Parkhead Citizens Advice Bureau
Parkhead Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) has been supporting inmates at HMP Barlinnie for more than two decades. We provide a platform to address the myriad concerns and hurdles individuals encounter when they start a prison sentence, during their sentence, preparing for their release, our advisory support for family members in the community and to clients once released.
In September 2022, we have increased our presence in HMP Barlinnie with the launch of our “Improving Lives” project, made possible by funding from the National Lottery. This has enabled us to expand our 1-2-1 advisory service, facilitated by a qualified and seasoned CAB adviser Chad. Additionally, as a Training Officer and Community Link, I gained the opportunity to collaborate with inmates at HMP Barlinnie, develop and implement a wide range of resources and deliver much-needed assistance through sought-after workshops.
As part of my role, I connect with partnership organisations to explore opportunities we can collaboratively offer to prisoners serving their sentences and individuals who have returned to the community. We met with Mark MacNicol, Creative Change Collective’s Project Director about the prospect of collaborating on this project commissioned by Community Justice Glasgow to write a script on behalf of Volunteer Glasgow.
Creative Change Collective encourages and supports people in prison to learn new skills, develop their confidence and sense of teamwork, and prepare for life outside of prison in a way that makes it less likely they will re-offend all while drawing on their own life experiences. They have delivered successful drama therapy workshops for people not typically interested in drama or have never been involved in it.
We were delighted to be invited to collaborate on this exciting project where the brief was to –
‘Write a script for an audio infomercial to promote volunteering as a positive pathway following liberation’
Navigating the approach of a liberation date, irrespective of the duration of one’s prison sentence, is an inherently daunting journey. It encompasses a blend of emotions: anticipation for a semblance of normalcy and the prospect of rejoining the ‘real world,’ yet also fraught with anxiety regarding the overwhelming process of reintegrating into the community post-liberation.
We are very fortunate to have a base in HMP Barlinnie’s Resource Hub which, also houses the Barbed Wireless – Prison Radio work party. This is a unique work party within the prison where the inmates work on podcasts, interviews and music shows that are broadcast into every cell across the entire prison estate. Communications Officer Barry manages the team, who has worked in Barlinnie for over 20 years. Barry encourages the team to step out of their comfort zone, gain new skills in media technology and find a talent they did not know they had.
The audio infomercial scriptwriting project kicked off with the talented crime writer Chris Dolan who has worked on Taggart and River City in addition to many radio drama scripts, delivering 6 workshop sessions with the group.
The workshop sessions delivered by Chris taught the inmates how to create characters and develop a story. Our goal was to draw on lived experience, creating a relatable story that would inspire the audience to recognise the value of their own experiences, which are highly sought after in the volunteering community.
Behind the Scenes of the Recording Session
We started the story following the journey of two cell-mates Kev and Jack as their liberation day arrives and they make their way to the other side of the gate. The story follows the recently released buddies; one is ready for a change, a different direction away from prison, drugs, and criminality, while the other wants to follow a very familiar path that will ultimately result in a return visit behind the prison walls.
The script follows a raw, emotional, and relatable storyline in which Kev’s mum pleads with her son to choose a better path and the impact his time in prison had on the family on the outside. This is something many prisoners can relate to, and I feel the group have drawn on their own experiences to help people see there is another path, a better path.
Once the project started it was clear we had found hidden talents within the group. The script writing task came naturally to many of the participants and both Chris and I were confident we could support the group to not only write but take it one step further and record the finished script.
We wanted to let the group see the output of their hard work, a finished product to be proud of and by taking the project one step further, we were able to see the group excel in not only scriptwriting but editing, acting, producing and the production of their very own music.
This project has given the group real-life experience of working with clients and the importance of meeting the objectives of the brief and actioning client feedback. Volunteer Glasgow’s Eliza attended many of the sessions, offering valuable insights into the realistic journey of someone pursuing volunteering in the community and its benefits.
We are delighted the project has been a great success for all involved and would like to thank Community Justice Glasgow and Creative Change Collective for the opportunity, Chris Dolan for his incredible approach and additional sessions over and above the project brief, Eliza and the management at Volunteer Glasgow for giving the team the autonomy to be authentically creative and SPS for the support to bring the project to life and Officer Stuart Harkins for joining the talented acting cast.
The audio infomercial “Kev and Jack’s Big Day Oot” will be broadcast across all prisons in Scotland with a launch event in Barlinnie’s Resource Hub planned for April 2024. You can listen to it by CLICKING ON THE IMAGE BELOW.
If you would like to work with us or find out more about our work in HMP Barlinnie – contact me via email – victoria.byrne@parkheadcab.org.uk