Ever Friday morning, a group of individuals meet in a coffee shop and await the arrival of drug addicts, ex-offenders and people living with mental health problems. The group mainly consists of people who have been written off in society, classed as undesirable types who were better off in prison, mentally sectioned or worse. Most of this group are from such diverse backgrounds that observers wonder how they manage to sit and enjoy each others company.

After everyone has arrived, they head off down to the Steven Lawrence committee room, inside Goldsmiths students union building where the real work begins. The sessions can vary from analysing academic language to breaking down the syntax so people can understand the implied meanings. There are sessions where the learners are introduced to the meanings of words such as culture, hegemony and neo-liberalism. The participants learn how to write essays, structure arguments in debate and build on their knowledge of academic theory, in hope that they would continue further or higher education. This may sound unique but the project has been in existence for the last five years.

The Open Book project assists people to achieve their academic ambitions by running regular workshops, conducting lecture visits and giving people a real taste of university life. The project aims to widen participation to the types of people who not have considered their academic abilities ever before.

The project is co-ordinated by Mr Joe Baden, a man you passionately believes in the power of: “Giving people a chance to become the type of person that they always should have been”. As a person coming from an addiction and offending background, he is totally committed to raising aspirations for future generations while putting an end to the cycle of re-offending. Joe states that: “We know it works. Everyone who is on the project is a walking advert of efficacy”.

Clare Aissa, part time administrator for the project, also reading a degree in history describes how: “The project enables people with addiction, criminal, and mental health histories, real opportunities to access education. Open Book achieves its aim by extensive outreach work in various organisations and agencies, supporting people with drop in sessions, one to one support along with weekly classes in a friendly atmosphere at Goldsmiths. There is also a 24 hour helpline which people can use. The project has had 120 student’s altogether and at least half of those have come directly from offending backgrounds. Anyone that has fully engaged in education has succeeded”.

Clare also felt that the cooperative elements of the project were almost priceless: “The friends that I have made are very supportive, almost like a family which is invaluable to people who have had to leave an old life behind them”. There are students from most walks of life participating in the project from one capacity to another from the weekly classes, to college, to degree level and beyond.

James Mudie 52 came in contact with the project in 2003 while he was studying for a degree in Anthropology. James felt that the project was a fantastic concept and he became a mentor for other students: “Every further and higher education establishment should embrace the project as it helps to align the fears of intimidation that vulnerable people experience when faced with anything that is to do with the establishment”. Having experienced a life of alcoholism and drug abuse, mental wards and four prison sentences, James has attain a good 2:1 BA Honours degree in Anthropology and is presently reading for a Masters degree in Human Rights at Goldsmiths. “The most important feature of the concept of the scheme is the presence of a fellowship. It is a place where vulnerable people can identify and be inspired by the many within the project that had once been in the same place as them”.

Russell Paris 25 has just started to attend the weekly classes held at Goldsmiths. “I attended a talk by Joe and Jason at my rehabilitation centre and the fact that people who have used drugs all of their life still have a brain and can come back to study is really positive”. The initiative allows students to ease back into a classroom again while getting involved with debates, essay writing and mental stimulation through academic concepts. “Open Book gives me opportunities as everyone else but also gives me a safe environment to work in. I’m 4 ½ months clean so not really sure about careers but want to be able to deal with life and make a positive contribution to the world”.

The project also works by delivering inspirational talks to various organisations and establishments from prisons, addiction centres, hostels, community centres and drop-in services to pupil referral units, colleges, and universities. It has strong links to every further education college in south London through the Aspire partnership; and has links with Greenwich University, Southbank University, Kings College, London School of Economics and London College of Communication enabling people to aspire in a range of courses and subjects.

The Open Book project employs 10 part time workers, along with a number of volunteers from Goldsmiths students union. The main ethos is to encourage people to recognise their academic potential and create more opportunities that have been previously denied. Education not only changes the participant’s life but family, friends and society as a whole all reaps the benefits. Contact Open Book for more information about their services by emailing openbook@gold.ac.uk