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Sid Singh shared thisWhen hope is lost, everything is lost. Hope is what keeps us moving forward and gives us something to live for. For many, as options reduce and support fails the hope they have of a better life fades too. At TheGrowthApp you are empowered to make your own choices and achieve your milestones at a pace that suits you. You are reminded of upcoming appointments. You can check when your license will be spent You can review job opposed events You can access resources and ask questions You can answer questions by the community and win badges You can journal and set tasks You can see how far you’ve come. We know everyone’s path is different , so you choose your pathways and come back as often as you need. This is a dignified way to access support both via browser or App Store. We are not replacing services - we are helping you access them. 💚Sid Singh shared thisLife doesn’t always follow a straight line. Sometimes, finding your way forward starts with simply knowing that support is there when you need it. The Growth App is here to help people move forward with confidence, access the right tools, and take meaningful steps towards a more positive future. 🌱 No matter where your journey begins, progress is possible, one step at a time. Sid Singh Dr Sarah Lewis DCrimJ, MSc, BSc (Hons), FHEA #TheGrowthApp #RebuildRiseThrive #Hope #NewBeginnings #PositiveChange #SupportMatters #PersonalGrowth #MovingForward #Empowerment #CommunitySupport #BrighterFuture
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Sid Singh shared thisYesterday, I drove into The Centre for Oneness to see this gigantic structure… It was not being put up, it was being taken down, but if you had not seen it before, you’d not have known this. It made me reflect that we often see something or someone and judge, we respond based on our viewpoint and thinking and make assumptions but we cannot fully know their journey from that single moment… Life can be tough, for all of us, how we react is what defines us, how we think is what refines us. In this weeks congregation we heard a quote often attributed to Nelson Mandela: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together” Both these thoughts have been playing on my mind. It’s easy as a leader to make quick decisions, go in and fix the matter, put out the fire, tell people what needs doing… But have I helped them grow? Have they learned how to work it out for themselves? Did I present them with the space to learn or just get things moving to meet business needs? It’s a tough choice - do we choose speed over patience, KPI’s over people or do we allow space to develop and grow… We all know the answer, but in some situations the lesson is left for training later. The learning is sent via an email or left for a one to one. To go far I need to have a long term view on people and their ability to grow into team players. What we see now may not be the finished article, it may only have started to go up, rather than be ready to take down. So as we enjoy the time off this bank holiday or start to think ahead to the week we have - let’s take a stock check. Are we planning to go fast or far? Do we know everything in that moment or are we prepared to understand the wider context first? Happy Bank Holiday
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Sid Singh shared thisToday a large proportion of people around the world celebrate something called Rakhi or Rakhri or Raksha Bandhan… Raksha means protection and Bandhan means bond. It’s a day each year when Sisters tie a coloured string (of various designs and colours) to their brothers wrist in a gesture of love. The sister wishes the brother a long and happy life and in exchange the brother promises to protect her and gifts her something and blesses her. It’s sweet because we celebrate valentines and Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, but a day dedicated to or for our siblings is not usually the norm. In today’s modern age sisters may not need or even want protection and some may see it as just another commercial festivity. In short, the message is: “I’ve got you” Growing up I often wondered why the brother should pay to protect… surely we should get paid to offer such a service? 🤣 But as this comes round once a year and I get to meet my cousins, sisters and receive cards and wishes by post and messages and calls, it brings a smile. Blessings and love from those we love outweigh the cost of a gift. This tradition or ritual of tying one in such a bond extends beyond blood or region or even religion. I have a Muslim colleague who says she ties it to her neighbours who treat her as a sister. People who are not of the same background who call me Paji. I wished it today to Dr Sarah Lewis DCrimJ, MSc, BSc (Hons), FHEA who gave me this bar of chocolate…. To the many who celebrate or may ever have wondered what all these coloured strings are, to all my brothers and sisters… Happy Rakhi ❤️ Sending you all love and light.
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Sid Singh shared thisLet’s talk about hope and solutions…Sid Singh shared thisWhat if this had been around last time? Imagine being released from prison with three bags containing pretty much everything you own. Now imagine trying to start again. Last time Jack was released, he remembers having to think ahead and try to get his certificates printed before leaving prison. Important pieces of his story, qualifications and achievements reduced to pieces of paper that could easily be lost amongst everything else he was carrying. Then came the appointments. Probation. Services. Housing. Employment. Training. Phone calls. Questions. More appointments. It was overwhelming. So when Jack heard about The Growth App, he was excited to check it out. Not because he thinks an app is going to solve everything. But because this one feels like it might have understood something important: what it actually feels like to start again. With The Growth App, Jack can add his certificates and the work he has completed while in prison straight into his digital wallet. No trying to remember which bit of paper went where. No losing the evidence of what he has achieved. It becomes part of his digital story. He can then create a bespoke Growth Map around where he is now, where he wants to get to and the steps that matter to him. He can track his progress, discover resources, access services and get reminders about appointments — helping take some of the pressure out of having so many things to remember. He can ask questions. Find mentors. Work towards milestones. And, perhaps most importantly, explore the options available to him. What really interests Jack is that The Growth App doesn’t judge him. It doesn’t start with what he has done wrong. It starts with where he is now and where he wants to go. And it has been built by people who have been there before him — people with lived experience who understand the reality of release, the overwhelm, the barriers and the things that can make a difference. Jack is due to be released in a few weeks. And now he has another thought: “I wonder if they know about The Growth App?” He’s hoping the prison he’s leaving from does. He’s hoping the probation area he’s being released into does. He’s hoping that, when he meets his probation officer, they already know about it. Because imagine if, this time, someone could say: “There’s something we think could really help you.” That’s where the story gets really interesting. Because The Growth App has only just launched. And Jack is excited to see what it could mean for his next chapter. Maybe this is the thing he wishes had been around last time. Not another system telling him what he needs to do. But a tool that helps him see what’s possible — and gives him a way to move towards it. And maybe there are prisons, probation teams and organisations reading this thinking: “We should probably talk to The Growth App.” Because if Jack is asking whether his prison and probation team know about it, perhaps it’s time they reached out!
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Sid Singh shared thisIn 2018 I went to Prison for a crime that I did not commit… I did not conspire I had no intent I had no knowledge ….The problem with sales people (I am one) is we don’t always do enough due diligence and when you believe you can sell anything all you tend to ask is: how much will I make? The issue with conspiracy cases is it’s hard to prove you had no knowledge and it reminds you why your parents tell you that you are the company you keep. So for a 6 month stint in 2013 at a company that wasn’t even mine, I paid a heavy price. I lost my freedom. I was wrenched away from my family. But here’s what I learned in exchange: Accountability. I learned I could not simply say I did not know… I could not go on without considering outcomes and consequences and impact that my lack of diligence could have on others. Difficult times show you who your people are, I learned that. Everything that happens has a lesson attached. Maybe I had to see it, to feel it? There was something that event changed… Me. It had changed my view of me. It had dimmed my light It had knocked my confidence It had stripped me of my own self esteem What would people say? I wanted to rebuild, but I had no direction, no release plan. I still had family, an education, a home and support, but as I transitioned back I realised many do not have even this. In 2022 I realised that my lived experience could be useful and that if I owned my story and shared it instead of hide from it, it could help others too. Rather than ask how much will I make, I led with a different question this time… How many could this help? I met likeminded people and went back to Prisons (through the front door) to speak and co-design a solution. TheGrowthApp is what that chapter in my life gave me, a chance to give back and ensure no one need walk alone. From Resources, to Tools, From Guides to Jobs, From meeting reminders to Rewards and a simple dashboard to see progress and be part of a community, we produced a digital companion that you can go to 24/7. It offers a support eco-system and helps connect to overcome challenges and is currently being piloted. My journey is not unique, 1 in 5 people today are in remand awaiting trial, near 3,000 are many, many years over tariff sitting with no end date to an abolished law known as IPPs 1 in 4 people of working age have a conviction in the UK and we have the highest conviction rate in Europe. 38% return within a year, because we do not help rehabilitate, we simply release. Today through The Forward Trust I work with Probation and I use my journey to illustrate that we are more than our past, or a label and that no one should be written off. So why do I share all this? I am deeply invested in seeing prison reform because it’s personal. I know there’s lots to do, I know it won’t happen overnight I do believe change can happen. My hope is people who use this: practitioners, charities and those re-entering find it useful 🙏
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Sid Singh shared thisWhat do we carry? Today in congregation I heard a story I have heard many times before… infact I even played the minister as a child in a play. The story is of a king and his Minister who lived with a fundamental belief: Whatever God does he does for the best! This would be his default lens and what he would often say, his catchphrase if you will. One day the King returned from his garden having cut off his finger and in pain he approached his Minister for sympathy… The Minister in his usual style said: Whatever God does he does for the best! This insolence was not appreciated and the King ordered him be thrown into Prison. The story goes into share that The king was out hunting and got caught by a tribe, notorious for sacrificing people and as he awaited his fate, they noticed his cut finger and that he would not be a complete sacrifice and so they let him go. The King managed to get back to his Kingdom and let out his Minister apologising, you were right he said. Had my finger not been cut then I would have been sacrificed today. The Minister responded, your cut finger saved your life and this prison saved mine and so his life view was reaffirmed. Whatever God does he does for the best! This story was shared by a sister who went onto say that door that stayed shut, that relationship that didn’t work, that deal that did not materialise or interview that went wrong - nothing happens to us, it happens for us. Another brother sat infront of me turned around and began discussing the concept of pre-destined outcomes and if actions even had a purpose if everything would be as planned? Everyone of us carry’s beliefs and opinions and some change, some stay ingrained. Do you believe in chance or luck or coincidence or do you think it’s all part of a plan unfolding we are yet to understand? What role does action have? What role do we play? Is everything connected?
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Sid Singh shared this“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” This is a line in the Bible from Philippians 4:13 that often get’s used as a prayer Before an exam Before an interview Before a big moment But it has a deeper, more profound meaning. It was not said by Paul from a place of victory or a desire to get something. He said this whilst in Prison. Things was a word added in to replace the Hebrew word which actually meant Seasons. “I can do all Seasons through Christ who strengthens me” It was about resilience and faith. Paul had seen and felt and experienced so much that he was declaring what gave him strength rather than asking for it. In all faiths there are verses like this or prayers we make before starting something new or facing something challenging in life. I can do all seasons - is a powerful statement but on its own could bring ego. Whatever or Whoever strengthens you to keep moving forward and reaffirms your strength will continue to do so, wherever you may be right now in life. In your lowest or darkest of times is when you are tested the most - where does your strength come from? Do you lead with faith? Do you hide your faith in a work setting? Should Faith be displayed at work or discussed on LinkedIn?
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Sid Singh shared thisA different angle… When I used to work at Grow Transform Belong CIC there was a saying that Dr Sarah Lewis DCrimJ, MSc, BSc (Hons), FHEA said early doors… It was related to the type of work we do. We can either be eagles or bears What was meant was that we are either being strategic and have a top view or operational and on the ground. Management and leadership means however that sometimes we swing between both as per business needs. A different angle though sometimes gives us a new perspective. Today I stepped in to do a group session for The Forward Trust at Ealing PDU to support, apart from the friendly faces of my old stomping grounds what was especially nice was the group session and meeting with men who were on a journey. Sometimes you can be so far removed from Those you serve that you forget where the magic happens. It’s in those moments of empathy and understanding of reflection and realisation, where there is no transaction or judgement just human beings being human and connecting. It felt good to do some bear work again! On my way back I reflected on the journey people are going through and what is needed to navigate life, how substances often become an escape or coping mechanism. The topic was problem solving and sometimes we just need to break it down. A.D.A.P.T Attitude - having a positive mindset Definition - break down what the issue is Alternative - map out solutions Predict - work out what the outcome will be Test - try it! If we keep our head in the sand the problem will just grow and get bigger. Are you an Eagle or a Bear or both?
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Sid Singh shared thisMorning, Morning If you fancy a laugh this morning 😃 https://lnkd.in/ewBBi5RY Have a fab day.
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Sid Singh reacted on thisSid Singh reacted on thisFive years ago today, on 1st September 2021, I walked out of prison and came home. Three days from now, on 4th September 2026, I will marry Mel. Those two dates, almost exactly five years apart, have made me stop and think about just how much a life can change. Five days after my release, I started working with RECONNECT. I went from being someone receiving support from the system to using my lived experience to support others navigating it. Over the five years since, I have progressed professionally within Health & Justice, developed my knowledge and skills, contributed to services supporting people leaving prison, and continued my education. I am now completing an MSc in Global Health Management. But progress isn't only measured by qualifications, job titles or what appears on a CV. For me, some of the biggest measures of progress are much more personal. I came home and rebuilt my life. I built relationships, created a home, continued working on myself and found stability that, at other points in my life, seemed a very long way away. And this Friday, I get to marry the woman I love. I don't share my past because I believe it should define me. Nor do I believe five good years somehow erase everything that came before them. I share it because I think there is value in showing what rehabilitation can actually look like when someone is given the opportunity to move forward. One of the biggest things I have learned through both my personal and professional experiences is that people need more than simply being released from prison. They need somewhere for change to go. Education matters. Employment matters. Housing matters. Health matters. Relationships matter. Purpose matters. And having people who can see the person you could become, rather than only the person you once were, matters enormously. My lived experience opened the door to some of the work I've done, but over the last five years I've also built professional experience, knowledge, qualifications and skills that stand in their own right. I'm proud of that. Five years ago today, I came home from prison unsure of exactly what the future would hold. Five years later, I'm completing a Master's degree, considering the next direction of my career, and in three days I'll be standing beside Mel getting married. 1st September 2021 — I came home. 4th September 2026 — I start another chapter. Five years can change a life. #FiveYearsHome #Rehabilitation #SecondChances #LivedExperience #CriminalJustice #HealthAndJustice #Education #PersonalDevelopment #CareerDevelopment #LifeAfterPrison #NewBeginnings #GettingMarried
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Sid Singh liked thisSid Singh liked thisReal change doesn't happen overnight. It begins with one opportunity, one helping hand, and one decision to keep moving forward. Every person deserves the chance to rebuild their life with dignity. When we create access to safe housing, meaningful work, supportive communities, and the tools to grow, we don't just transform individual lives, we strengthen society as a whole. The path forward may not be easy, but with the right support, a new beginning is always possible. Everyone deserves a second chance. What truly matters is what comes next. Sid Singh Dr Sarah Lewis DCrimJ, MSc, BSc (Hons), FHEA #SecondChances #HopeInAction #CommunitySupport #LifeAfterRelease #SocialImpact #Empowerment #RebuildingLives #SupportMatters #StrongerTogether #PositiveChange #InclusiveCommunities
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Sid Singh reacted on thisSid Singh reacted on thisThe Journey Matters More Than the Destination In 2003, I trekked the Inca Trail. Before I set off, I thought I knew exactly what the journey was about: the destination - Machu Picchu, ancient city of the Incas. The place I once saw on a documentary and travelled 1000s of miles to experience. And of course, it was magical. After 4 nights of camping, altitude sickness, struggling to breathe in thin air, slogging up endless mountain paths, we finally descended through the Sun Gate just after sunrise. The clouds lifted and there it was: Machu Picchu. It's a moment I will never forget but what took me by surprise was how I felt afterwards. Alongside the sense of achievement, I felt a strange sense of loss. The journey was over. That was when I realised something important. Machu Picchu may have been the destination, but the real experience had happened along the way. It was in the struggles, teamwork, laughter, discomfort and the moments when I wondered whether I could take another step. When every part of me wanted to give up, but somehow I found the strength to put one foot in front of the other. That journey taught me how strong I am. The 5asideCHESS journey is much the same. When someone starts we set them a challenge. Play 5 different people and get a certificate, 25 and you earn an engraved medal, 100 and you become an International Master. These are fantastic milestones but they are not really the point. Because the real journey is everything that happens between the 1st game and the 100th. The people you meet, conversations you have, the stories shared and the unexpected friendships. Maybe walking up to someone you don't know and saying, "Would you help me with my project by playing a game?" feels uncomfortable. Perhaps the first time you do it, your heart beats a little faster. But then you do it again. And again. Pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. Slowly, something changes. You realise you're braver than you thought. Saying hello gets easier and meeting new people becomes less frightening. Your confidence grows. Somewhere along the way, you begin collecting something far more valuable than medals. You collect pearls of wisdom from the people you meet and perhaps, most importantly, from the things you discover about yourself. The 5asideCHESS journey is about becoming more connected, confident, curious and open to other people. Learning to understand yourself better. Just like the Inca Trail, you discover something important when you keep going: you are capable of more than you think. One conversation at a time, one game at a time and one person at a time. The real 5asideCHESS journey is the courage you discover and the person you become along the way. Perhaps when you finally reach your destination, you'll look back and realise that the greatest reward wasn't waiting for you at the end. It was happening with every step you took to get there. #5asideCHESS #Connection #PersonalDevelopment #Confidence #EveryMoveMatters
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Sid Singh liked thisLove this Paula, thanks for sharing, sounds like an amazing event.Sid Singh liked thisThe Forward Trust #forwardtrustsouthend 💜 Today, The Forward Trust Southend recovery community came together to remember those we have sadly lost and to reflect on the importance of recovery, support, and hope. It was a brilliant day filled with connection, conversation, and remembrance. We also raised awareness of the vital role that Naloxone can play in preventing overdose deaths and helping to save lives. A huge thank you to everyone who attended and to all those who kindly brought in food to share. Your generosity helped create a warm, welcoming atmosphere where people could come together, support one another, and honour the memories of those no longer with us. Together, we continue to promote awareness, reduce stigma, and show that recovery is possible. ❤️ The Forward Trust 🥰
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Sid Singh reacted on thisSid Singh reacted on thisNow in my 80th year, I am rarely shocked, but to learn of the Passing of Lady Val Corbett (may she R.I.P) left me both shocked and very saddened. Having only had the pleasure of knowing her for the past four years, whilst we didn’t agree on all things, we were both resolute on one main point - most people deserve a Second Chance, we believed that prison leavers, with help from society, could truly reintegrate, and were not ex-offenders, but to use her words Returning Citizens. The last time we met was 29th April, when I was delighted to receive an award from her at the The Corbett Network event at Leathersellers’ Hall. Her contribution to life will be greatly missed, and much can (and no doubt will) be written of her tireless campaigning and meaningful outcomes. My thoughts on Lady Val I can sum up in just three words INTEGRITY, RESPECT and SERVICE.
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Sid Singh liked thisSid Singh liked thisIndustry news The Government has announced plans to build more than 70,000 social and affordable homes over the next decade. It is already committed to building 1.5 million homes by the end of this parliament and that would involve building 300,000 a year but at present the annual build rate is said to be 200,000 so it is well off target. At one time local authorities were big landlords and Birmingham City Council was once the largest landlord in Europe. But this has largely changed with social and affordable homes very much left up to housing associations and charities. Housing associations are organisations that are run not for profit. They own, let and manage rented housing. The Government has allocated £10 billion for its social and affordable housing programme with funding promised in the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire, North East England and Liverpool. There is a separate £6 billion allocation set aside for London. But one of the biggest challenges facing house builders in the private and social housing sectors are a lack of skilled workers. It has been estimated that there will be a need for more than a million new construction workers over the coming decade. The workforce is ageing with an estimated more than a third of construction workers aged over 50 which means hundreds of thousands are approaching retirement. Only a small proportion of the construction industry workforce is aged below 30. Brexit has also exacerbated the problem with the loss of an estimated 200,000 workers from the European Union over the past seven years. Jobs where there are shortages include project managers, bricklayers, carpenters, plasterers and painters. It is a sector in which apprenticeships can play a big part in putting more construction workers on site. Safaraz Ali MBE founder of the alliance said “Some of our patrons are very close to what is happening in construction, and will be major players in what is to come NOCN Group City & Guilds plays a vital role as an accreditation body making sure training schemes are up to scratch whilst BAM UK & Ireland is a giant civil engineering company involved in many large infrastructure projects, there work will be critical if the government is to meet its ambitious targets" Last autumn Richard Parker Mayor of the West Midlands announced a £75 million programme to train 12,000 construction workers over the next three years. Funding is being drawn from the West Midlands Combined Authority adult skills budget. Suneal.P Ram Kissun FIEP Kasim Choudhry Martin Chandler Pathway Group Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards Andrea Fisher Stephen Gray CEng FICE Paddy Craven FIEP Paul Archer Krishna Parekh Graham Hasting-Evans Simon Lewis FIH Tyron Wain Darren Reski Cliff P. Andrew Kibbler David Tomalin
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Sid Singh liked thisSid Singh liked thisHad a lovely suprise while out shopping today, heard someone call out my name and turn round to see my old cleaning/biohazard classroom orderly from HMP Featherstone! He's been out for over 2 years and working as an electrician, he thanked me for the impact I had on him during his time in prison, he and one of the other lads I taught, who now runs his own cleaning business, talk about me and the belief I had in them. Made my weekend and am making arrangements to meet up with them for a coffee and a chat ☺️
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ICO Consultation Opens on New Email and Text Marketing Rules for Charities ICO consults on a rule allowing charities to use electronic marketing for interested supporters from 2026 📧. How do you think this will impact charity outreach? For the full article, please visit: https://lnkd.in/effJCjcq
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