My ambitions for the magazine seemed to chime with the Education Depts and I believe that they could appreciate how I saw developing the mag into a positive force and a small nexus of creativity within the prison - and as a channel with which to engage the outside community.
The words, "You're hired!" had only mjust faded when the phrase, "ah, but, ummm..." raised its all too familiar head. The job of editing the magazine is an "orderlies" position, and such jobs cannot be taken by men who have been in this prison for less than two weeks. Ability, necessity, enthusiasm, experience...all count for nothing in the face of "local policy". Neither does plain common sense.
And so at the end of my week of job hunting I fell into the clutches of the Labour Board. And they have ordained that the sum of talents and aspirations are best met by standing in the rear of the carpentry workshop, sandpapering bits of prison furniture.
I'm really, really, trying to stay positive...
Ed's Footnote: since writing this post Ben has actually started working on the prison magazine.
Ed's Footnote: since writing this post Ben has actually started working on the prison magazine.
anyone brave enough to FOI the Ministry of Justice for the content of the first edition with Ben in the "editorial" chair?
ReplyDeleteNow's the time for Ben to show how mature and sensible he is! Keep going and writing Ben - but do not forget to 'toe' the line - back to closed conditions would be awful.
ReplyDeleteA good Christmas to you and the Editor and many thanks for the fantastic blog - long may it continue.