In 2019, Leaders Unlocked was commissioned by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) to involve service users in the development of their long-term strategy.
We took a peer-led approach to the work, working with young adults with lived experience of the criminal justice system to help facilitate conversations with current service users. Over a two month period, this engagement process reached 110 service users in 7 secure settings over the course of a two-month period.
Facilitators with lived experience: We worked in partnership with individuals with personal experience of the system to facilitate the process
Peer-led engagement sessions: Working with these facilitators, we delivered peer-led sessions in a range of secure settings across the country. The sessions involved interactive debates, team work and presentations on a number of strategic areas including Safety and Security; Staffing; Use of Data; Technology; Estates; Meeting User Needs.
Presentations to key decision makers: We presented our key findings and recommendations to HMPPS decision-makers over a series of meetings to ensure a wide range of officials were informed by the work. Our facilitators with lived experience played an active role in these presentations.
Short film: Working with our Young Advisors on Criminal Justice, we produced a short film to share the key insights from this project with a wider community of professionals working within the probation and prison system. This film was included in the HMPPS Insights 19 Festival.
Traditionally, the big decisions about the criminal justice system are made without much involvement from those most affected by this system. Leaders Unlocked is proud to be a part of a wider movement to give service users a much stronger voice, and influence, in the justice system.
If you’re interested in getting involved with the work we do at Leaders Unlocked, please do send us a message via our contact us page. We are always keen to hear from young people who may want to take part in our projects, as well as professionals who may want to collaborate.
More than 65% of our
staff came from Leaders Unlocked projects
"We’ve been involved in peer engagement work with Leaders Unlocked. The young leaders we worked with engaged with over 100 service users in custody. We have been so impressed with the work. We are engaging with the young adults as colleagues, and the fact that they are former service users is almost secondary. The most important thing is the high quality work they are delivering."