'Our greatest assets are those we seek to give a voice'

Chris Dossett

31/10/2013

‘What’s your story’ the youth wing of User Voice was born in 2011 following a consultation with over 740 young people across England. True to the principles of User Voice, young people themselves took their experiences directly to key decision makers, presenting their findings to Members of Parliament. The organisation has since evolved, engaging with well over 2000 young people with functioning youth advisory groups across the country; most of which I have had the privilege to be involved in. As we enter 2014 there has never been a more important time to give services users a voice and I believe User Voice is the most equip to do so.

The successive government now admits “we did a great job punishing people, we did a great job with crime going down and we did a poor job reforming people. We need to make sure there is mentoring, a buddying system, giving probation the autonomy they need.” – Sadiq Khan Shadow Justice Secretary (2013). Currently, under Justice Secretary Chris Grayling the criminal justice system is being privatised, untested on a scale not seen anywhere else in the world. Therefore, it is now more important than ever to monitor impact on services users. User Voice is the mechanism in which to do so as it exists to bridge the once vacuum between those who decide policy and those that experience it. Offering some of the most excluded people in our society to have a say over decisions that affect their lives.

Having worked across the youth service, youth offending service and on the troubled families agenda, as well as studying participation; never have I seen such genuine empowerment as witnessed since joining User Voice 6 months ago. I contribute this to our model of engagement and that User Voice lives its values as an organisation; employing those who have been through the criminal justice system. This is unique as it is apparent through the entire organisation from the CEO, to management, right to the front line. In doing so User Voice has developed a team with genuine expertise and experience of the problems we seek to solve, creating genuine passion and understanding which lacks in other organisations. 

With a democratic progress of engagement I have witnessed young people empowered and able to offer some of the most insightful understanding to offending I have ever heard. With such strong values through our organisation I see our staff motivating institutions and our many partners within the criminal justice system; enabling them to better understand the experiences of the very people they are employed to work with.

Whilst I remain optimistic, not everyone believes in giving us a voice, nor anyone who has ever offended. Our journey as an organisation must continue as we produce growing evidence that our model works and we continue to challenge the very culture of our institutions and society.

I would like to conclude by stating that our greatest assets are those we seek to give a voice, those who are turning their experiences of crime into positive, beneficial and lasting change for others. I feel deeply privileged to have the opportunity to learn from them every day.