Life After Prison

When Caprice went to prison for the first time at 44, she never imagined a poster on a prison wall would lead her to Ali, a coach whose belief in her would help reshape her future. Together, they share a story of resilience, recall, rebuilding and the importance of having someone who sees your potential, even when you can't see it yourself.

Organisations:

Her/their Mighty Pen: Life writing from women's prisons, featuring a foreword by award-winning broadcaster and poet Scout Tzofiya Bolton. A collection of memoir, poetry, letters, essays and short stories by women and non-binary people in prison in the UK, meditating on themes spanning childhood, ancestors, care, identity, mental health and prison life.

Online Launch Event - https://www.tickettailor.com/events/hertheirmightypen/2344163

Working Chance - Helps women with convictions into employment, offering career coaching, skills training, and support for those exploring self-employment or entrepreneurship.

Spark Inside - deliver coaching programmes in prisons, helping young people develop confidence, emotional intelligence, and a sense of purpose. Their work focuses on supporting long-term personal change and better outcomes after release.

Contact us:

If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us.

💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok

📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio

✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF

🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While studying accountancy at university, Pratik became involved in drug dealing, believing it was a shortcut to success. After being convicted of conspiracy to supply drugs, he received a 2-year prison sentence, a period that changed the course of his life.

Pratik has written about drug policy, taught financial literacy, and, post-release, has supported people who have left prison. Former COO and now programme lead at Breakthrough CIC, Pratik is now delivering AI courses in prison, helping others prepare for life beyond the gate.

Today, we'll talk about identity, entrepreneurship, prison, second chances, and why Pratik believes some of life's greatest strengths can be found behind bars.

Organisations:

Breakthrough Social Enterprise - Work with people in prison and those affected by the criminal justice system, supporting them to build positive futures and challenge the cycle of reoffending. It focuses on employment, education, mentoring and personal development, helping people move forward with their lives after prison.

Employment4All - Our mission is to help individuals in difficulties and those from disadvantaged groups gain skills, access jobs, and have equal opportunities.

Contact us:

If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us.

💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok

📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio

✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF

🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Prison was the easiest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

Today we're joined by Lilly Lewis. The first time we met Lilly, she told us that compared to everything else she'd been though, her time in prison was the 'easiest thing she'd ever done.'

Since the last time we met her, Lilly’s achieved so much. She’s continued rebuilding her life, become a passionate advocate for women with lived experience, influenced policy and systems change, and launched her own organisation supporting women after trauma and prison.

We’re so happy to have her back and find out a bit more about what life looks like now.

Useful Organisations:

One Small Thing - An organisation with a vision of a justice system that can recognise, understand, and respond to trauma. Their mission is to redesign the justice system for women and their children.

Contact us:

If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us.

💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok

📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio

✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF

🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tony Supreme talks to Caragh Arthur, founder of Arthur Employment Law, Senior Policy Lead at HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), Non-Exec director of the housing CIC Contix, University of Cambridge graduate, and a Churchill Fellow researching the experiences of women in prison.

Caragh shares the remarkable journey that took her from childhood trauma, addiction and 16 prison sentences to becoming a business owner, civil servant and Churchill Fellow. She reflects on the people who believed in her when she couldn't believe in herself, the barriers of rebuilding life after prison, and how lived experience has shaped her approach to leadership. She also discusses founding her own employment law consultancy, studying at the University of Cambridge, and why she believes people should never be defined by their past.

Useful organisations:

BUBIC (Bringing Unity Back Into the Community)- Community-led organisation supporting people affected by crime, substance use and social exclusion through peer support, outreach and recovery services.
Narcotics Anonymous (NA)- Peer support meetings for people recovering from drug addiction.
Unlock- Independent charity providing information and advice for people with criminal records, including employment, disclosure and DBS checks.
Churchill Fellowship- Find out more about Churchill Fellowships and how to apply for funding to research an issue you're passionate about and bring new ideas back to the UK.

Contact us:
If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us.
💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok
📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio
✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Cellmate To CEO, Tony Supreme talks to Chris Sylvester.  Chris is the founder of Getting Clean, an organisation ‘reducing crime and grime’ by supporting people with addiction issues by making and selling soap. Chris also runs LERO Leeds, a lived experience recovery organisation, promoting inclusive recovery.

Chris shares the remarkable journey that took him from heroin addiction which began at the age of 12, years of offending and multiple prison sentences, to building an award-winning social enterprise with purpose at its heart.

He reflects on the people who helped him turn his life around, the power of recovery, and why meaningful employment and community can play such an important role in helping people rebuild their lives.

Tony is the CEO of Soul Surge Wellness & Soul Surge and has lived experience of the criminal justice system himself. In this inspirational series, he talks to other CEOs, leaders and changemakers about their transition from prison to leadership.

Useful organisations:

Getting Clean- An organisation whose moto is ‘to ensure all addicts in the UK have access to peer-support and employment opportunities.’
Narcotics Anonymous (NA) – Peer support meetings for people recovering from drug addiction.
LERO Leeds- (Lived Experience Recovery Organisation) - challenging stigma and changing the perception of addiction within society

Contact us:
If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us.
💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok
📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio
✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF
🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.