The Invested Man (TIM) is a programme provider working at both ends of the school-to-prison pipeline — preventing young people from entering the justice system and supporting those who have been in it to find their way back.
Our Conviction
Every programme that fails a young person fails at the same point: it tries to change what they do before it changes who they believe they are.
TIM goes deeper. Identity is not the background to the work — it is the work.
Our Story
TIM was built on a simple but uncomfortable observation: the young people most at risk of entering the justice system are not short of advice, warnings, or intervention schemes. They are short of a clear sense of who they are.
We developed a model that goes further than most are willing to go. Our Identity Pathway is delivered in schools, pupil referral units, alternative provisions, youth institutions, and secure units — co-facilitated by young adults with lived experience of the criminal justice system, because their credibility cannot be manufactured. An initial pilot of this programme was delivered inside HMP & YOI Brinsford, bringing young men directly into the prison environment.
We have delivered the Resettlement & Rehabilitation Programme inside HMP & YOI Brinsford and HMP ISIS. We have been funded by the Violence Reduction Partnership and the West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner. We have engaged 64 young men and boys across seven schools. And every piece of evidence points in the same direction: when identity changes, everything changes.
The Methodology
Every TIM programme is underpinned by the I.N.V.E.S.T. framework — a six-stage identity restoration model that operates across both prevention and rehabilitation. The same methodology connects a young person at risk of exclusion at 14 with a man leaving prison at 22.
| Stage | Focus | What Happens | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| I — Identify | Awareness | Recognise who you are and where identity has been distorted by trauma, culture, or circumstance. | Self-awareness and readiness for change |
| N — Navigate | Reorientation | Reframe your story — turning from false identities and re-aligning with truth and purpose. | Renewed mindset and direction |
| V — Validate | Belonging | Accept the reality of your potential and community belonging — rooted in who you are, not what you've done. | Emotional security and belonging |
| E — Embody | Practice | Apply disciplines and accountability to build visible, lasting character change. | Visible behaviour and lifestyle change |
| S — Strengthen | Resilience | Reinforce identity through mentorship, reflection, and contribution. | Consistent leadership and stability |
| T — Transform | Legacy | Live as an Invested Man — leading others, building futures, contributing to generational change. | Sustained transformation and impact |
Our Partners
Every programme is delivered through an ecosystem of statutory, education, and community partners.
Want to know more about TIM's approach or explore a partnership?
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