What comes first: housing or mindset?

We asked participants at HMP Wormwood Scrubs what matters most in reducing reoffending. Despite the challenges of securing housing, support and employment after prison, many prioritised something unexpected: mindset.

In a workshop at HMP Wormwood Scrubs this summer, coaches asked participants to rank a series of cards in order of importance. Written on each was something that might help someone to stay out of prison.  

We had designed the afternoon to find out what StandOut participants believe makes the biggest difference to reducing reoffending. The conversations would feed into our response to the Independent Review of Prisons, ensuring it was grounded in the realities of life in and after prison. 

In two groups, participants discussed the cards – from ‘learning how to apply for jobs’ to ‘looking after your mental health’ – and negotiated where each should sit. Cards were shuffled and reshuffled as participants debated ‘managing your finances’ and ‘understanding probation and licence conditions’. 

I hovered over group one – their cards neatly lined up on the prison classroom floor – listening to the back and forth. They were torn about the top spot. One participant was outnumbered. He was keen to put ‘finding housing’ first, whereas the rest of the group was convinced it should be ‘improving your mindset’.  

When we all came back together later, it turned out group two had had a similar discussion. One participant summed up what most of the room seemed to be thinking: 

“Without mindset work, you can’t learn how to apply for a job, disclose [your conviction]. After you’re in the right place, everything follows.” 

For a moment, it surprised me. Given the challenges people face after release, I had expected the group to prioritise practical needs like housing or employment. 

People often enter the justice system having already experienced instability in their lives, which can worsen through time in custody. Those preparing to leave prison often encounter significant barriers to rebuilding their lives. Difficulties accessing stable housing, substance misuse support and meaningful employment can compound existing challenges and make progress harder.  

Against this backdrop, why did so many participants prioritise mindset? 

The answer isn't that practical support doesn't matter. Rather, they were identifying something that often comes first. 

At StandOut, we support participants to build stability by finding somewhere to live, accessing mental health services, applying for benefits and, eventually, for those who can, getting into work. We also submit evidence to policy makers to influence wider change in the justice system – like with the Review of Prisons. 

But mindset, too, is a significant part of our programme. Participants are coached through two mindset frameworks – fixed versus growth, victim versus power – realising, or remembering, that they have control over the choices they make and the ability to do things differently. Our programme cultivates agency, self-belief, confidence, hope and motivation for change. And it’s those things that enable people to make use of the opportunities and support when they do arise. 

So, it’s not either/or, it’s both. The people in that room got something I didn’t immediately grasp that day. They understood the relationship between practical support and mindset. Life after prison isn't easy, and while housing, employment and support matter enormously, people also need the confidence and self-belief to make use of the opportunities available to them. That's why effective resettlement support must address both the external barriers people face and the internal resources needed to overcome them. 

Help more people leaving prison access the hope, support and opportunities they need to build a fulfilling life beyond the justice system.