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What We Do

"It's given me confidence, I feel like a valuable part of the community, I feel like I'm not taking now, I am giving. I feel like I am understood and I am not judged on my past anymore, I feel like it's given me a lot of self-worth and I am able to talk to people that have gone through similar situations.
Simon
SimonCouncil Member
“For me personally it’s because I’ve been in prison myself, and I kind of wanted to go back there to show the women that it’s not all negative when you get out of prison, that there are opportunities for people, and tell them about my life since I’ve come out and tell them about the organisations that have helped me.”
Lydia
LydiaPeer Researcher
“The way the Council engaged in a solution-based approach with the providers was excellent. They were pro social and open to exploring the options to improve the service. It was great that the Council itself picked up the same issues our own reviews had suggested which makes both sides feel that the feedback and issues are live and the area’s most in need of our attention.”
Prison Director
Prison Director

We work with people with convictions to support and develop their confidence, skills and mindsets in order for them to work alongside us to deliver a range of programmes to many others impacted by the criminal justice system.

We use our own lived expertise to inform everything we do alongside other people with convictions, making it truly collaborative.

Employing people with convictions and creating meaningful volunteering opportunities is one of the most powerful ways to break the cycle of offending and create lasting social change – 75% of our staff have convictions.

Our delivery work, in partnership with the Government, NHS, academics, service providers and commissioners in the prison system and across communities consists of-

  • Inspiring people with convictions by providing a range of opportunities, through user engagement, research and insights
  • Supporting and developing leaders with lived experience of the justice system who meaningfully contribute to the reshaping of prisons and probation services whilst transforming their own lives.
  • Transforming the criminal justice system through influencing policy and practice to create a safer society.

Our services cover our work in Prisons, Peer Research and Peer Commissioning.

If you are interested in finding out more about how you can work with us, we would be really pleased to meet with you to discuss your needs and go through aligned costs with you.

Please reach out to our Head of Business Development, Simon Scott, sscott@uservoice.org

 

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