tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41056102638785177712024-03-13T19:57:30.438+00:00User Voice Staff BlogUser Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-72502073244242096622013-12-13T16:54:00.000+00:002013-12-13T16:55:25.936+00:00User Voice may be small but they have a lot to say<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieCnQlB6REQpIi1OqJvGaLO4_MdunHFBsAn-5BMWv52_BJ73S-4SGqj0PaYBJgmKn8jDi62X5KGw3Fj_2B7rNf1M0r0q7xNQv_XX3pWydbxDps2bKp_i4sGzz6w3N41punbJPMSNpr_SM/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieCnQlB6REQpIi1OqJvGaLO4_MdunHFBsAn-5BMWv52_BJ73S-4SGqj0PaYBJgmKn8jDi62X5KGw3Fj_2B7rNf1M0r0q7xNQv_XX3pWydbxDps2bKp_i4sGzz6w3N41punbJPMSNpr_SM/s200/photo.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Emma Parton</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">13/12/2013</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's a fair assumption that probation officers come into this line of
work due to a <b>genuine desire to help, support and change people’s lives</b>. This
is often due to personal life experiences that enable us to empathise with
others. My life could have turned out
very differently but I somehow managed to <b>channel my negative experiences into
something positive</b> and this led me to where I am today. I believe in change and
want to support people to change. Someone once said that I was a 'rescuer'
although this has been to my detriment at times. As a Probation Officer,
finding the right balance of punishment and rehabilitation is difficult. The
ever increasing layers of bureaucracy has seen the Probation Service focus
primarily on enforcement and the traditional social work values of advise, assist,
befriend have become diluted. In the five short years I've have worked for London
Probation I've seen a <b>rapidly changing service.</b> Some of it good, some of it bad
but there’s no doubt that the 'streamlining' of services; a fancy way of
cutting resources is detrimental to the rehabilitation process.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Service users expect a lot from probation and whilst we genuinely want
to meet expectations, the <b>already shrinking service means we simply cannot
deliver it all. This leaves me like others feeling frustrated.</b> The biggest
changes are yet to come with the Transforming Rehabilitation agenda and Chris
Graylings crusade to create a disjointed, profit driven, untried and untested
criminal justice system (this is only my view of course). The next 12 months I
face uncertainty, worry and a moral dilemma; to CRC or not too CRC. Do I
compromise my values to work for a company I do not believe in? Will it become
a box ticking exercise? The truth is no one really knows. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Amongst the day to day probation politics there is User Voice. </b>I've
always been a supporter of their work and it's hard not to feel inspired by
their passion and innovation. Quite simply they are a <b>breath of fresh air </b>in
the changing world of changing Criminal Justice. I see service user involvement
as fundamental to improving Criminal Justice services. It adds value,
credibility, breeds creativity and is solution focused. <b>The outcome does not
only benefit the service user but also the staff.</b> A positive probation
experience encourages compliance and engagement. For the officer; less
breaches, less paperwork, more job satisfaction. Service user feedback is a hot
topic and I’ve been extremely impressed by the level of support from the senior
management team. I credit Heather Munro’s enthusiasm for User Voice as
instrumental in embedding service user involvement within London Probation. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At times the<b> feedback is brutal, it makes people feel uncomfortable. </b>It
causes mixed emotions. Sometimes I cringe. It causes this reaction because we
care about our work, our colleagues and our service users. Contrary to some
people’s beliefs, Probation Officers like to do more than just breach and
recall but no one wants to be told they are doing a bad job. That said it is
important to mention that a lot of service users give praise to their officers
and the support they receive. However there is always room for improvement and
this is what the community councils seek to address.<b> The Probation Service needs
charities like User Voice to simply tell it like it is. </b>They say what a lot of
Probation staff wish they could say. I have been welcomed into the team and
feel truly humbled to be a part of the rehabilitation revolution if only for a
short time. <b>The staff are lively, inspirational and committed to the User Voice
mission and to each other. User voice may be small but they have a lot to say.</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-43595431439293710132013-11-22T15:35:00.001+00:002013-11-22T15:36:42.490+00:00Finding a World of Freedom<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Perdita Palmer</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">22/11/2013</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQTG6S88a_1LBH48ICwPW3LXXFjMB_gZOSA4bgjOKHHdt034AH6XQWzSKlWOVOZvHKEPCuHZVppSOls3W1XWnkNPnx2lWzpAw4oNlHTLmGCjQcBSVgkUrm6bFrXyKwDdkr6wnr6fKcKE/s1600/PERDI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQTG6S88a_1LBH48ICwPW3LXXFjMB_gZOSA4bgjOKHHdt034AH6XQWzSKlWOVOZvHKEPCuHZVppSOls3W1XWnkNPnx2lWzpAw4oNlHTLmGCjQcBSVgkUrm6bFrXyKwDdkr6wnr6fKcKE/s320/PERDI.jpg" width="169" /></a><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Money is freedom – so some say. But how
does one define freedom? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Freedom.
Think about it. </span></b><span lang="EN-US">It’s probably one of the most
powerful concepts that determines, or in an abstract sense, surrounds politics,
culture and humanity. Everyone strives for freedom but what are we actually striving
for? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Some argue that education, opportunity,
monetary gain in career success equals or enables freedom. But to do what?
Travel? See the world? Revel in materialism? Does money provide reliable means
by which to find, experience or succeed in love, self- satisfaction or pride?
<b>Money may enable one to access many aspects of life that everyone considers necessary
</b>or standard in order to conventionally or superficially ‘survive’ but whether
one actually feels free or is free with any of these is a different matter.<b> </b>One
might have more money than sense, but happiness, love, family, trust, honesty
and satisfaction can never be guaranteed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As the well known saying goes: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>“When you are in
the final days of your life, what will you want? Will you hug that college
degree in the walnut frame? Will you ask to be carried out to the garage so you
can sit in your car? Will you find comfort in reading your financial statement?
No. What will matter then will be the people”. </i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You might be thinking: “what has this got
to do with User Voice?” Well, a lot. <b>User Voice and the people that have
entered my life have taught me one of the most important and enlightening
lessons of my life, so far. </b>And I can tell you now that this lesson has changed
the direction of my life in a rich and meaningful way that has left me feeling
liberated, inspired, ambitious and<b> free</b>.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My journey has gone<b> from conservatism,
ignorance and boredom to freedom of thought, satisfaction and appreciation.</b>
Having had a very privileged upbringing, it is common of many of my peers to
follow the expected timeline of life progression. So, you go from completion of
secondary school, to university and into a job that reflects your desire to
maintain and replicate the standard of living we are all used to. <b>Yes,
privilege, education and financial stability provides opportunity and freedom
of choice but how free actually are we? </b>It might sound strange but overwhelming
opportunity is actually largely restricting. So much choice equals indecision,
confusion and most profoundly dissatisfaction. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I feel as though many of my peers lack in
education through experience because of the expected timeline progression. But
the opportunities I have said yes to, have <b>le</b></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>d me down a different path </b>that
now makes me feel detached from my familiar peers.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My journey began with the shock of someone
close to me facing a long stretch in prison. This turned my life upside down and
was the catalyst for my desire to become a successful defence barrister but
also to enrich my life by understanding and appreciating the lives of others. My
personal experience opened up a whole world of understanding but also frustration.
<b>The ignorance that fills society about many aspects of the criminal justice
system and the people that pass through it infuriates me daily.</b> I used to be
one of those conservative bigots who at one stage would have supported an
individual such as Chris Grayling. But tragedy happened to me, tragedy happened
to my family and it’s not until it happens to <b>you</b> that you can then understand and appreciate other people’s
stories. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This society is filled with so much
superficial public discourse instilled by the <b>powerful who more often than not
have no idea what the people they are there to serve</b>, face. In many ways, I
wish I had remained in my bubble and had not experienced such a tragic
situation. But in many other ways, I feel as though it has educated me in such
a way that makes me cringe at the thought of how I would have lived my life.
Before my journey began, I had no idea what I wanted to do but I was money
motivated. I had no real passion in life apart from money. Without a specific
passion to follow, I was on the brink of entering a career in
headhunting/recruitment that would have filled my daily life with aggression,
close mindedness and a vulgar desperation for the big pay cheque at the end of
the month. How sad. <b>And how lucky I am now to have escaped that. </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It’s easy to hear about someone else’s
story and have a momentary feeling of sympathy or compassion but how genuine
and long lasting is it? My story, however tragic it has been has not even
compared to some of the stories attached to some of the individuals I have got
to know. But, because of what I have experienced so far, I can truly understand
and appreciate the hardship that now inspires me. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Life isn’t about money. Of course you need
money to survive but there is much more to life than materialism, the
superficiality of relationships, the sick desire to appear a certain way or
attempt to embody someone you are not. <b>There are people in this world that have
been at rock bottom and faced such tragedy in their life but had the individual
strength to acknowledge it, face it, overcome it and carry it with them to save
others. Many of these people I have met, I work alongside daily.</b> To come from working
in a corporate environment in the city, bored out of my brain, counting down
the minutes until the day ends and feeling miserable, bored and so selfish to
take for granted the ease and stability of my life compared to where I am now,
is amazing. And it’s just the beginning. The moment I walk into my work place
now, I can <b>feel</b> the electric passion
that unites every single one of us. This is a feeling that I have been lucky
enough to experience and learn about; I seek this continuation of satisfaction
throughout my career and throughout my life. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bigots exclude people who have been through
the criminal justice system. <b>People even look at me differently and want to
dissociate themselves with me because I’m attached to someone in prison. </b>But
these individuals, I pity. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My life has taken a completely different
direction than was expected, working with individuals who originally felt
unfamiliar to me, but<b> I’m proud. </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’m proud to be surrounded by people who
are educated, ambitious and enriched with a pure understanding of life. <b>There
is no individual better than an ex – prisoner to be able to know and understand
the true meaning of freedom. </b>The thought of the raw sense of freedom upon
release, a feeling that I have not personally experienced, is so powerful and
challenges what most people’s definition of freedom is. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Call me pensive but <b>the last two years of
my life have awakened me and have made me a better person. The people I work
with every day make me a better person. </b>To have experienced such a transformation
is heartwarming. A job shouldn’t be undertaken just for monetary gain. A
direction in life shouldn’t be pursued just because it is expected of you or because
it’s convenient.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I
broke my socially expected rules and feel as though I have found freedom to now
live my life.</span></span></div>
User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-81397221797002345702013-10-31T15:12:00.001+00:002013-10-31T15:21:20.598+00:00'Our greatest assets are those we seek to give a voice'<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidA54IlMmbaq2j8EEFdr0UBavv-ZPNrGwsJqcaHICNWHk03lTMLIRgMHLrJ6FWbE8-4SbH9W4U-dDAOcwnH3k-sY_xfvpoXurEHJXu7pMgi_hwCTy8ObTfeuxh1YDJqizHs34k8pHiLk0/s1600/Cdosset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidA54IlMmbaq2j8EEFdr0UBavv-ZPNrGwsJqcaHICNWHk03lTMLIRgMHLrJ6FWbE8-4SbH9W4U-dDAOcwnH3k-sY_xfvpoXurEHJXu7pMgi_hwCTy8ObTfeuxh1YDJqizHs34k8pHiLk0/s1600/Cdosset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Chris Dossett</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">31/10/2013</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidA54IlMmbaq2j8EEFdr0UBavv-ZPNrGwsJqcaHICNWHk03lTMLIRgMHLrJ6FWbE8-4SbH9W4U-dDAOcwnH3k-sY_xfvpoXurEHJXu7pMgi_hwCTy8ObTfeuxh1YDJqizHs34k8pHiLk0/s1600/Cdosset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidA54IlMmbaq2j8EEFdr0UBavv-ZPNrGwsJqcaHICNWHk03lTMLIRgMHLrJ6FWbE8-4SbH9W4U-dDAOcwnH3k-sY_xfvpoXurEHJXu7pMgi_hwCTy8ObTfeuxh1YDJqizHs34k8pHiLk0/s200/Cdosset.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
‘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
<b>directly to key decision makers,</b>
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 <b>give services users a voice</b> and I
believe User Voice is the most equip to do so.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The successive government now admits <span lang="EN">“we did a great job punishing people, we did a
great job with crime going down and <b>we
did a poor job reforming people.</b> We need to make sure there is mentoring, a
buddying system, giving probation the autonomy they need.</span>” – <span lang="EN">Sadiq Khan </span>Shadow Justice Secretary
(2013). Currently, under Justice Secretary Chris Grayling the criminal justice
system is being privatised, untested on a scale <b>not seen anywhere else in the world.</b> Therefore, it is now more
important than ever to monitor impact on services users. <b>User Voice is the mechanism</b> in which to do so as it exists to
bridge the once vacuum <b>between those who
decide policy and those that experience it.</b> Offering some of the most
excluded people in our society <b>to have a
say over decisions that affect their lives. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">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 <b>genuine
empowerment</b> as witnessed since joining User Voice 6 months ago. I
contribute this to our model of engagement and that <b>User Voice lives its values as an organisation;</b> employing those who
have been through the criminal justice system. This is <b>unique</b> 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 <b>expertise and
experience of the problems we seek to solve,</b> creating genuine passion and
understanding which lacks in other organisations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With a <b>democratic
progress of engagement</b> I have witnessed young people empowered and able to
offer some of the most <b>insightful
understanding to offending</b> 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 <b>understand the experiences of the very
people they are employed to work with. </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">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 <b>growing evidence</b>
that our model works and we continue to challenge the very <b>culture</b> of our institutions and society. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I would like to conclude by stating that our greatest assets are
those we seek to give a voice, those <b>who
are turning their experiences of crime into positive, beneficial and lasting
change for others.</b> I feel deeply privileged to have the opportunity to
learn from them every day. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-74788403791031067322013-10-25T11:12:00.002+01:002013-10-25T12:20:43.538+01:00The Pressures of Making a Quick Buck...<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Peter </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">Nzekwu</span></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px;">25/10/2013</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBemyf4q1dmtOXoLV10TVVkB5pz-L6BzibhxYqH4E-rrwleVpHbBdo8gXotq-S-lbm3tAvhrWCy5NoY-kXpleOAFEWPar-6fH-eOhHy4M8jbAgC7nW2X5wyrtJVm8Bp9jQ-opxLRHx-4/s1600/196496_10150164173921804_2799642_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBemyf4q1dmtOXoLV10TVVkB5pz-L6BzibhxYqH4E-rrwleVpHbBdo8gXotq-S-lbm3tAvhrWCy5NoY-kXpleOAFEWPar-6fH-eOhHy4M8jbAgC7nW2X5wyrtJVm8Bp9jQ-opxLRHx-4/s200/196496_10150164173921804_2799642_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">I come from a place where most of the illegal activities I was </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">involved in were usually done for one reason and one reason only...m</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">oney! Immigration problems stopped me from working and making money </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">legally so I had to find as many other ways of doing so as possible.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Understanding that most young people are confronted with <b>situations unique to </b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b>each person</b>, and that that is what leads them into a life of crime, is very important.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Some offend for money, some offend to look cool and others offend just </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">because they <b>don't feel like there's anything better for them to do.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What it is that we need to get through to these young people is that: <b>easy come, easy go!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;">Young people are very impressionable and will usually see something they </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">like, admire or want, but underestimate how much actually needs </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">to be done in order to achieve their goals.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The concept that anything worth doing is worth doing properly, is one </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">that young people can greatly benefit from.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The key is not to expect too much of young people but rather to<b> hope that they broaden </b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b>their horizons</b>, as they are still developing as a person and<b> </b></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b>need room to learn from their own mistakes</b>. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">The ones who <i>are</i> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">more mature in their attitude towards life and the idea of volunteering</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;"> should, in my opinion, be rewarded for this with paid opportunities. M</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">ainly because <b>young people need financial stability</b> just as much as adults.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Provide young people with more to gain and I guarantee our young people army grows faster </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">than imagined.</span></span></b>User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-88818687974634455222013-10-15T10:43:00.000+01:002013-10-15T10:43:13.663+01:00'We are like a family, we look out for one another and work as a team, helping others have a voice'<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>Gail Bland</b></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">14/10/2013</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-AkLtVz18zWWREU3AI7nPvZ3HDXZ78FrAsogUvMv9iRg-wspg-Fgz0znqLAaGUpPM-HQ57y-zV6m0Bcl9qLQ5UnvINwEdic7JIUxXHYDF-57kC7NY5LuH32FVIegEmODM4bQ0Wrl3CR4/s1600/IMAG0150-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-AkLtVz18zWWREU3AI7nPvZ3HDXZ78FrAsogUvMv9iRg-wspg-Fgz0znqLAaGUpPM-HQ57y-zV6m0Bcl9qLQ5UnvINwEdic7JIUxXHYDF-57kC7NY5LuH32FVIegEmODM4bQ0Wrl3CR4/s200/IMAG0150-1.jpg" width="146" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My name is Gail, I am an ex-offender and I have worked for User
Voice since January 2012 as a Programme Manager setting up and developing a<b>
service user council </b>within probation. Also, I deliver a <b>peer mentoring</b> accredited
training programme to service users who will then mentor other service users.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Employment for people with criminal records is very difficult
especially in today’s current economic climate.
Employers seem to shy away from employing ex-offenders, very often their
CV’s go straight in the bin; they don’t seem to be able to <b>look beyond the
offence.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I committed a crime 12 years ago and received a 12 month
sentence suspended for 2 years. My
experience of probation back then was not a very good one, there was help
available but the organisations giving this help and support only seemed interested
in ticking a box to say that they had worked with an ex-offender, they often
classed a conversation as support. <b> I
often think what if User Voice had been around 10 years ago, personally I wish
it had. </b> I have seen a change in
probation's attitudes towards service users.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was fortunate that I was able to keep my job after being given
my sentence, my problems started when this organisation went into
administration. <b>I was out of work for 2
years, applying for all sorts of jobs, the rejection was terrible</b>, this left me
feeling depressed and worthless. When I
did get an interview they focused on my offence, and then I heard nothing from
them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was given a break by an old work colleague who knew all about
my offence, this made me feel great again; it was with a charity that trained
and gave work placements to ex-offenders and those coming to the end of their
prison sentences. At last a job to help
others in a similar position, or so I thought.
Some members of staff gave me a hard time, they went to the board asking
that I be finished as I had a criminal record how ironic when these were people
supposedly helping offenders and ex-offenders, they did not get their way. I will never ever forget that experience and
don’t want to see others experience it.
<b>I stuck it out and I left when I wanted to leave I did not let them
force me out.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am really privileged and honoured to work for User Voice, the
staff all have a vast amount of experience, knowledge and passion and the one
thing that really sticks out for me is <b>nobody
judges you, we are like a family we look out for one another and work as a team,
helping others have a voice. </b>I love
my job, and the service users I work with are fantastic, it's great to see them gaining
confidence and belief and becoming stronger each day. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Avenir LT 55 Roman;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-46937174691264857792013-10-09T10:37:00.000+01:002013-10-09T10:38:02.370+01:00'It's fair to say if you do the crime you do the time, but how the time is spent will determine whether or not they will serve further time in prison'<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY07zNMft8Vylzgk7X7VdCcO3BOoT0xHhBrEjpvqPQ4p7KfWedwZgK0Tr1eC5ntEGzUK0swjMj2UzRUQTGh_xt-dZTedeNExz2q33UJ2kh6Ptgkf4bSD2EUiDw1Ym65eDUCEDrJOAm4QY/s1600/20121029_091133-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY07zNMft8Vylzgk7X7VdCcO3BOoT0xHhBrEjpvqPQ4p7KfWedwZgK0Tr1eC5ntEGzUK0swjMj2UzRUQTGh_xt-dZTedeNExz2q33UJ2kh6Ptgkf4bSD2EUiDw1Ym65eDUCEDrJOAm4QY/s320/20121029_091133-1.jpg" width="182" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Tanayah Sam</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">09/10/2013</span></div>
<div style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For the past 20 months I’ve had the privilege of being a
<b>Programme Manager for User Voice. </b></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I facilitate three Prison Councils, which
requires me to work inside those establishments four days a week. The job at
times can be </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">challenging but even more rewarding</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. User Voice Prison Council is
not just a means for Prisoners to have their voices heard, but also at times it
has enabled prison staff to have their voices heard also. </span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It’s been three years
since I was released from prison having served a 9 year prison sentence. The
irony of it is the jail for which I received the 9 year sentence is the jail I
now spend two days a week in facilitating the User Voice Prison Council and its
Director was the Governor of one the jails I served time in on that sentence.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Since my release I’ve always had a <b>strong desire to be
involved in an organisation that pushed for a service user response</b> within the
criminal justice system. Facilitating space for co-production, enabling the
service user and service provider to have dialogue to <b>create better
opportunities for rehabilitation </b>and showcase desistance. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It’s fair to say if
you do the crime you do the time. But how the time is spent for many will
determine whether or not they will serve further time in prison in their
future.</span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Only offenders can stop offending </b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">so the service user should have a
voice in how best services can provide a meaningful service to help them break
the cycle. </span></div>
<o:p></o:p></div>
User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-28603196657764540922013-09-09T10:01:00.001+01:002013-09-09T10:01:34.280+01:00"We are the vehicle for the young people; we carry their voices and their courage to the decision makers"<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><b><i>Ricky Sykes</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;">09/09/2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;">Hi, m</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">y name is Ricky and I work for User Voice as an Assistant
Programme Manager, working on youth projects.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLzijdiekjDAnsdi_NwQ2KTjH1z4G1dUaLCidz1_Jx5__kYjCaR15pp_AywSZGa6IttiBFoy7zluoQsQxLe1Tb_Wqg8L8QUfH5M9ScCrERzcOehgoV5fur2E6kCg_GMmh7IqML4HZGWSo/s1600/Ricky226.11.2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLzijdiekjDAnsdi_NwQ2KTjH1z4G1dUaLCidz1_Jx5__kYjCaR15pp_AywSZGa6IttiBFoy7zluoQsQxLe1Tb_Wqg8L8QUfH5M9ScCrERzcOehgoV5fur2E6kCg_GMmh7IqML4HZGWSo/s200/Ricky226.11.2012.jpg" width="187" /></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;">To find myself working with User Voice has been a great
<b>inspirational journey</b>; day in and day out I still feel the privilege of working
on my passion which is supporting young people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;">For many years as I ground away at life with the little
wisdom I had, I would ask myself time and time again, why do things keep going
wrong? Why do I find myself making the
same mistakes over and over again, finding myself in situations and places surrounded
with the same people making the same mistakes as I was? It wasn’t until coming
to work with User Voice that <b>I got my answers to the numerous why’s that I had
asked myself over and over.</b> I now understand that it was to give me that depth,
that understanding and that energy to <b>help transform Young People’s lives
through my own experience </b>of challenges, victories and failures. I now find I am able to truly relate with the
struggles these young people are facing daily, (and the direction they are
heading in), if they aren’t to receive the support, understanding and care they
so need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;">To be a part of a team of people with the same passion and
drive as myself at User Voice is also a privilege I find myself in every day of
the week, as we come together to bring about change. <b>We are the vehicle for the young people; we
carry their voices and their courage to the decision makers </b>who then get the
opportunity to hear from young people first hand; their struggles, desires, and
their ambition, as they try to positively affect their own and their peer’s
lives despite the challenging environments they face daily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 115%;">I believe that Young People should be allowed their
mistakes;</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> I explain to them that this </span><span style="line-height: 20px;">doesn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> mean I don’t want them to make
the right choices but I do respect their personal journeys. They may stumble, but that </span><span style="line-height: 20px;">isn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> necessarily
a reflection of the quality of the work being done with the individual. I try
to remain </span><b><span style="line-height: 115%;">open minded and non-</span><span style="line-height: 20px;">judgmental</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;">allowing young people the room to
make mistakes and to grow from them; they know that I will be there for them
regardless and that I value them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><b>‘’The proof is in the pudding!”</b> so they say, well if that’s
the case then I have tasted some pretty tasty proof puddings whilst being at
User Voice! My colleagues and I have
witnessed some <b>amazing transformations </b>take place in the many Youth Offending
Services we have worked in. To witness the change in character from the young
people as they really feel listened to, valued and respected is amazing and
never fails to remind me of why I work with User Voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">My thanks to all the User Voice team and young people that </span><span style="line-height: 20px;">I've</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> worked with for your<b> trust and belief that things can get better</b> as long
as we keep believing in people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; line-height: 115%;">I will continue to do my best to bring about positive change
as I work here at User Voice and as I gain more privileges meeting more young
people and the professionals working with them, and <b>enjoy my journey and
learning that is never ending.</b><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-80782257124251358112013-08-30T15:36:00.000+01:002013-08-30T15:42:07.842+01:00Poetic Justice<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><i>Shauna Dacres</i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">30/08/2013</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9bc77iUR2z0OqT7v_bGihcjmdeqH-PA8Ze2rnHtcAxc69MHWnVeZ5Qc3NjfTkaEbEX6EqOMlutk1gtnwXSxT0IKuxSnhxIPphcqriKqQxEf46I3V1gksnH-h2t4LEccjMPzSBEkwFr9U/s1600/shauna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9bc77iUR2z0OqT7v_bGihcjmdeqH-PA8Ze2rnHtcAxc69MHWnVeZ5Qc3NjfTkaEbEX6EqOMlutk1gtnwXSxT0IKuxSnhxIPphcqriKqQxEf46I3V1gksnH-h2t4LEccjMPzSBEkwFr9U/s200/shauna.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt;">One wrong mistake took me out; I
felt that I was drowning in the mist of my tears when the judge sentenced me to
5 years imprisonment. I felt this way because<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><b>I
saw my life flash before me</b>. Every second, every minute, of every day, I
felt that I wasted the last years of my teenage years being in prison and not
doing anything remotely constructive. I remember I was put on a<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>‘Restorative Justice’</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>course: Sycamore Tree. I knew nothing
about this; the only indication of what was meant by the word ‘restorative’ was
to amend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt;">I started the course thinking that
it would not benefit me. However, I found that it had helped me to help myself
in dealing with the hurt and pain that I caused my family and me;<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><b>I learnt to accept.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt;">The course was designed to raise
victim awareness and also to bring the offender face to face with the victim so
that they could have their questions answered with an apology. This was a
unique opportunity for the victim and the offender to communicate so they both
could<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>find closure and move
forward.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt;">During the course I found useful
tools that would help me to understand how my actions can and would affect
those around me. For example, the ‘ripple’ effect, this was demonstrated
by the offender dropping a coin in a pool of water which would then create ripples
throughout the pool. The coin represented me and the ripples where my actions
and each ripple got bigger as the coin sank.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt;">From that day on<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>my outlook on life changed,</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>I had more consideration for others, I
cared about what people felt or thought. Most of all I cared about what I had
put my family thought. Desperately trying to gain the respect and trust from my
family especially my mum, I made a conscious decision that when I left prison<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>I would try my best to help young
people from going to prison</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and
wasting their teenage years, as I knew having been locked up day after day, and
night after night. This was no life for a young person who hasn’t lived or seen
the world. There was more to life than just sleeping, there was more to life
than just 4 walls and a small window that I could hardly stick one leg out of.
There was more to life than looking at walls with disturbing thoughts of
previous prisoners.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt;">I wished and hope for the day I
walked to freedom, I wish for the words ‘you’re free to go’. I often thought to
myself,<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><b>once I’m free
what as the future got in store for me?</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Will
I ever find employment? Will they accept me for me? Will I ever put the past
behind me and will I cope?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u1:p></u1:p>
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<span style="font-family: '', serif, '', serif; font-size: 11pt;">Lo and behold I was free, after
servin</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11pt;">g a two and a half year sentence. Upon release I had set myself
targets that would help me get back on track and start my life again.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>I was lucky enough to have the help
of service providers who helped me find employment.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b>I had been short listed to go for
an interview for a social enterprise scheme CanDo Coffee, who wanted to offer
employment to people who had been involved with the criminal justice system. I
was happy for the opportunity of employment and because they cared to help
those with a criminal conviction, and I accepted the position as a Coffee
vendor. Unbeknown to me the work I wanted to get involved with was a stone’s
throw away from me, at User Voice!<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span>This
gave me the pleasure of working on the Youth Team as a Youth Engagement
Coordinator.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span>Carrying out
the responsibility of this role has enabled me to help young people to engage
in positive and meaningful activities. It also allows me to share the journey
that I have been on at such a young age.<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><b>If
I can reach out to one individual and make a difference in their day to day
life then for me it is job done.</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-34471675961765801842013-08-27T10:19:00.000+01:002013-08-27T10:20:10.444+01:00This is my blog...<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b><i>Joanna Stabler</i></b><br />27/08/2013<br /><br /><span style="font-size: 16pt;">To be </span></span><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">forgiven</span></b><span style="font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> Without </span><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">judgement or blame</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">. To forgive </span><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">myself</span></b><span style="font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> Space to be </span><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">honest</span></b><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">with weaknesses. Accept and
be </span><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">accepted</span></b><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">by others without pretence. To
be given </span><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">another chance</span></b><span style="color: #76923c; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">. </span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">To see </span><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">the best</span></b><span style="color: #76923c; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">in everyone. To be a friend you want to be, without
‘something’ </span><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">holding you back.</span></b><span style="color: red; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Accomplish </span><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">balance</span></b><span style="font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">. </span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">Overcome </span><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">embarrassment</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">. </span><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">Listen</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"> as well as to be </span><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">listened to</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">.</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">
Be open to the </span><b><span style="color: #76923c; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">outcome</span></b><span style="font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxR232yDqlMxps6M1C8FYmjGfA8kXBpCoG5KYI2f7lqwUuXFJ_Fv_5KUROKC7vfFYuy4gbOAufyNvKfyKXDExv3AGRBf4HcRzJKZ2yIreinR9FOhU_Ex7M-L1fUGcpVDmrrgOr8y-uCMQ/s1600/jojo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxR232yDqlMxps6M1C8FYmjGfA8kXBpCoG5KYI2f7lqwUuXFJ_Fv_5KUROKC7vfFYuy4gbOAufyNvKfyKXDExv3AGRBf4HcRzJKZ2yIreinR9FOhU_Ex7M-L1fUGcpVDmrrgOr8y-uCMQ/s200/jojo.jpg" width="136" /></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is me, or who I want to be<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I try, I fail, and I learn & give it
another go<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is me, this is User Voice? <br />
This is why I believe<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’m not an expert, and will never pretend to
be, but I do have belief. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That’s my passion, this is my blog!!!</span><span style="font-family: Avenir LT 55 Roman;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-79960679074089045522013-08-19T10:16:00.001+01:002013-08-21T10:10:07.907+01:00Rehabilitation and Santa Claus; what's the difference?<div class="MsoNormal">
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Zoe Kennerson</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">19/8/2013</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7YxkatSSejoz6AoFUpTgdCCURR5JGLeEdCK4BnbCr0JBqEn7HQEWJdamiclKGNjggpFx6E7d0vwtZS1sAo2HhdgagbEQBhmq7ZGwcPg_kWOsYSMwhxSdBpoxl7xaWoJyaS4Mi-6eeucs/s1600/SAM_0341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7YxkatSSejoz6AoFUpTgdCCURR5JGLeEdCK4BnbCr0JBqEn7HQEWJdamiclKGNjggpFx6E7d0vwtZS1sAo2HhdgagbEQBhmq7ZGwcPg_kWOsYSMwhxSdBpoxl7xaWoJyaS4Mi-6eeucs/s320/SAM_0341.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">One is a social concept constructed on the understanding that hard
work and behavioural change can reap benefit and reward, however is
dismissed by many who doubt evidence of its existence…..the other is a
fictional character created to encourage compliance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">So do we believe in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>rehabilitation</b>?
Do we believe in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>change</b>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">As an ex-offender and an ex-addict<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>I believe!<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></b>I believe that I am evidence that
people can change, and that not only does rehabilitation exist,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>it is possible</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I began working for User Voice in October 2012 as a Programme
Manager on a Peer Mentoring Project. It was during this work that I began to
wonder if others shared my belief and recognised the potential in people and
the power of change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Criminal Justice Services seek not only to punish people who break
the law, but to aid rehabilitation and support change. Surely for this to be achieved
we need to believe it is possible?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">So is rehabilitation<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>real</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>or<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>just
another myth</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>like Santa
Claus?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">We often hear people<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b><i>talk</i></b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>about change, reform, desistance and
rehabilitation. We see services strive to achieve and sell the benefits of
reform. But do they<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b><i>really</i></b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>believe in it, that it truly exists?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Mum’s, Dads, Grandparents, Aunties and Uncles all tell their young
children about Santa. “Be good” they say, “Santa is watching!” They
spend lots of money on presents (to hide and pretend Santa delivered) and they
prepare for his arrival on Christmas Eve. Like those trying to support people
to rehabilitate, a lot of effort and energy is put into Santa, all the right
things are said and done, but his actual existence is still dis-believed. A whimsy
for children who know no better!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">So how do we make people believe? Not just say they believe, but<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b><i>actually</i></b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>believe! We show them. We show them
that not only does it exist, it works!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Through my work at User Voice I have been lucky enough to meet
lots of rehabilitated “ex-offenders” who have made<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>changes to their lives</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and are<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>committed to helping others to do
the same</b>. My role includes training and supporting peer mentors to provide
a service to people in the Criminal Justice System. I see rehabilitated people
on a daily basis and my observations tell me that rehabilitation is real! I am
fortunate enough to be in a position that enables me to see<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>past the statistics</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The people I work with are evidence of change, the living proof!
Not only have they been successful in not re-offending, but they offer<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>hope and inspiration</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>to others who wish to change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">It is human nature that if you are going to try something new
(always a daunting prospect when hard work is involved), you look to others who
have already done it, to give you some advice and guidance.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b><i>Surely</i></b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>it makes sense that this opportunity
should be available for those looking to stop offending. Having a peer
mentor who has rehabilitated and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>understands</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>the dynamics of change can be so
beneficial for marginalised individuals who want to change. I work with peer
mentors who on a daily basis make a conscious decision to live their lives<span class="apple-converted-space"><b> </b></span><b>in a different way</b>.
These people are thoughtful, insightful, reflective, self-aware, sharing and
hard working.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Peer mentoring is a powerful service that contributes towards the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>reduction of reoffending</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>by providing an opportunity for people
to share their own experiences and support others who are in situations they
have experienced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Peer mentoring in criminal justice services<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>is</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>the evidence base that change and
rehabilitation are possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br />
Of paramount importance, peer mentoring is about belief. I like my
colleagues at User Voice and the team of peer mentors I support,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>all</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><b>believe</b><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>in rehabilitation. We believe it,
because we have lived it! And we believe that the people we work
with can achieve it too….… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-31580626274024410872013-08-12T14:38:00.000+01:002013-08-12T15:00:29.706+01:00An insight into two weeks work experience at User Voice<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">Jude
Jubey</i><br /><span style="font-size: small;">12/8/2013</span><b style="font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXUD_B5z98Zri8ZRDsacpXxndDTEJZXSMzeGT2hHX0Ye-pe2GemwtjogQbld5O6kpDRoe3-r-qOn5vdYOjUQsfj0-gTYvfgew0v45fwjXWwZf8fBg3ovXgKj5sRdooO8TtVGusma7GUg/s1600/Criminal+Justice+Conference+2013+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXUD_B5z98Zri8ZRDsacpXxndDTEJZXSMzeGT2hHX0Ye-pe2GemwtjogQbld5O6kpDRoe3-r-qOn5vdYOjUQsfj0-gTYvfgew0v45fwjXWwZf8fBg3ovXgKj5sRdooO8TtVGusma7GUg/s320/Criminal+Justice+Conference+2013+031.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Speaking at the Criminal Justice Convention 2013</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">Week 1, Monday <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">I
was in a meeting with Bob Ashford, who is running an organisation called Wipe
the Slate Clean. They are trying to get people that have committed a crime
years ago that was seen to be a minor offence to have it removed from their
history. This I felt was very interesting because it’s one thing that is very
close to my heart, because I hope one day I could have <b>my own slate</b> wiped clean.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">Later
that day I was in a preparation meeting about going to see the MP Jeremy Wright
on the rehabilitation of prisoners. This was very interesting because the new plans
mean that a lot of things are changing, and I felt that it if the government
did it the wrong way things could get much worse. That meeting went on for a long time, I got
to meet council members from all over the country and we all realised that most
of the time people are facing <b>the same
kind of issues </b>just in different places. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">Week 1, Tuesday<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">We went
to the Ministry of Justice and we all made our points to the MP. I felt happy
that everyone got a word in, and I hope that he took what we said into
consideration, only time will really tell. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">Then
we went to a meeting at London Probation to talk about what happened and how we
felt it went. This was very interesting because I was able to <b>see how everything works</b> and develop a
better understanding. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">Week 1, Wednesday<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">I
was at a meeting with the head of London Probation, Mark Johnson and Daniel
Hutt. They talked about the benefits that User Voice has been able to bring to
the trust through <b>elected council members</b> within Probation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">Then
we went to a Cando Coffee meeting with What If, we were looking at the branding
and what kind of message Cando want to give out to their customers. Being a
social enterprise they have to be very careful because some people don’t know
what it is and will think it’s just another charity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">Then
we had another meeting right afterwards with one of the board members looking
at the structure of User Voice and how the board works, and this gave me a much
deeper understanding of how big User Voice really is and <b>how big it’s grown</b> in such a sort time. This for a charity I think
is an amazing thing because it just shows how different they are to many of the
other organisations that work within the criminal justice system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">Week 2, Monday <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">I was
at the office helping to map out Southwark to make sure that we understand what
things are being offered to young people. I enjoyed it because I was able to <b>learn so much</b> about the different
organisations within my area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">Week 2, Wednesday <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">We
went to meet the young people at Tower Hamlets Youth Offending Service and we
took them for some lunch, and I had a talk with one of the young people about
what she wants to do. I showed her that there are apprenticeships that she
could get involved in and I called one of my contacts that work in Channel 4 Apprenticeships
and she gave me the link to what was left on offer and I passed the information
on. This I hoped would help her to do
something really good with her time. There is something about <b>helping people</b> that I enjoy and I
really think is <b>vital in life</b>
because when you give you feel so much better. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">Week 2, Thursday <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">I was
with Mifta and Shauna at Southwark feeding back to the Youth Advisory Group on
what I had been getting up to on my work experience and showing them that it
really is an amazing door that User Voice opens to you and it’s always about
you being able to show people that you are a <b>capable person</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">The
week was an amazing insight to how User Voice works and how much change they
are making to the criminal justice system, and this I think is an amazing thing
because it really does need a change and only <b>offenders can stop re-offending</b>. It also showed me that I had the
skills to influence people in a positive way to see how by helping us you will
be helping so many more people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">I want to thank
everyone for giving me the chance to do my work experience at such an amazing
place, it really </span><b>opened my mind</b><span style="font-size: small;"> and
gave me so much </span><b>energy and drive </b>being
around such wonderful and inspirational people. </span>User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-10239132968429357022013-08-06T12:34:00.002+01:002013-08-12T14:29:51.570+01:00Why learning is fundamental to rehabilitation<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;"><b><i>Stephen Akpabio (LL.M)</i></b><br />6/8/2013</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIcg0r_JFbktfca2366cW0fJSABB7-0F1mdql9ChmItSVFs3xQw33HwcoV6wxo-SH2cg3Y4dnxJFg2iZeqOJb2b1abzc0wk_S_qVWtes6pXpefkrGtcQoOkFVeZGYgUzKZftkxW2fPLA/s1600/SA_Picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIcg0r_JFbktfca2366cW0fJSABB7-0F1mdql9ChmItSVFs3xQw33HwcoV6wxo-SH2cg3Y4dnxJFg2iZeqOJb2b1abzc0wk_S_qVWtes6pXpefkrGtcQoOkFVeZGYgUzKZftkxW2fPLA/s320/SA_Picture.jpg" width="187" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">In
June 2002, I was convicted of a drug related offence. Although this was my
first conviction, it was serious enough to warrant a long <b>custodial sentence</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">My
first impression of incarceration was that it was quite simply, a complete
waste of time. The exception was if you were able to do something <b>meaningful with that time</b>. There was
limited choice available as one would expect but <b>education</b> was available. Knowing I faced at least eight years
inside, it seemed worthwhile for me to concentrate my efforts on <b>self-development</b>. After all, being in
prison was ample evidence of my failure as a criminal. My focus became
self-education and self-development.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">I
completed my first course in 2003, my first degree in 2008, my first Master’s
degree in 2009 and my second in 2010. I recall often being asked by both prison
staff and my peers what I planned to do after my studies given that a criminal
conviction is a <b>bar</b> to most types of
employment. Admittedly, at the time I did not know. What I did know was that
the <b>process of learning </b>in and of
itself provides benefits which include improving <b>self-esteem</b> and <b>self-confidence</b>,
opportunities to <b>network</b> and <b>meet new people</b>, participation in a <b>positive</b> and <b>rewarding activity</b>, and perhaps, <b>employment</b>! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">Quite
apart from the qualifications, it is the process of learning that is important.
Learning is <b>part and parcel</b> of our
daily lives and we learn new things every day. The <b>ability to read</b> is something most people learn at a young age.
However, some service users lack the ability to read, often through no fault of
their own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 115%;">Nevertheless,
the consequences of lacking the ability to read can be <b>debilitating</b> and can impact negatively on people’s lives. That is
why I am delighted to be involved with a national charity, User Voice, as a
Programme Manager. User Voice is a charity that is led in the main by
ex-service users (80% of frontline staff) and we are working in partnership
with London Probation Trust to deliver a <b>Reading
Peer Mentoring Programme</b>, <b>Toe-by-Toe</b>,
in the community. We aim to help those who lack the ability to read <b>learn how to read </b>with the aid of a
specially developed <b>Reading Plan</b> and
the <b>support of their peers</b>. The Reading
Plan has been developed over a 25 year period and is currently being delivered
in 97% of prisons in the UK. Its <b>success
in prisons</b> is one reason why we plan to deliver the Reading Plan (Toe by
Toe) in communities across London.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This
fantastic project has <b>benefits all round</b>.
For the participants, they learn to: <b>read</b>
- with all the benefits that brings, while society stands to benefit from
reduced reoffending, active citizens <b>positively
engaging</b> with their communities, contributions to the local economy due to <b>improved employment prospects</b> for
participants, etc. For both ex-service users and society, it is truly a <b>win-win situation</b>.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-54640993236943455312013-07-29T11:19:00.000+01:002013-07-30T19:47:34.734+01:00User Voice has been the key to the windows that are my eyes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rebecca Page</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">29/07/2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">User Voice has undoubtedly been the <b>key</b> to the windows that are my eyes!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I spent the best part of my working career which spanned over 13 years in a highly corporate, selfish, closed minded, ugly environment, where you either <b>eat or be eaten</b>. During my time within this industry I believed this environment was second to none. Everyone in it, including myself was superior to all others, and <b>money and power</b> was the answer to everything.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After perhaps 2 years in, the processes, policies, discipline and ‘take no prisoners’ (excuse the pun) mentality which bound me, were indeed <b>almost like chains</b>. At the time of course, I found this to be powerful, and people that worked for me often found themselves at the sharp end of my greed and zero tolerance. All because I wanted / needed / was told that I had to be the best. This ugly trait that was nurtured by this environment which conditioned me seemed to happen without me even realising. At the top and still climbing towards Regional Management – I single-handedly caused myself <b>to fall and to lose everything</b>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That was just a snap shot of my life – then. As a woman the journey I went on which brought me to the present day was undeniably shattering, together with <b>insurmountable shame</b>. Behind every offence whatever it may be there is always a <b>deep and complex story</b> which has components of pain, shame and disappointment in equal measures. I definitely felt all of these emotions. For me I literally</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">accepted my punishment and correction; I had my blinkers on, and perhaps unlike others I did not analyse anything at the time. I did what was required of me. It’s only when that episode of my life was finished that I really analysed and broke down every little detail of myself, my mind and general being, which allowed me to <b>reflect, amend and change</b>. Doing this whilst I was in this nightmare and almost surreal environment would have made me far too vulnerable.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A year and a half on, having been working for User Voice for one year now, I have found all that positive energy and friendly strength which I once knew before my corporate journey. The passion that encompasses every single member of the team (including myself) is <b>electric</b>, and full of warmth and understanding. Additionally I have been able to transfer a lot of my skills I had gratefully learnt within my previous career (which were acutely identified by my manager Paula Harriott who I find truly inspirational). I like to think I bring a welcomed different dimension to the team, by managing our vastly experienced London based Programme Managers, as well as the <b>delivery and implementation</b> of all our London Projects. The platform that User Voice provides every single day to people that are ready within themselves, and that do wish to make a difference to their own lives is <b>priceless</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I wake up every day knowing that there is a real possibility that I or any member of the team will help someone to see that re-offending is a <b>dead end</b>, and equally potentially highlight to one of the many services that the time and effort they put in is <b>not a waste</b>. Re-offending <b>can be reduced</b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Only by ensuring that service users are <b>involved</b> in the decision making process will enable this to happen.</span>User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-37989295351590532932013-07-22T12:00:00.000+01:002013-11-11T09:53:38.107+00:00I wanted to work with young people to allow them to make positive choices which will help them in life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mifta Choudhury<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">22/07/2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I joined User Voice almost 11 months ago working on
the <b>Youth Programmes</b>. I deliver the
Youth Councils and Advisory Group projects across London and also support staff
on the adult community side with Peer Mentoring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>User Voice is unique</b> <b>because of the
staff who work here and the holistic support it gives to service users.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I spent the best part of my life in prison. One of
the things that I saw was that people kept coming back; I saw people who got
out of prison after being inside for two or three years and down the line I
would bump into them again, I would think to myself why have they come back
into prison? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When we had a catch up and a chat I would ask them
about why they were back in prison and they would tell me that they had <b>no help or support outside</b> once they
had left jail, they were back on streets doing what they had to do to survive… I
remember the same people saying to me, I’m not coming back to jail! In the end
it was thanks to those people that I decided to get an education while I was in
prison. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I decided that I wanted to work with young people
to help them, to support and guide them and </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">allow them to make positive choice’s which will help them in life</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. It’s not my job to impose my values or
beliefs on the young people I work with, but </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I use my learning experiences to inspire these young people onto a
better future</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I find that the young people I work with at User
Voice are <b><span lang="EN">innovative,
resilient and passionate about making change</span></b><span lang="EN">, once you get to
know them! They see you for who you are
and once you have built the relationship with them you get to see this passion
and drive. We have some great conversations and other times we have a really
good laugh! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN">The young people I've been working with are now the
leaders of their Youth Council/Advisory Groups, and now being accredited as
Peer Mentors. They have learned to manage and balance their life to extent
where they now turn up for meetings on time and can <b>commit themselves to helping to change local services and the community</b>
and look at life in a different way. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN">I don’t think this is just down to me; it
is by the young people learning, adapting and by having absolute consistency
from <b>User Voice staff who provide a </b></span><b>holistic</b><b><span lang="EN">, caring
approach to working with these young people</span></b></span><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-53330800639758014922013-07-15T10:52:00.000+01:002013-07-15T10:52:55.982+01:00The impact that criminal convictions can have on employment prospects<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFx1qoogFv6o48xCNEviCJp-2ugQ3SdYJH-EKPLN16xb2qy5mI3h1Z7ou6xSCdRI_LBRisu6HA4VLVODYq3OxaFzMDvQxWJz_ilMNKei1nGma8bYiSd6jZlr5VBHzgqCeHljk-iHmYh5I/s1600/BA+blog+photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFx1qoogFv6o48xCNEviCJp-2ugQ3SdYJH-EKPLN16xb2qy5mI3h1Z7ou6xSCdRI_LBRisu6HA4VLVODYq3OxaFzMDvQxWJz_ilMNKei1nGma8bYiSd6jZlr5VBHzgqCeHljk-iHmYh5I/s320/BA+blog+photo.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>Bob Ashford</b></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">15/07/2013</span><br />
<br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The first
week I joined User Voice I went to a staff business development day. At the
start of the day everyone introduced themselves and talked about their previous
offences openly. This was unlike anything I had experienced before and when it
came to myself I shared my </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">background in Youth Offending teams and the Youth
Justice Board</span><b style="line-height: 115%;"> </b><span style="line-height: 115%;">from the delivery as opposed to the service user perspective. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I
did though share the two offences I had committed 46 years ago as a 13 year old-
producing a mix of astonishment and wry amusement </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">among the</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> people there as the
offences were so minor. Did they count I wondered?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Several
months later <b>I had to resign as the Police and Crime Commissioner candidate</b> for
Avon and Somerset because of those two offences. This was when it hit me that yes those offences did matter, and 46 years later were still capable of <b>stopping
me doing something I felt passionate about</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I then remember
coming into the office just days after I resigned and was cheered by everyone for
being so public and campaigning against the injustice which affects everyone
with a criminal convictions.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Last week I
found myself sharing the platform at the </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">Criminal Justice Conference 2013</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"> with
Jude Jubey, a young man who has been a member of Southwark Youth Advisory Group which
has been facilitated by User Voice. The subject was </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">the impact that criminal
convictions can have on employment prospects</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Jude spoke eloquently on his own
experiences as a young black guy from Southwark, the problems he had and
the aspirations he held. I then spoke, a middle aged, middle class white guy,
on my experiences and those of the many hundreds who have contacted me with
their own personal stories which have come about as result of their criminal
convictions. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The contrast </span><span style="line-height: 21px;">couldn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> have been greater between the two of us, and
yet in many ways the thing that joined us together, and the many others who </span><span style="line-height: 20px;">weren't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> in that room, is the way<b> society sees the offence and not the individual
behind that offence</b>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">That is the real tragedy and why<b> together with User Voice
we are challenging and changing perceptions and practice</b>. That’s why it means
so much to me to be a part of the team.</span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-45073809569745931062013-07-08T10:55:00.000+01:002013-07-08T10:55:46.747+01:00I feel the warmth of peer support; these people know my journey and I know theirs.<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJ9h1Zd1nNNyYOrFa1YGmllSZcV25rvdVe9-mCdUjTkA3iQdPkqdetf7L4HchSrSRYFSnHuX7nXs2mPIs6ZmGHkWXalLhT2zllwvwyMa6LRMHFZasdsk6BJspvrQd2joC8sJ46ifBNaI/s1600/PH+Blog+photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJ9h1Zd1nNNyYOrFa1YGmllSZcV25rvdVe9-mCdUjTkA3iQdPkqdetf7L4HchSrSRYFSnHuX7nXs2mPIs6ZmGHkWXalLhT2zllwvwyMa6LRMHFZasdsk6BJspvrQd2joC8sJ46ifBNaI/s320/PH+Blog+photo.JPG" width="235" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Paula Harriott</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">8/07/2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Between 2004 and 2008 I was a prisoner, serving the majority
of my sentence at HMP Drake Hall in Staffordshire, a semi open prison holding
around 400 women. I arrived there desolate and angry; missing my five children,
and facing long, sad, frustrating, agonising days and nights as I came to terms
with the eight year sentence. Prison for
women is like going back to junior school….yes miss, no miss, can I go to the
toilet miss….it doesn't do much for your self esteem or self confidence for
sure as you soak up the atmosphere of control and correction. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last month I returned to HMP Drake Hall, not on recall, but
working as <b>Head of Programmes for User Voice</b>. I walked around the prison,
revisiting memories and my main focus was on a small blue hut in the centre of
the prison, called the Signpost. In many ways my journey to User Voice started
there in that little blue hut with no heating in the winter (freezing). But
what it signified to me and to all my peers was a refuge from the authority of
the prison. The Signpost was <b>the first peer support project at Drake Hall</b>. Two
prisoners (one of them me) escaped the drudgery of cleaning and kitchens to sit
in that hut, unsupervised by staff, and support other women to access education
courses, fill in complaints, read their mail, get information about how best to
survive in prison and generally just be a welcoming space for those that needed
a bit of humanity in the midst of the institutional coldness that is prison. In
the Signpost we made tea, talked like free people and generally gave each other
support to get through the drama and tension that is prison. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In two years the
number of women undertaking distance learning courses rose to over 60, a first
at that prison, and the number of complaints also rose dramatically. At that
time <b>complaining was the only option by which to exercise voice; there was no
prison council</b>. The Governor soon recognised that the Signpost was a hub of
information regarding what was going on in the prison and would often pop in
for a cup of tea and a chat about issues, seeking to understand the mood of the
prison and using myself and the other peer supporters as a barometer to test
out new ideas, proposed changes and generally find out how his staff were
doing. He was willing to listen to both good and bad. (I have visited that
Governor too, now managing a large male prison, in my capacity as Head of
Programmes at User Voice.) Without knowing it I was developing and practising
the skills needed in the <b>co-production methodology that underpins the work of
User Voice</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So in the Signpost<b> I learnt the value of peer support and
how it can benefit prisoners</b>. How it can contribute to a better experience of
prison, how it can offer support to those who have only ever been exposed to
pain and brutality outside; mirrored in the prison regime, life feels no
different to the norm. The informal talking and motivation to look forward, the
modelling of compassionate non-judgmentalism to all those who came through the
door of the Signpost was a stark contrast to the cultural norm of the
institution. It was peer support that got me through my prison sentence, that
helped me to understand myself better and challenged me the deepest, because I
was not paralysed by fear when communicating; I was keenly aware of the power
the prison staff had over my life and did not ever trust the hand they offered
along the way. They offered control and surveillance, not motivation nor hope
in change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I came to User Voice, still in pain and anguish caused by
that prison sentence, but here at User Voice I have once again found the refuge
of the Signpost; a space to be me, to own my failings, to acknowledge my strengths
and celebrate my successes. Working in an organisation, <b>staffed by 80% ex-offenders</b>,
I feel the warmth of peer support; these people know my journey and I know
theirs, not from a book but from personal experience. It’s a pain that binds
and in the unity we have strength, build resilience and find freedom. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-53233647548777944132013-07-01T13:48:00.000+01:002013-07-01T14:00:54.728+01:00Toe by toe has grown, and it has created employment.<span style="line-height: 17px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Mark Nash</i></span></b></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/07/2013</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’m an ex-offender and I've done a 6 and a 12 year sentence
back to back. I came out in 2011 and have been <b>working for User Voice for two
and a half years</b> now. I didn't think I would be doing this sort of job or even
working in this sort of environment before I came out of jail, but I applied
myself and did a degree in counselling and two diplomas in gang mentoring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've gone from setting up <b>community programmes</b> in probation,
to setting up <b>prison programmes</b> and teaching them how to write proposals in the
prisons. I’m working in mental health now as well and doing <b>peer mentoring</b> for
mental health patients- it’s ridiculous to see how many projects I’m working on.
I think I've done so well, from what I used to be to what I am now, I've completely turned a page. As for the work I’m doing, it’s so interesting. I
work in Haringey Community Council and out of it came the <b>toe by toe</b> concept. I
used to do the toe by toe concept in jail where you could teach someone to read
and write. You use it as a tool to improve reading and writing skills, so
service users can grow in self-esteem get them up to a standard where they feel
comfortable to do literacy level one. A
lot of people are older- 30s-40s- they've not learnt to read and write all
their life. When they’re in jail they are forced to do things for themselves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was a service user’s idea saying we should do it in the
community and I went with it, going with what I know, and helped put it
together. I helped structure it and got the training done for the service users
in the community, and helped them facilitate it in the probation office. Its
grown now so that User Voice and probation have hired a programme manager to
put it together- you can do toe by toe inside, and when you come outside, you
can do peer mentoring. If anyone comes in and wants toe by toe training, I
would use my service users who are trained in toe by toe to do the training, so
it’s really teach one help one. When they've done that I put them onto someone
else in probation to help them write a<b> CV</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">It helps service users because they <b>evolve along
the way and help themselves</b>. Toe by toe has grown, and it's <b>created employment</b>-
it’s an ex-offender who has got employed as a programme manager- and I don’t
know a lot of companies hiring ex-offenders, so I think it’s a good thing. I
never thought I would be doing a job like this now- I </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">didn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> think I would be
the person providing this material and using my brain to put it all together.</span></span>User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-68179008414731489672013-06-25T12:47:00.000+01:002013-06-25T12:48:36.260+01:00Change can and will take place if we all work together hard enough for it.<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Garry Waller</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">25/06/2013</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhT-LyiB8qRbpOxLXMw1awjg4KOJwF_P3bVgxcBmr_tGWPeehfbz63iwoGpVlw2Cw9Cr8bw84wMz0bj4xjy24m4CHWXjXk65rTvX27PvfWqvvBaCjNaJHiH7QKitU6L2RdpZxjTvkHBo/s1600/GW+blog+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxhT-LyiB8qRbpOxLXMw1awjg4KOJwF_P3bVgxcBmr_tGWPeehfbz63iwoGpVlw2Cw9Cr8bw84wMz0bj4xjy24m4CHWXjXk65rTvX27PvfWqvvBaCjNaJHiH7QKitU6L2RdpZxjTvkHBo/s320/GW+blog+photo.jpg" width="226" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-size: 10pt;">I think first and foremost it is essential for me
to highlight that <b>User Voice has been fundamentally instrumental in the growth
and skills that I have acquired</b> over the past 2 years.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On saying that, the reason I joined User Voice was that I thought-
looking at the model they used- it is simplistic and very holistic. Subsequently,
it looked like the rewards that were potentially on offer for service providers
and service users were, from my experience, totally unimaginable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With my background, having spent the best part of 15 years engulfed in
the criminal justice system, I was quite sceptical. Based on my own experiences
I was doubtful of just how much of an impact the service users that we engage with
could actually have on organisations such as London Probation, whose policies
have been built around red tape and bureaucracy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How wrong could I have been; <b>the changes that have taken place and
continue to take place on a daily basis are fruitful </b>and appetizing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">More importantly, for me the energy that has been stirred up within the
service user community has been the most satisfying to watch; equipping
themselves with the<b> adequate skills to become active citizens.</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have worked with well over a hundred service users; lots of them have
successfully completed their orders for the first time, lots more have moved on
to gainful employment and lots continue to work voluntarily on councils as
members that represent some of the most marginalized groups of people in the
country. Now that is what it is about for me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Change can and will take place if we all work together hard enough for
it.</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Truth is on the side of the oppressed" - Malcolm X.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-91232386183025650822013-06-17T16:32:00.001+01:002013-06-17T16:53:04.441+01:00User Voice: The voice to help you help yourself<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4Xhp_K2Oi-gbzj0ToTZmGHlWGW_C1lme-wnM9PEO9a3qiuZ3iu74YutCuoilO1WavO23dA5z6TUimUmo6L25jErfEuBqJQQ-X79XWbEHL6XMdpOoVuccU_YppYDuFH_x9KQ4bmvWI-M/s1600/IMG_0488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4Xhp_K2Oi-gbzj0ToTZmGHlWGW_C1lme-wnM9PEO9a3qiuZ3iu74YutCuoilO1WavO23dA5z6TUimUmo6L25jErfEuBqJQQ-X79XWbEHL6XMdpOoVuccU_YppYDuFH_x9KQ4bmvWI-M/s320/IMG_0488.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>Eddie Karwhoo</b></i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">17/06/2013</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">User Voice have been <b>an inspiration to service users </b>around the UK
by giving people a voice and saying to them that we have been there before, we
understand your problems, we will <b>give you the voice to help you help yourself</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It happened to me and I have met over hundreds of people that
are in the same position as me.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I started with User Voice in Maidstone prison in 2010. Since then I have
been a volunteer both in Kent and London.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Where User Voice play a big role is <b>helping service users to change
their perception about probation</b>. They make you feel that you have a <b>working relationship
to improve your life</b> - it gives you confidence that if others can make it then
you can. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It gives you the <b>opportunity to express yourself in a positive way</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In all, User Voice is a big family that holds hand together and
when anybody is drowning they extend their hands to take you out.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-40805191644808649572013-06-05T17:00:00.001+01:002013-06-05T17:02:35.616+01:00Testimonial to User Voice<em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; line-height: 19px;"><b>Venrika Kelly</b></em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9a8ZS_RNRoxMbX4AYyptd4nGXsDGHka9aaaxhw-RpSMaa0LRx8-rToNF4Crthn0zY81qAAm-eru3cdz2TJLpXhsH8oAx5HOi86tCv95SuXXejTXxJnxEEqCxZbJOCg-0xgKTEMXdUWAs/s1600/IMG-20130605-00412+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9a8ZS_RNRoxMbX4AYyptd4nGXsDGHka9aaaxhw-RpSMaa0LRx8-rToNF4Crthn0zY81qAAm-eru3cdz2TJLpXhsH8oAx5HOi86tCv95SuXXejTXxJnxEEqCxZbJOCg-0xgKTEMXdUWAs/s320/IMG-20130605-00412+%25281%2529.jpg" width="170" /></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; line-height: 19px;">User Voice is one of THE most awesome, reliable and helpful charities I have seen set up over the years that are for service users like myself. There is nothing like it; the level of work and determination that goes into setting up focus groups, delivering surgeries across all the LDU's and making sure that all parties are involved, and </span><b style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; line-height: 19px;">voices are heard in a safe, fair and non-prejudicial environment</b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; line-height: 19px;"> is immeasurable.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Bitstream Charter, Times, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Trust me when I say that as charities go, User Voice is second to none and will play a key part in making our community safer and <b>bridging the gap between our judicial system and the people that use them</b>, for many more years to come. I am honoured and feel very privileged to be a part of something like this and will be forever grateful for the opportunities I have received since volunteering.</span></span></div>
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User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-42219775705180094632013-05-20T12:00:00.000+01:002013-06-05T14:09:39.341+01:00Words have power. Choose them wisely.<em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Anne-Marie Douglas</b></em><br />
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20/05/2013</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh6VgUoyAQJOrwjVljXMNlH1qiOn33L8Qn3tFCIvSz5kZzEuhTsy8lDRxCHTdJx6bEfO9mcWQU_m2WgNG2Z1gM-P0dsvIFpzeLIkLqXebuUIY4FJDeHwIhJPOEV4kfRGpbVBpKDeCkX6c/s1600/annemarie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh6VgUoyAQJOrwjVljXMNlH1qiOn33L8Qn3tFCIvSz5kZzEuhTsy8lDRxCHTdJx6bEfO9mcWQU_m2WgNG2Z1gM-P0dsvIFpzeLIkLqXebuUIY4FJDeHwIhJPOEV4kfRGpbVBpKDeCkX6c/s320/annemarie.jpg" width="186" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I find the term <b>‘Participation’</b> relating to young people’s involvement in service provision patronising by its very definition. It aspires to the notion that children and young people are allowed to participate or offer their views on services that adults run, some of the time, and when it suits the adults who make the decisions about services designed to meet their needs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />I could talk about theories and degrees of participation, and of course tokenism, but it is all meaningless if service users don’t understand it; language used to demonstrate service user involvement is exclusively the language of professionals<b> </b>and so<b> incorporates the power imbalance</b> inherent within. If you ask a 16 year old attending a Youth Offending Service they may or may not know what ‘Participation’ means, especially to Professionals, but they will know the reasons why they (and their families) will or won’t engage with services. They will also likely have some thought provoking and insightful ideas into ways to increase engagement, and in our experience, will often want to help others who face similar circumstances. However, they will probably have to trust you to tell you what they know and therein lies the challenge.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />We know from our own experience that<b> trusting support agencies </b>isn’t easy for some young people and families. I could tell you stories of staff, young people and families involved with projects at User Voice that you’d never forget, but they have been <b>forgotten and failed</b> by the many, many agencies that have been in their lives, not being listened to, not having a voice, feeling betrayed and not having consistent, trusted support at the times they most needed to help them to navigate and access these services. Professional service providers often call some groups of young people and families<b>, ‘hard to reach’</b> and <b>‘disaffected’ </b>(there seems to be a need to define the complexity of their situations from an external perspective). I can tell you that this is the very group we find <b>‘easy to reach’</b>, and it is the professional service providers who can be ‘hard to reach’!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />It is not enough to be <b>‘experts by experience’ </b>though; we know, (because service users tell us) that we have to <b>create the conditions that support young people</b>in their journeys to self-discovery, (rather than simply counting reductions in re-offending as a measure of success) and to support them to access professional help. We do this by developing trusted, secure and consistent relationships, individual care and offering a choice based <b>‘open door’ approach </b>that allows individuals to opt in and out as they wish, when they wish and to engage for as long as they need.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />We could talk theoretically about attachment, inherent person centred approaches incorporating congruence, empathy and positive regard that support how we engage young people in the criminal justice system. But let’s keep it real (this is a User Voice blog after all!), this isn’t rocket science; many people instinctively know about this because it is the way we should look after and nurture our children; they need to know you care. So I ask, and will keep on asking, </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Why is it still not happening in services designed to meet the needs of our most damaged and vulnerable children and young people”?</b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /><b>Involving service users meaningfully</b> is a movement toward integrating service users into co-producing services, in partnership with professionals, designed to meet their individual needs. When we extend this into <b>reaching and giving voice to our most vulnerable children and young people in society</b> it will be a revolution in their service provision.</span></div>
User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-64553686368309235202013-05-13T12:00:00.000+01:002013-06-05T15:12:31.609+01:00For me the Council work we do in prisons is all about legitimacy<em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Jason Warr</b></em><br />
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11/05/2013<br />
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In the <strong>Woolf Report (1991)</strong>, perhaps the most forward thinking report into prison <br />
conducted by any member of the Establishment, Lord Woolf noted that</div>
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<i>… a recurring theme in the evidence from prisoners who … were involved in the [Strangeways] riots was that their actions were a response to the manner in which they were treated by the prison system. Although they did not always use these terms, they felt a lack of justice.</i></blockquote>
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In practical terms this meant that the prisoner participants of that, and other disturbances, were involved because they perceived their environment, and the authority inherent within it, as illegitimate. </div>
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Legitimacy in prisons is something of a thorny and complicated issue (see Sparks et al 1996) and of course in this situation we are discussing the perspectives of two related but variant populations; which makes for an even more complicated picture. However, in essence people confer legitimacy to organisations or systems if and only if there is a<strong> shared commitment to the cultural, normative or structural values that underpin those organisations/systems</strong>.</div>
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Within the carceral state of England and Wales, the legitimacy of communities has most commonly relied upon a <strong>conjunction of the democratic nature of the community and the joint enterprise of therapy</strong>, which exists in the various TC models and units that are scattered throughout the prison service. However, for the majority of prisoners, who exist outside of these communities, legitimacy can be in short supply.<br />
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The problem then arises that if legitimacy is in short supply <strong>how do we keep prisons this side of the brink of disorder and riot</strong>? Having had experience of ‘a disturbance’ in prison believe me you do not want a prison to descend into the brutal maelstrom of disorder. It does no one any favours, not the participants, not staff and not the wider population or indeed the public. So what can be done to ensure this does not happen?</div>
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One such mechanism is <strong>involving prisoners in the regime in which they must exist</strong>, involving them in shaping the manner of their incarceration. This is not, as some of the more right wing press may attest, pandering to the whims of prisoners but is instead the <strong>opening of a dialogue between what can often be two entrenched and openly hostile populations –prisoners and the prison</strong>.</div>
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Ever since the Woolf report there has been a recognition of the importance of this process but many of the experiments have failed. The User Voice model has not failed. It has not failed because our engagement both instils from the outset, and maintains throughout, <strong>objectivity and open democracy</strong> – which can in turn lead to a process of <strong>communitisation</strong> (the adoption of the community values and structure) and thus legitimacy. How does it do this?</div>
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Simples! Council’s fail when there is no investment (and thus no action) from the Number 1 Governor, if the prisoners who end up on it are staff favourites or patsies and have no respect throughout the population and if the Senior Management Team become alienated through the Council’s negativity. We solve these issues. How? Well, that would be telling … trade secrets and all that (I could tell you but then I would have to …)!</div>
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Let us just say that investment is ensured by contracting us in, we<b> engage with the whole population </b>whether they be those with GOAD issues (those like us!) or not and we are solution driven and focused. See, simples (maybe).</div>
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So for me its all about legitimacy. Without it Gaols fall, with it … well its not a panacea but it <b>enables a process of dialogue, collaboration, co-production, civility, pro-socialisation, increased social capital and ultimately improved relationships </b>and then … peace! </div>
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That’s why I’m there, that’s why I do what I do.</div>
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User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-53519760504934623442013-05-06T12:00:00.000+01:002013-06-05T12:54:47.956+01:00I use my experiences to connect with people and it shows others we can change and be an example<br />
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My name is Max,<br />
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I’ve been volunteering at user voice for nearly 8 months now and I have found that it's been a really valuable experience in my life. I have really enjoyed working on the London probation project.</div>
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I love working with the service users in probation of course it can be challenging but that’s par for the course- as a service user & ex offender and recovering addict myself I can use my experiences to connect with people and it shows others we can change and be an example.</div>
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I love to see people try to help themselves, and when we are all working together alongside probation I get great fulfillment when the service users are enjoying what they are taking part in and seeing people that think they have nothing to offer or nothing to say smile and tell me that they really enjoyed that!!! “MAKES ME HAPPY”</div>
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User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4105610263878517771.post-44015612994315904572013-04-29T12:00:00.000+01:002013-06-05T14:08:15.039+01:00Co-production : what does it mean in the criminal justice system?<em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><b>Daniel Hutt</b></em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgeRFjSsU-pj6zp2hhmssV9EKqSZa2PcKxZIZkFGoZlHo43B9pFOaDHjgIz83WBX_uIdN1Sf-lQrjzn3VJsEeOxxm3d6RYASY6_zTybEvqglq_XC7oxLInXsJ1Qvvb_eaAlHtT-FqL-gA/s1600/Daniel+Hutt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgeRFjSsU-pj6zp2hhmssV9EKqSZa2PcKxZIZkFGoZlHo43B9pFOaDHjgIz83WBX_uIdN1Sf-lQrjzn3VJsEeOxxm3d6RYASY6_zTybEvqglq_XC7oxLInXsJ1Qvvb_eaAlHtT-FqL-gA/s200/Daniel+Hutt.JPG" width="154" /></a>User Voice sits on the <strong>National Co-production Critical Friends Group</strong> (more <a data-mce-href="http://coproductionnetwork.com/page/national-coproduction-critical-friends-briefings" href="http://coproductionnetwork.com/page/national-coproduction-critical-friends-briefings" style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration: none;">here</a>), a group of national policymakers, academics and researchers which acts as a source of thinking, challenge, collaboration and networking in the area of co-production.<br />
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Co-production is becoming more accepted as a way of service providers and service users working together in the public sector. But what does it actually mean? There are lots of definitions around, so as a Group we tried to come up with something that encompassed them all:</div>
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<b>"Co-production is a relationship where professionals and citizens share power to plan and deliver support together, recognising that both sides have vital contributions to make in order to improve quality of life for people and communities."</b></blockquote>
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We hope that this definition is a clear description of the concept for those who are new to the term. And key to it was that if you are thinking of taking on co-production yourself, we would recommend creating a<strong> local definition</strong>.</div>
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Co-production exists in various forms, to varying degrees in a range of settings from health and social care to housing. But what about the <strong>criminal justice system</strong>?</div>
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User Voice was founded in 2009 because co-production in this area was almost non-existent. Some might argue there is a moral argument that differentiates criminal justice from other areas. People have committed a crime and therefore relinquished the right to be involved in decision making processes.</div>
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But if we want to <strong>reduce re-offending</strong> – and surely everyone does – then it makes <strong>business sense</strong> to include people who know most about how to do this. If T-Mobile executives designed a new mobile phone in an office without working with its customers and expected it to be a success then they would be laughed out of the boardroom.</div>
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Yet this is exactly the approach taken in criminal justice.</div>
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<strong>What does co-production in this context actually mean? How can it work?</strong></div>
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Prisons and probation are often places where things are done to, rather than done with, service users – prisoners and offenders. But there are examples, which we have promoted and developed, of <strong>service users </strong>being involved in the<strong> co-design and co-delivery of services</strong>.</div>
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There are examples of co-delivery especially around peer mentoring in its various forms. And there are a number of forums and committees for people to get involved in co-design, such as wing committees and race relations representatives in prisons. But these have limited<strong> degrees of power</strong>, a crucial element of co-production as stated in the definition above.</div>
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So what we have tried to do is facilitate <strong>a safe and credible model of co-production that works in the criminal justice system</strong>. We haven’t reinvented the wheel, but we’ve made it fit. We use a<strong> ‘council’ model</strong>, with elected representatives meeting with senior managers to put forward proposals for change within prisons, probation or other related services and acting as a sounding board for new ideas or changes to existing provision. It doesn’t sound ground breaking, but when you see it in action (you can see videos <a data-mce-href="http://www.uservoice.org/about-us/the-team/staff-blogs-2/www.youtube.com/uservoiceorg" href="http://www.uservoice.org/about-us/the-team/staff-blogs-2/www.youtube.com/uservoiceorg" style="color: #4d469c; text-decoration: none;">here</a>) the results are incredible given the traditional <strong>power dynamics</strong> of the system.</div>
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We are not advocating that people don’t deserve to be in prison or on probation for a crime that they have committed. They do. And we are not saying that the ‘lunatics should run the asylum’ – a charge so often levelled against us. What we are saying is that as a society, if we truly want our criminal justice system to <strong>help people reform</strong> so that when they come out of prison, they are less likely to commit another crime, then we need to<strong> include them in finding the answer.</strong></div>
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Failing to include people only leads to further <strong>exclusion and desperation</strong>, igniting rather than easing anti-social behaviour, violence and criminality. Only by involving these people in the decision making process, can we give them what they need to make it back into mainstream society.</div>
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User Voicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13610239188228543898noreply@blogger.com1