End of Year Report

This year, Shine has chosen to bring the voices of the people we work with directly to this report. Here we begin with one of the mentees Shine has supported.

At the time of committing her first offence, this mentee’s daughter was working as a prison officer. Not only did the first offence come with charges, but it came with a lot of shame and her losing her most important support system, her family. Her initial offence was benefit fraud. It spiralled into misuse of Valium and alcohol, then ended in shoplifting offences. Her referral to Shine was submitted shortly after that. Below, is a transcript of a message she sent to her mentor:

"You know … when I signed up with Shine, I was near a nervous breakdown. I was … and to be honest, I cannae remember much. You got involved, you, the criminal justice … I mean, yous did create that job for me, I know that. And if it wasnae fae that, I wouldnae be here today. Because there’s some fact, it was Thursday there, you had just finished seeing me. And I said 'I need yous more than ever'. I don’t drink now I wouldn’t thank you for it (a drink). I still have my bad days, I really do. When you have more time to think about the things I did, it upsets me. To this day, I owe you big time … thank you … and yous are still there … picked me up many a times when I’ve just not been able to keep it in. I told (Shine manager) I still need to come in here, ‘cause yous are all the support I’ve got. You know everything about me and don’t judge me, you know. That yous put up with me means everything. As far as the criminal justice went, no, I totally … absolutely amazing with me. You and the social worker got me on the right road. I still got aways to go. The main thing is I didn’t turn in to drink. Can’t do it anymore. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"