HMP Addiewell has partnered with EdTech company Coracle to improve education, a proven route to cutting reoffending. The prison in West Lothian is the first in the country to appoint the company to provide prisoners with its secure educational laptops.
An initial consignment was introduced into the prison, which is managed by Sodexo Justice, on September 1. Coracle, which is based at Chesterton Mill in Cambridge, already supplies laptops and digital training to prisoners across England and Wales.
A recent report revealed that for every £1 spent on Coracle’s services, £16 is saved through boosting post-custody employment as well as reducing prison violence and self-harm.
CEO James Tweed (above) said the laptops have been well received by prisoners and staff and education programmes have already begun.
“Myself and the Coracle team have been keen to provide our services to Scottish prisons for some time now. So we are very grateful to the staff at HMP Addiewell and Sodexo for their support and progressive outlook.
“Coracle is on a mission to give prisoners access to digital learning and help prepare them for life beyond the prison gate and expanding into Scotland is an important moment for us.
Being the first facility in Scotland to pilot this program demonstrates our commitment to modern, effective rehabilitation pathway
“Digital exclusion doesn’t stop at the border and neither should the opportunity to learn. We’ve seen the impact these devices can have in prisons across England and Wales and we’re delighted to now be bringing that opportunity to prisoners in Scotland.”
Director of HMP Addiewell, Jonathan French, said: “We are pleased to welcome Coracle’s digital learning initiative to HMP Addiewell.
“Providing prisoners with the tools to succeed is a priority, and being the first facility in Scotland to pilot this program demonstrates our commitment to modern, effective rehabilitation pathways.”
Coracle has around 3,000 laptops operating across more than 100 prisons and secure environments in England and Wales. Coracle’s software is designed specifically for the secure environment, allowing prisoners to access educational materials while maintaining strict separation from the internet and other networks.
In 2023, Coracle was awarded the King’s Award for Enterprise for Promoting Opportunity, one of only nine organisations to receive the award in that category that year. The award recognised the company’s work increasing access to digital education for prisoners. The company is also a certified B Corp.
ABOUT JAMES TWEED
James Tweed is an EdTech expert who founded Coracle in 2006. The business operates in some of the world’s toughest environments, including the maritime industry, prisons and police custody suites.
Coracle holds a King’s Award for Enterprise Award for Promoting Opportunity and is a certified B Corporation.
James advises the government on digital inclusion as a member of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Digital Inclusion Action Committee.
