New Life Stories
Unverified non-profit organisation
New Life Stories (NLS) was established in 2014 to support children of incarcerated parents, the incarcerated and their families to help them create new life stories. NLS is an IPC (Institution of Public Character) non-profit organisation that aims to prevent intergenerational incarceration, reduce reoffending, and improve quality of life and increase community inclusion for the families.
Here at NLS, we strongly believe that familial relationships are essential to the reintegration of desistors. We encourage the building and rebuilding of connections between the incarcerated and their families to ensure that the bond between them is not lost in spite of their situation.
Our Family Strengthening Programme takes on a holistic approach to ensure that each child receives vital development and therapeutic services, while their parents are supported during their incarceration, and subsequently during their reintegration into society as desistors. The programme is supported by our Systemic Practice Pyramid comprising three pillars: Family Advocacy & Care, Befriending and Incare.
Our Befriending Programme is a programme where our carefully screened and trained volunteers (also known as Learning Friends) befriend the children of incarcerated parents of ages 3 to 12 to provide them with essential reading and pro-social skills through conversations, English storytelling, creative activities and play at the family’s home for an hour per week with a minimum commitment level of 6 months. This programme aims to build long-lasting relationships with the children, instil the joy of learning, improve their English literacy through reading, and boost their confidence and pro-social skills so that they can be school-ready. This is to ensure that these children can have educational and emotional stability for a fairer start in school and are not left behind in their crucial early years of development.