On Thurs 26 Nov, the latest cohort of Activate community development course graduates celebrated their achievements with a graduation ceremony at HMP Polmont.

For the first time, this cohort included both male and female prisoners from Polmont prison and young offender’s institute (YOI).

Activate is a community development course designed to give people who are active in their community an opportunity to reflect on what they do and why they do it. Participants get the opportunity to examine different practical approaches to working in the community and to think more deeply about how they can contribute to its development. It can also provide a platform for access to more advanced community development programmes in a further or higher education setting.

Funded by the National Leadership Network (NLN), and delivered by the University with support from the Children and Young People's Centre for Justice (CYCJ), the programme is particularly aimed at those who may traditionally have faced barriers to accessing education. In addition to the course at HMP Polmont, Activate courses also run in schools and in partnership with a wide variety of community based organisations.

Activate programme coordinator Helen Martin said:

“The Activate course is about enabling people to gain more understanding of how their communities work, build confidence and be able to articulate their thoughts in an empowering way.

People in the communities we work with don’t lack ability, they lack opportunity. Activate courses give people that opportunity and help show people that they have a voice, and help them understand how to use it”

As part of their final project, Activate participants must examine a problem affecting their community. For the most recent cohort at HMP Polmont, topics covered included access to fresh food and the possibility of growing produce, communications within the prison, and access to progression and development opportunities for female prisoners. Participants then had the opportunity to present their findings to the prison governor and senior leadership team.

The graduation ceremony, hosted by Helen and Deputy Head of School Sinéad Gormally, was an opportunity to celebrate participants’ success. The families of those taking part were able to attend, with many commenting that the ceremony had been a rare opportunity to share a meal and connect with their loved ones.

Feedback from course participants:

“I loved learning new stuff  and working with people in the group & achieving something”

“Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this course”

“Cheers for believing in me”

“I still have a voice”

First published: 4 December 2024

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