To help prepare for the first training residential, all participants will attend an online onboarding event with key information about the programme.
Participants will be able to choose from several options at the end of March or beginning of April.
Unlocked ChangeMakers
Unlocked ChangeMakers
Unlocked ChangeMakers is a leadership development programme for custodial managers.
A good CM can radically improve outcomes for an entire wing, simultaneously translating the Senior Management Team’s vision onto the landings, while also often line managing up to 30 prison officers or more. They have the ability to drive rehabilitative change, ultimately breaking cycles of reoffending.
Despite this, most receive very limited training.
Not only does this make their own development more challenging, but we also know that it limits the impact of the band 3 officers they line manage. To address this, we launched the ChangeMakers programme in 2024 with the aim of transforming the quality of middle leadership across the prison service.
I’ve moved from being a reactive manager to a proactive leader who sees challenges as opportunities, and who believes in the capacity for growth in everyone – staff and prisoners alike.
Unlocked ChangeMakers Participant
The continuous support and coaching that participants on our graduate programme receive from their Mentoring Prison Officers has shown us that excellent leaders can accelerate the impact a prison officer can have. We are determined to make this level of support available to all officers by giving CMs the tools required to be inspirational leaders who can drive rehabilitative change on the landings.
Transforming Middle Leadership
Programme overview
The Unlocked ChangeMakers programme is a bespoke development scheme for middle leaders in prisons. Our unique approach draws on insights from our graduate programme and a range of independent experts, while lived experience also plays a key role throughout the programme.
Our 2026 programme builds on the success of our pilot year, focusing on the core components of effective middle leadership. With immersive training residentials, ongoing support to implement new skills and study visits to high-performing prisons, the curriculum will cover topics such as leading rehabilitative cultures, driving organisational change, managing others, and fostering effective prisoner engagement.
Onboarding
Residential training
Core training will be delivered by the Unlocked team at two, three-day residentials with a combination of evidence-based theory and practical learning. Guest speakers from across the criminal justice sector will also share insights and lead discussions.
Residentials will take place in April and June 2026 at Eastwood Hall, Nottingham.
Prison visit
All participants will attend a study visit to a high-performing prison. This will facilitate knowledge sharing across the system, giving participants the opportunity to observe some examples of best practice in prisons around the country and continue to build their network across the prison service.
Prison visits will take place in May 2026.
Development days
Development days will see our ChangeMakers partner prisons paired based on location, and participants will have the opportunity to shadow their colleagues in their respective establishments. Participants will also engage in group supervision, a proven model for effective leadership development.
Development days will take place in May and July 2026.
Challenge Goal
Participants will complete an assessed Challenge Goal over their time on the programme. This will provide the opportunity to apply learnings from the course to their day-to-day practice in their prisons.
Mentoring
During their time on the ChangeMakers programme, participants will receive one-to-one mentoring from a leader in the prison service. This will support them to implement their Challenge Goals and develop as outstanding middle leaders.
SMT support
This programme is run in partnership with prison governors. Participants will develop a holistic understanding of the vision for their prison and explore the delivery of the prison’s strategy through meetings with Governing Governors and line managers. This will also be an opportunity for governors to learn more about each participants’ learning on the programme and hear about their Challenge Goals.
Graduation and reflection
Participants will come together to celebrate their achievements on the ChangeMakers programme and reflect on the impact it has had on their development and in their prisons. This will also be an opportunity to think about how to take these skills forward to ensure long-lasting change.
How to apply
Applications for the 2026 Unlocked ChangeMakers programme are now closed.
For any questions about the ChangeMakers programme, please contact changemakers@unlockedgrads.org.uk
