One of the unique features of the Unlocked Graduates programme is our Mentoring Prison Officer (MPO) system. MPOs are responsible to supporting our pioneering prison officers over the course of their two-year leadership programme. We sat down with Roy De-Allie to discuss his experiences in the role over the last year:

Why did you decide to become a prison officer?

My mum’s brother started the job in 1961, and did it for quite a few years. Then my sister followed suit, she went in as a non-operational, and that was when I got to hear a lot about the job. She said to me “I think you’d be good at it.” I had a look into it and decided I would take the plunge and join. I didn’t know much about it I’ve got to be honest – but I upskilled while I was there, no day is ever the same, and I’ve loved every minute of it!

How long have you been a prison officer and where have you worked?

I started as a prison officer in 2004, prior to that I was at the Operational Support Grade level (OSG) from 1990. Most of my career was done at HMP Pentonville, I moved from Pentonville to Holloway, and then from Holloway I went on to The Mount.

And what attracted you to the role of Mentoring Prison Officer?

I totally agreed with the idea. I’ve been a mentor before, but I’ve only ever mentored someone for a maximum of seven days. They often come and see me afterwards with different questions and it just wasn’t long enough. Unlocked Graduates is a programme that includes Mentoring Prison Officer as a role for two years, and I just thought that’s a perfect amount of time, so decided to apply for it.

What are your main responsibilities as an MPO?

My main responsibilities are to conduct one-to-one reviews and group supervisions. We also provide additional training for the prison officers, which they do alongside their day-to-day work. Apart from that, it’s general support and signposting.

What kind of subjects do the Unlocked Graduates ask for support with?

I get a lot of questions about ‘dynamic security,’ which is the method by which we build relationships with the prisoners in order to assess and reduce risks. They often ask if they are doing it right or doing it wrong – since I do a lot of observing, I can provide direct feedback to individuals during the one-to-one reviews.

What are the benefits of the MPO system?

The main benefit is the ongoing support that we provide to all the Unlocked Graduates, from coaching sessions to mentoring conversations.

What’s surprised you most about being an MPO?

How quickly the participants have made an impact, within six months they were already making changes. Having that mentor system has really pushed them on, and the support will make them future leaders

At the end of July the second cohort of prospective Unlocked Graduates will be starting Summer Institute, the six week training programme that will prepare them to be frontline prison officers. We asked Ruby from the original 2017 cohort to share her reflections on Summer Institute, one year on:

You’re getting closer to the start of Summer Institute, so hopefully this will give you a better idea of what to expect. You are about to begin training for one of the most challenging, rewarding and unpredictable jobs, one that will develop your confidence and resilience like no other. Summer Institute is an incredible and exhausting learning curve, and the six weeks are crammed with training, lectures and role play scenarios.

You will be given your uniform on the first day, and you will move back into halls again. Truthfully, I never saw myself going into the prison service prior to joining Unlocked Graduates, so to be picking up the black and white uniform was a very surreal experience. I found myself with a group of 50 of the most supportive and passionate people, all equally as nervous as the next person.

The training is intense, and the days are long, and it is difficult to balance revision for practical training and the assignments for the masters, but you will be inspired by the people you meet, reminding you why you are on this programme. The support of your MPO is invaluable; they will be your lifeline for the next two years!

There were plenty of moments during Summer Institute where I doubted myself and questioned my ability to control a wing of 100 men who were sure to have absolutely no interest in listening to me, particularly when I could be half their age. The scenarios we ran through in training often left me panicking: I’m not tough enough, I’m not assertive enough, I’m not loud enough. Everyone goes through this! You will find your own approach that works for you, so don’t worry, don’t be afraid to ask questions and put yourself out of your comfort zone whenever you can.

There will be nothing quite as daunting as walking onto your wing on your first day as a prison officer. But once you have done this, and once you have spent two weeks there, you will see how much you have developed already. Enjoy the milestones along the way in Summer Institute, too. You will pass your first aid training, learn how to respond to serious incidents, develop your authoritative body language and tone of voice, hear from inspirational speakers about the impact of prison and the positive influence of a good prison officer, and there is a graduation ceremony at the end of the six weeks to celebrate everything you have achieved.

One year into the job, and I am still learning every day, but I can see how my resilience and confidence has developed. You will also have an amazing support network through your cohort. It is so rewarding to know that you have made a positive difference to just one person’s experience in prison, too, no matter how small.

Good luck!

Bolu is in her final year at Sheffield University, studying Law. She’s currently thinking about doing a master’s abroad but is still interested in a career in the criminal justice system.

Why did you want to work for Unlocked Graduates?

Unlocked Graduates uses innovative ideas to look at tackling reoffending and making sure those who commit crimes are helped to go back into the community. I study law and I’m interested in the way that law impacts communities.

What do you think makes Unlocked Graduates stand out from other opportunities?

You’ve got to be passionate about what you’re representing, that’s very important. You need to be engaged with the message you’re trying to give to others. I was interested in what Unlocked Graduates were doing, so I could speak passionately about it. The flexibility and support we were given made it stand out to me. With Unlocked, I could bring in my ideas, which is important because everyone’s different and works in different ways.

How would you describe your role as an Unlocked Graduates Brand Manager?

It was probably one of the most rewarding jobs because I improved myself as a person, in terms of skills and confidence. I started dialogues with other Brand Managers and was able to use my social media platforms and society connections to communicate and network with people. I was spreading the word about a graduate scheme that people thought was really unconventional! Seeing it on their face was the best thing for me, I could connect and have productive conversations. I could challenge misconceptions about a role that has negative connotations that often aren’t accurate. People felt like they could have a direct impact on crime levels – and that was fantastic to see.

What advice would you give to someone applying for the role?

You have to be passionate, that’s the most important thing. You don’t want someone who’s just looking for a part time job, you need to care about the cause. You also need strong communication skills and good organisation. I really enjoyed the training, I got to meet some of the other Brand Managers and felt like a part of a bigger network.

What have you gained from the experience?

The role has taught me a lot about myself. Being a Brand Manager was not my only part time job so I had to organise my time effectively. It taught me that when I truly believe in something it’s really easy to talk about it. I found myself talking about it all the time! I now know that when you want something you really need to go for it 100% and make sure you bring your best self, that you prepare and know what you’re talking about and what to expect.

Interested in developing your skills whilst also fitting paid work around your studies? Unlocked Graduates are recruiting Brand Managers for universities across the country – apply here.

Unlocked Graduate Scarlett blogs about a recent academic conference she attended:

Last week I had the pleasure of attending a conference on ‘Best Practice in Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System,’ hosted by the Centre for Mental Health. This piece cannot do all of the many brilliant speakers justice, but here are some insights from the day – ones which really stood out to me as a Prison Officer.

This focus is particularly important because I was immediately struck by the fact that I was the only Prison Officer at the conference. I was fortunate enough to have been able to book annual leave to be there (which is often tricky for prison staff!), and to have my ticket paid for by the amazing Unlocked Participant Development Fund. The many thought-provoking points made during this day-long conference re-affirmed my belief in how vital it is that we make frontline staff a part of academic debate that can affect change.

Read more Conference visit – “Best Practice in Mental Health” →