COMMENDEE 2023-24: Kevin, a Supervising Officer at HMP Swansea, receives a Commendation for his ongoing commitment to helping veterans in custody, and for setting up a novel, and highly effective, programme training ex-forces prisoners to mentor and assist other, more vulnerable, members of the population.

Kevin’s nomination

Initial Recommendation

Kevin was initially recommended by: Calvin Hughes (Reducing Re-Offending, HMP Swansea).

Since leaving the Armed forces, Kevin Thomas gained employment within the prison service and joined HMP Swansea, Kevin has taken it upon himself to inspire both service leavers within the Prison Service and service leavers who are being held in custody. Kevin has worked with external service leavers and support groups to ensure that all men held within HMP Swansea have the support and guidance they need.

Kevin has inspired others to use their time in custody to better themselves and give back to others. He has developed a process that increases learning outcomes and a sense of wellbeing, and further supports employment and housing opportunities on release.

Kevin has been the driving force for improving the veteran support within HMP Swansea. Kevin has developed and improved supporting links with the community and transformed the veterans support within the establishment. He has encouraged and supported change within the prison and has won the respect of staff and men in our care, evidenced by the veterans in custody writing a letter themselves that supported Kevin’s great work resulting in Kevin winning the ‘Changing and Improving; Award for the Prison Service.

Kevin developed the idea for implementing not only a veterans support wing within HMP Swansea but also understanding the skills ex-veterans have, and channelled these skills to offer a mentoring service that supports men in need. This service trained veterans in mentoring alongside the Shannon Trust, creating a service where mentors could assist care leavers, young adult men experiencing custody for the first time, and vulnerable men with mental health or learning difficulties. This service has helped support men in crisis, and is invaluable as veteran mentors spend the majority of their time engaging and breaking down barriers, supporting development and allowing a smoother and fluid transitional period from crisis to a more structured stable regime.

This mentoring service allowed veterans to work with other men, reducing anxiety, building trust, and integrating into their sentence plan. Kevin has developed working relationships with Swansea veterans support HUB and other supporting agencies, arranging support groups and monthly meetings. Veterans within HMP Swansea support the local community raising money by holding various charity events, such as the veterans bike ride. Staff have completed a charity walk across Pen y Fan, and a planned Army fitness test will be carried out within HMP Swansea for staff and prisoners to take part together, to build on the team and community spirit.

I highly recommend Kevin Thomas for this award, as he has gone above and beyond in work and in his own time creating a service that has helped make HMP Swansea a safe and secure establishment, whilst developing skills and opportunities to increase wellbeing and assist with reducing re-offending.

Additional information (from HMP Swansea)

HMP Swansea provided the following additional testimony in support of Kevin’s nomination:

Since taking the position of a prison officer at HMP Swansea, Kevin has been very keen to assist Reducing Re-Offending in developing one of the priority groups (veterans). Kevin is a veteran himself and is driven to improve on the service that was currently provided. Kevin could see a vision that linked in supporting the veterans and homing in on their skills to develop a team of men that could give back not only to other veterans, but all men and the prison itself.

Kevin took the lead for creating, embedding, and consolidating the Veterans mentoring role for HMP Swansea. Kevin has been very driven and has displayed a hunger to create stronger supporting ties with local and regional leads. This has ranged from linking in with the local veteran Hub, arranging local forums with key talkers, military support, and advice from NHS on PTSD referrals.

Kevin has embraced all challenges, and driven all actions forward with enthusiasm, determination, and professionalism.

Kevin has faced some tough challenges implementing new ideas, due to the limited footprint within HMP Swansea and financial funding restrictions.

Kevin has introduced several projects that has allowed the veterans brand to develop allowing greater support for men struggling with their mental health, poor copers or men isolating from others, within the establishment.

Kevin realised the untapped potential for veterans to give back to the prison and men in our care. He worked on developing the Veterans landing and tapped into skills that they already possessed regarding team building, team support and the ethos of never leaving a man behind.

Kevin developed a veteran’s mentor team where veterans were trained in supporting others and, using these new skills, assisted HMP Swansea in providing support from men suffering mental health issues, poor copers, and men currently on ACCT or even worse suffering major crisis requiring continuous support from staff members.

Veteran mentors would be assigned daily to engage with men in crisis, provide a friendly face and a listening ear. Veterans would work with poor copers on daily hygiene, showering, shaving, and cleaning their cells, food/canteen orders, prison life and support avenues, exercise, and improving educational skills & employment opportunities.

Kevin identified an opportunity to carry out a trial with the new veteran mentors, to support a man who was suffering a major crisis period that required him to be supported continually by a member of staff (constant watch). As part of the ACCT review it was agreed that the veteran mentors would work with the individual as well as staff and supporting agencies. Veterans mentors assisted in breaking down barriers by attending his cell daily as a friendly point of contact. Mentors would assist with encouraging growth and development, encourage positive behaviour and thinking. Mentors would work all day with the person in crisis to encourage stability, and embedding a daily regime that promoted cell cleaning, personal hygiene and exercise. Veteran mentors developed a working friendship bond that allowed periods of reflection and discussion. The introduction of this support was instrumental in the reducing of his period of Crisis.

Sign off

The nomination was signed off by the Governor, Chris Simpson.

Kevin selflessly supports service leavers and incarcerated individuals within HMPPS. He collaborates with external services to establish veteran-specific support groups at HMP Swansea, aligning with the government’s guidance to provide care and support.

Kevin inspires personal growth and encourages giving back during custody, resulting in improved education, well-being, and post-release employment and housing opportunities. As the driving force behind veterans support, Kevin builds strong connections with the community, transforming the support offered.

He earns respect from staff and inmates alike, recognised with the Changing and Improving Award at the HMPPS Wales Awards for his positive impact within the prison system.

Kevin goes beyond creating a veterans support wing by understanding each veteran’s skills and directing them toward mentoring roles, supporting care leavers, first-time inmates, and vulnerable individuals. This invaluable service helps men in crisis transition to stability through engagement and structured guidance. Collaboration between veterans and other individuals reduces anxiety, fosters trust, and facilitates integration.

Kevin establishes crucial partnerships with the Swansea veterans support hub and agencies, organising meetings and forums that bridge the gap between incarcerated veterans and community charity groups. Notably, he arranges charity events like the veterans bike ride, where inmates participate in a static bike ride, and staff join a charity walk across Pen y Fan. Additionally, a fun day is scheduled to strengthen relationships through shared army fitness tests.

Kevin’s unwavering dedication extends beyond work hours, as he passionately advocates for this support service. His commitment and efforts make a lasting impact on the lives of those he assists.