Our Participants

Since we were founded in 2016, Unlocked Graduates has placed nearly 900 prison officers in 38 different prisons across England and Wales.

We are creating a generation of leaders who believe that rehabilitation is possible, and our participants are driving real change on the landings.

Every year, we recruit, train and support some of the most ambitious graduates in the country to be outstanding prison officers and high-performing leaders to break cycles of reoffending in prison and throughout society. They come from all different backgrounds and have a wide range of reasons for joining Unlocked Graduates.

Our participants work in some of the toughest environments, but they are uniquely positioned to identify challenges and new solutions across the prison service. Our training and support model gives them the skills and expertise to have a real impact on the landings, leading rehabilitative change and driving system reform.

[Unlocked participants] listen to prisoners… they see things from a different viewpoint… They have good communication skills. And those skills have rubbed off on other members of staff.

Custodial Manager, HMIP Improving Behaviour in Prisons

We are incredibly proud of the impact that our participants and Ambassadors are having on the landings. Their impact is recognised by their colleagues, prison leadership teams and across the sector.

Many of our participants are promoted or take on additional responsibilities during their time on the programme, and several Unlocked participants have received Prison Officer of the Year awards in recognition of their outstanding work.