appropriately.

Many prisoners have used their skills and abilities negatively but there is no doubt they are gifted and if used for positive and purposeful reasons could make a difference to so many others.

One reason Wayout TV were interested is because on their channels one of the most popular programmes has been Ted Talks. GLS has this kind of vibe and approach and so they could see how they might prove popular.

Many of those who are released from prison sadly will struggle to find an employer to take a chance on them. Often, they need to start their own business and the skills that are taught through GLS are those that they will need to build a successful business.

This kind of upskilling is essential to those who are in prison to allow them to find a way out of their situation.

What tools does GLS teach?

GLS seeks to equip leaders with many skills from a broad perspective. This is through input from genuine world leaders in their sphere.

This includes Self leadership, Team Building, Innovation, Dealing with Failure, Vision, Communication, Courage, Habits, Dealing with Regret, Encouragement, Change Management, Overcoming Fear, Mental Health, Efficiency, Empathy, Crucial Conversations, Leadership and Pain, Self-Awareness and Perseverance to name just a few!

What kind of impact has been witnessed?

This is ongoing as we get letters and hear reports of the usefulness of the material and how it has changed perspectives and given tools for individuals to implement in their world.

The whole idea of Wayout TV is to educate prisoners to give them a way out of their situations. We are persuaded GLS (Lead to Succeed) can play a part in this in helping leaders get better which will result in transformation in our world.

With the benefits of GLS in prisons clear, it is our aim to be able to run live GLS events in the future to help build unity and empower leadership.

Because everyone has influence