Nacro service users and staff recently took part in three days of peer researcher training facilitated by Dr Sarah Lewis and Kam Stevens from Penal Reform Solutions. This was a great opportunity to explore the possibilities of peer research within Nacro. and how we can all use it to benefit the services we delivery, the people we support and our campaigns work.
The people we support who attended are all part of Nacro’s Justice ExChange, which is a group of people that use their lived experience of the justice system to campaign for improvements in the system. They are very generous with both their time and their life histories to try to advocate for positive change for those still trapped in the system.
The week included honest conversations and we discussed ways to unearth the value of lived experience and the impact it can have on organisations such as Nacro as well as on local and national governments. We looked at various topics such as the ethics of research and best practice, and we also examined the Norwegian model of imprisonment and how that could be an alternative to the failing prison system which we currently see.
We also looked at the importance of empowering individuals by looking at different perspectives and how we can distribute power more evenly when undertaking research, enabling us to create rich meaning and to push boundaries.
The time also included many positive comments from the people in attendance about the impact Nacro has had on their own lives, with one person saying “Nacro have allowed me to be seen and heard as a person once again” – and that’s what we are all about!
About Service User Involvement
Our Service Users shape what we do. We believe that the people we support should be genuine partners to help inform the services we deliver and influence the campaigns we champion.
Our Service User Involvement team collaborates with our service users to ensure their voice is heard, using their experiences and insight to influence changes that are needed in Justice, Health, Education and Housing.
Learn more about Service User Involvement here.