The Young Justice Advisors (YJA) are a project team of 20 young adults from across the country with lived experience of the prison and probation service. It was set up by Leaders Unlocked in 2016 with funding from the Barrow Cadbury Trust.

The YJA represent the voices of lived experience and they advocate for people affected by criminal justice issues in order to inform practice and policy at all levels of the criminal justice system.

Since it was established, the YJA have spoken to over 1,000 young adults in prisons, community settings and the care system. They have published three reports and three practical resources for working with young adults – all of which highlight their voices and experiences.

Recently, the YJA have started to develop bespoke communications training for prison and probation officers, which will be led by the young justice advisors.

Nadine Smith, Leaders Unlocked Criminal Justice Project Manager, explains why this programme is needed:

“We’ve spoken to lots of young people at different stages of the criminal justice system and through our programmes in prisons.

“What came out was this real sense that some young people felt that they weren’t being listened to, or that their personal situation wasn’t always taken into account by prison and probation staff.

“Some young people had good relationships with staff members, but on the whole, a lot of interactions could be improved.”

Young adults also felt that there could be more transparency and openness in their communications with prison staff – with some reporting that actions were agreed but not then followed up.

The YJA does recognise that huge pressures are placed on individual staff members who face an ever-increasing workload, so they wanted to devise a programme that would support them in their interactions with young adults.

Nadine explains: “The training is designed to improve participants’ understanding of young adults in their care – giving them new skills and techniques to build effective relationships.”

The training sessions will feature discussion and role play exercises – all informed by young adults with lived experience of the criminal justice system.

“Lived experience is at the centre of everything we do, so it will really help prison staff get a 360° perspective of a young adult’s experience.

“It will also help them better understand how age, race, religion, life events, and trauma all shape a person and how they might act. That knowledge will be invaluable in supporting young adults through difficult situations.”

The YJA plan to pilot their training programme early next year. If you work in the criminal justice system and would like to find out more about the training programme, please get in touch with Nadine.

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