HIKE: Writing for Wellbeing

Project Description

In 2022/23, an interdisciplinary team from the University of Hull successfully implemented a creative writing course tailored for staff at two prisons. The primary objectives were enhancing the mental well-being of prison staff and fostering a deeper understanding of the benefits of such initiatives for prisoners. Participants noted marked improvements in personal well-being and heightened levels of empathy towards prisoners. The culmination of this project phase resulted in a publicly published anthology of creative works from prison staff and a professionally produced documentary.

For the next phase of this work, we aim to:
Collaborate with previously engaged prisons requesting to continue involvement in this initiative and new prisons that have come forward to be involved.
Design a tailored creative writing program focusing on those supporting particularly vulnerable prisoners.
Uniquely integrate both prison staff and 'Listener' prisoners from the Samaritans’ award-winning scheme – a transformative approach to address emotional and mental challenges faced during incarceration by fostering peer support.
This initiative will be led by PI Nichols, Co-I Metcalf, and Co-I Westoby, who have a robust portfolio of innovative research and hands-on experience with at-risk demographics both inside and outside prison settings. To ensure a comprehensive understanding of the project's impact, the Centre for Human Factors (CHF) will spearhead its evaluation. CHF's rich experience in assessing workplace well-being guarantees meticulous analysis and valuable insights.

Through the Innovation Sandpit funding, we intend to:
Hone the Design: Facilitate an ideation session by reuniting phase one participants - the research team, creative writing tutors, and course alumni. This collective will work alongside key stakeholders from His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) to refine our strategies and create a robust framework for phase two.
Measurable Outputs: Produce a second anthology and film, alongside periodic evaluations and feedback forms to track the progress of participants.
Create long-term Impact: Beyond the immediate benefits of enhanced well-being and empathy, we anticipate fostering a culture of understanding and holistic support within prisons. This could lay important groundwork for similar initiatives in other criminal justice settings.