User Voice

User Voice is getting ready to launch our new hub at our London office in Vauxhall.

🌉Co-created with people with convictions, The Bridge Hub is a unique resource supporting people leaving prison. Working alongside Prisons, Probation and the Voluntary Sector, it will harness the desire of so many people in the justice system to give back to their communities through volunteering; providing structure, purpose, skills development and confidence building.

➡We know the people that will be using the Hub will have many other needs, so we are looking to partner with London based specialist support services to ensure we have the right signposting and support available on site.

We would love to work with you, so if this is of interest to your organisation please get in touch at [email protected].

Last month, we held Co-Production Open Space Events in HMP Northumberland and HMP Bronzefield .

💡 What is an Open Space event?

The aim of these events is simple, but powerful:

Space where council members and staff can speak openly, challenge constructively, and design solutions side by side.

To create space for meaningful, collaborative conversations about the issues people are living and working with every day.

Space to move beyond “this is the problem” into “how do we fix it — together?”

Because when residents and staff co-produce change, it sticks.

At HMP Bronzefield, the agreed priorities for next steps were:
➡️ Improving access to glasses and contact lenses so women have fair access to education, courses and work.
➡️Strengthening collaboration between the prison and domestic abuse/violence organisations to better prepare women for release.
➡️Developing peer-led trauma support and emotional wellbeing forums
In a women’s prison especially, where trauma and experiences of abuse are so prevalent, these conversations are not “nice to have” — they are essential.

At HMP Northumberland, the focus moving forward is:
➡️Training & Employment: expanding course opportunities that lead to real jobs inside prison and on release, with monthly prisoner forums to keep opportunities relevant.
➡️Communication: developing an internal intranet via in-cell technology to improve communication and access to education.
➡️Gym access: increasing access to equipment to promote healthier lifestyles.

Different prisons. Different priorities.
But the same energy — people wanting to build something better. 💛

‘There was this small but brilliant moment at Bronzefield — a biscuit iced with “User Voice.” I’ve been to a lot of events over the years, and I’ve never seen that before. It might seem small, but it didn’t feel small. It felt thoughtful. It felt intentional. It felt like a sign that this work — and the space to be heard — is genuinely valued.’ - Sophie, Team Leader

Co-production isn’t a buzzword. It’s a shift in power. It’s growth. It’s accountability. It’s collaboration in action.

And when prisons create spaces like this, they don’t just improve what happens inside the gate — they ultimately contribute to safer communities.

Grateful to everyone — residents and staff — who showed up ready to talk honestly and build solutions together. This is how change happens.

User Voice is seeking an experienced individual, preferably with lived experience of the justice system, to design and facilitate monthly online group reflective practice for our regionally dispersed delivery team (all with lived experience).

The aim is to create a safe, inclusive space to share learning, and strengthen professional practice—while ensuring staff can pause, reflect, and work together with clarity and confidence.

We are looking for someone with experience of facilitation of reflective practice in settings where trauma is a feature (justice, health, social care, youth, or allied fields).

For more details and to apply - see our website: https://www.uservoice.org/reflective-practice-facilitator/

📢 Do you want to use your skills and lived experience to help transform our criminal justice system?

User Voice, who bring together those impacted by the system with those delivering its services to create meaningful change is currently hiring, we have several vacancies on our website - follow the links below for more details on each role.

➡️ Lived Experience Consultant (London, Part Time) https://www.uservoice.org/lived-experience-consultant-london/

➡️ Lived Experience Consultant (NW England, Full Time) https://www.uservoice.org/lived-experience-consultant-north-west-england/

➡️ Project Manager - Lived Experience Health Programmes (London, Full Time) https://www.uservoice.org/lived-experience-consultant-north-west-england/

➡️ Reflective Practice Facilitator (Remote, Freelance) https://www.uservoice.org/reflective-practice-facilitator/

If you have any questions about any of our roles, please get in touch at [email protected] - we would love to hear from you.

The Bridge Hub is preparing to launch at our London office in Vauxhall. Co‑created with people with convictions, it will offer a range of volunteering opportunities that provide structure, purpose, skills development, and confidence building for people leaving prison or on probation, helping them contribute positively to their communities.

Interested in co running the hub alongside us? To apply and find out more see our website: https://www.uservoice.org/work-with-us/volunteer/the-bridge-hub-volunteer-london/

We are proud to work with City Bridge Foundation , which bridges London and connects communities through grant funding and progressive partnerships and alliances.

User Voice is seeking an experienced Project Manager to join our team [Full-time, London].

This is an exciting new leadership role within User Voice’s London team, responsible for delivering two major programmes at the intersection of Health Justice and forensic mental health services.

The Project Manager will lead the planning, delivery, and evaluation of these initiatives, ensuring they meet strategic objectives and deliver meaningful impact for participants and stakeholders.

This role is ideal for someone with lived experience of the criminal justice system who is already leading complex projects and managing teams and partnerships.

For more details and to apply - see our website: https://www.uservoice.org/project-manager-lived-experience-health-programmes

Deadline: 14th April, 2026
(We encourage you to apply ASAP. Applications will be reviewed and interviews scheduled on a rolling basis.)

We're Hiring! User Voice is looking for a Lived Experience Consultant in London (Part-Time - 3 days a week). Applications are open until Sunday, 5th April.

User Voice is looking for a passionate, committed individual with personal lived experience of the criminal justice system to join our team as a Lived Experience Consultant.

This role is central to ensuring that the voices of people in the justice system shape the services that affect them. You’ll work across London prisons, as well as a range of community‑based projects regionally, and occasionally national. Some projects will require significant travel, so flexibility is essential. You must be off-license to apply, as this role is subject to HMPPS clearance.

For more information and to apply: https://www.uservoice.org/lived-experience-consultant-london/

We're Hiring! User Voice is looking for a Lived Experience Consultant in the North-West of England (Full Time). We have extended the deadline for this role to Friday, 27th March.

User Voice is looking for a passionate, committed individual with personal lived experience of the criminal justice system to join our team as a Lived Experience Consultant.

This roles is central to ensuring that the voices of people in the justice system shape the services that affect them. You’ll work directly across our Prison Councils in HMP Altcourse and HMP Forest Bank, as well as a range of community‑based projects regionally, and occasionally national. Some projects will require significant travel, so flexibility is essential.

For updated details and to apply - see our website: https://www.uservoice.org/lived-experience-consultant-north-west-england/

Please share with your networks!

We are delighted to announce we have received an unrestricted grant from the Garfield Weston Foundation.

The grant will support our core operating costs, helping us to change minds, transform lives, and build a better criminal justice system that truly serves everyone through lived experience leadership and insights.

This funding will support our work bringing together people impacted by the justice system with those who deliver its services to create much needed transformative change, and empowering people with convictions to play an active role in improving the system, through a range of opportunities while developing their skills and confidence.

On behalf of everyone we work with, a huge thank you to the Garfield Weston Foundation for your support, it is really appreciated! 💛

Garfield Weston Foundation

Looking for your next role? Have a look at our latest opportunity below ⬇️

📢 We're Hiring!

Lived Experience Consultants - North-West England (Full Time and Part Time)

User Voice is looking for passionate, committed individuals with personal lived experience of the criminal justice system to join our team as Lived Experience Consultants.

These roles are central to ensuring that the voices of people in the justice system shape the services that affect them. You’ll work directly across our Prison Councils in HMP Altcourse and HMP Forest Bank, as well as a range of community‑based projects regionally, and occasionally national. Some projects will require significant travel, so flexibility is essential.

For more details and to apply - see our website: https://www.uservoice.org/lived-experience-consultant-north-west-england/

We encourage you to apply ASAP. Applications will be reviewed and interviews scheduled on a rolling basis.

📢 We're Hiring!

Lived Experience Consultants - North-West England (Full Time and Part Time)

User Voice is looking for passionate, committed individuals with personal lived experience of the criminal justice system to join our team as Lived Experience Consultants.

These roles are central to ensuring that the voices of people in the justice system shape the services that affect them. You’ll work directly across our Prison Councils in HMP Altcourse and HMP Forest Bank, as well as a range of community‑based projects regionally, and occasionally national. Some projects will require significant travel, so flexibility is essential.

For more details and to apply - see our website: https://www.uservoice.org/lived-experience-consultant-north-west-england/

We encourage you to apply ASAP. Applications will be reviewed and interviews scheduled on a rolling basis.

Well done to Pact - Prison Advice & Care Trust and all the other charities who fought against this unjust and highly counter productive plan to name and shame people doing unpaid work in the community.

Reflecting on this news, Lucie Russell, CEO said, 'Naming and shaming would have grossly negatively impacted the motivation of people doing unpaid work to change their lives, so completely counter to the aims of rehabilitation. This shaming strategy would have also really impacted their families and children. We welcome this decision by the Government.'

insidetime.org