We bring both expertise and relevant experience of studying HE in prison and of facilitating the provision of study materials. We have a well-established reputation for providing excellent support to students in prison and on release, and we have significant connections and networks within the field of prison education. This unique blend of lived experience combined with professional and academic expertise places us in a strong position to take this ambitious project forward.
Dan
As a result of his own lived experience, Dan is a passionate driver of rehabilitative change. From a starting point of no education attainment, he has achieved undergraduate and postgraduate degrees while in prison and is now studying for a PhD in criminology. He has a proud commitment to challenging and enabling others to achieve great things, and to inspiring and motivating people with his enthusiasm, drive and his academic success. Dan has held multiple roles facilitating education provision within prison and university settings and believes that to make any positive changes, prisoners must gather the agency to mobilise and create the space that can serve as a platform for change. He has a unique understanding of prisoners’ needs, experiences and lack of voice which has shaped his career aspirations to dedicate himself to prison reform and education.
Ruth
Ruth is a highly driven and enthusiastic expert in prison education, with a strong reputation for her specialist knowledge and her caring, people-centred approach to her work. She has taught in prisons, has a Master’s degree in online and distance education and has worked in Learning Design at The Open University, as well as leading the OU prison education team. She has witnessed the transformative power of education and relishes the opportunity to bring this to a new student group. Ruth is an astute and inspiring teacher and leader, building strong relationships as the foundation of success. She is acutely aware of the challenging circumstances which currently limit education opportunities in prison, and is therefore devoted to enabling rehabilitative change
Together, we bring a unique and complementary combination of skills, lived experience expertise, management and administrative abilities, and economic prowess, which creates an energetic dynamic. We share a strong commitment to social justice and rehabilitation of people in prison, manifested in providing a prisoner voice and empowerment. We have expertise and relevant experience of studying Higher Education in prison and of facilitating the provision of study materials. We have a well-established reputation for providing excellent support to students in prison and on release, and we have significant connections and networks within the field of prison education. This unique blend of lived experience combined with professional and academic practice places us in a strong position to take this ambitious project forward.
Ian
Ian is a retired businessman and academic, who successfully established and led his own company for many years. He is an economist with a strong sense of social responsibility, having first engaged with a prison university partnership during his own student days in the late 1950s. He has served as treasurer on many charity boards and will take the lead with finances and business-related decisions.
We provide professional support and challenge to universities, working closely with HMPPS and the Ministry of Justice to ensure a high quality of educational support for students in prison. Our focus is on rehabilitation in its purest form; prioritising the voice of people in prison who are disadvantaged by socio-economic features, negative educational experiences and disillusion. We will maximise our substantial expertise in higher education in prison, using our excellent inter-personal skills and effective working relationships with a wide range of partners.