In March 2026, we provided a placement opportunity for Ella, a Prison Officer currently based at HMP Styal and a participant in the Unlocked Graduate training scheme. According to Unlocked, the training scheme aims to “recruit, train and challenge outstanding individuals to lead change in prisons and throughout society, with the aim of creating a generation of leaders committed to radically improving outcomes for prisoners.” As part of their training, every Unlocked Graduate completes a two‑week placement with an organisation working within the Criminal Justice System, and Ella chose to spend her placement with us.
Ella had the opportunity to see a wide variety of Geese’s work, including a week-long project in HMP Pentonville and a training / conference event for school staff exploring educational experiences of young people who have social work involvement in their lives. She wrote a reflective blog about her experience of observing our work in HMP Pentonville:
“As a Prison Officer at HMP Styal, the idea of working alongside a theatre company for a couple of weeks initially sounded like a welcome break from my usual routine. However, what I took from the experience was far more than just a change of environment.
I spent the week shadowing two lovely facilitators, Lou and Connor, as they delivered a project with young adults at HMP Pentonville. As an officer, my job focuses on security, discipline, and, more often than not, locking and unlocking an overwhelming number of doors. While any good officer believes they support the people in their care, it is rare to see them outside of the usual moments of lock-up, meal times, and association. This week gave me the opportunity to see people in a completely different environment and, in many ways, a completely different light.
I was a little unsure about what the week would look like. In my head, putting a group of young men from a prison environment into a theatre space for a week sounded like it might be quite a challenge. But the week actually ran far more smoothly than I expected. The facilitators created a safe and respectful space very quickly, and it was clear the participants felt comfortable early on. I remember one participant saying they “felt safe already” after only the second session, which really stayed with me.
As the week went on, I noticed small changes within the group. People who were quiet at the start began contributing more, and others who appeared very confident began to show a more reflective side. The activities were not just drama exercises; they encouraged the participants to think about themselves, their choices, and how they interact with others. These conversations are not typically easy, yet following the story of a third-party character provided a safe space for these discussions to be explored without the shame that can sometimes come with direct conversations, or the futile approach of telling someone “why they should or should not be the way they are”.
As the group became more comfortable, it was really noticeable how they began to support each other and listen to each other in a way that you don’t always see on the landings. There was a level of respect in the room that seemed to come naturally, which made me realise how much environment and approach can influence behaviour.
This experience really made me reflect on my own role and the wider purpose of prisons. It is easy to become caught up in routine and security, but this week reminded me that rehabilitation and personal development should be at the centre of what we do. Seeing the participants engage, reflect, and challenge themselves showed me the real value of this kind of work.
I will definitely take forward a different perspective from this experience — that sometimes giving people space, trust, and a different way to express themselves can achieve things that discipline and routine alone cannot.”
