Understanding the barriers that prevent people from connecting with the society around them

OUT is a diverse group of people, some who have been in prison, with a collective interest in the prison and criminal justice systems. OUT has been working with a researcher to support their journey to becoming a more established group that has a clear identity and vision, and greater capacity to support others who are also within or outside of the criminal justice system. To do this, as a group they have explored and learned more about various topics linked to the justice system, both from an academic and other perspectives. They started their collaboration with a researcher with both partners viewing the project as knowledge exchange, with the researcher sharing learnt knowledge and current research and group members sharing their lived experience. They have since joined forces with a new researcher from Hull University Criminology Department who has become fully embedded within the OUT group.

As the research partner who has listened deeply within the OUT group, I can confidently represent views that align with people who typically have less power in society, which has been huge for me as a lecturer and privately. The group has led to that change by generously sharing their life experiences.

Their work aims to break isolation and improve mental wellbeing between people inside and outside prison and form meaningful relationships that might lead to further collaboration, resource creation and peer support. As well as their regular meetings they deliver wellbeing activities such as art projects and beekeeping.

We are people who value kindness and allow ourselves to be human with shortcomings

Their evidence building grant will enable one of the group members to take on a part time paid role to collaborate with the researcher. They will explore how people with lived experience of the criminal justice system engage in equitable research relationships, what have been the ingredients to the groups success to date, look at the barriers to connection for people in Hull and the consequences of being stigmatized and excluded from society and reduce stigma through the collection of stories to reclaim memories and dispel myths.