The roundtable on 3rd March was an important milestone in an ongoing effort to better support the mental health and wellbeing of young Black men in custody. Building on the momentum of our 2023 roundtable and our ongoing Being Well Being Equal Campaign, this discussion brought together policymakers and practitioners in the justice and health sector, alongside Spark Inside Champions — young men with lived experience of the justice system who help shape our work. Through a series of conversations and breakout groups, the guests and the Champions collaborated to tackle the question: How do we promote the Mental Wealth of young Black men in prison?
Mental Wealth: A New Way to Think About Wellbeing
No, that isn’t a typo. We said Mental WEALTH.
This term, created by one of the Spark Inside Champions, is his reframing of mental health; a term that often carries stigma, particularly for young Black men in custody.
“I´d say pride is a big thing, and men don´t want to be seen as weak isn´t it, or vulnerable… because people can take advantage of that.” Young man in custody.
His challenge to us, and to other young men in custody, is to begin viewing Mental Wealth as a wellbeing revolution. Just like we go to the gym to build physical strength, we should be working on our Mental Wealth. Building it, investing in it, and improving it over time.
After attending the event and hearing him talk about his concept, Forensic Psychologist Emily Jones said:
“I know that I’m going to start talking about mental wealth the moment I get into work tomorrow morning!”
A Space for Young People to Lead the Conversation
Central to the event was hearing from the Champions about their experiences and their ideas for change. They also talked about their journey of coaching with Spark Inside, the Black Hero’s Journey programme and the impact it’s had on their lives.
Dr. Niquita Pilgrim PhD CPsychol from The Cultural Connection reflected on this element of the event:
“At the roundtable, we built on the Black Hero’s Journey programme, centring the voices of young Black men in custody — not as subjects to be studied, but as leaders in shaping the change they deserve.”
Too often, young people in the justice system are talked about, but not included in the conversation, and so it was important to us to create a space where young people were listened to, valued, and taken seriously.
Real Talk: Mental Wealth in Custody
The young men’s insights were hugely informative. They spoke openly about the stigma, the struggles of accessing support, and how hard it is to be vulnerable in a prison environment. A few key points from the discussion included:
“I’ve noticed as young Black people in prison, it’s like mental health is so stigmatized within our cultures. It’s not something that’s acknowledged at all. It’s not something that’s freely spoken about. So in prison now, everybody has got this mask on. And in terms of even being able to have that conversation with the next man, it’s like, how do I know you’re able to have that conversation? How do I break down this wall, especially if this wall is going to make me vulnerable?”
“Within prison, everybody’s got a bravado, and you can’t really be your true self, and it’s like a security measure as well as a coping mechanism.”
“I’m glad we’re doing [the event] in such an informal, conversational way, because talking about mental health in prisons, in my experience, can be quite taboo. It can be a touchy subject, quite triggering for some people, and it’s quite unaccepted on the wings. So actually having conversations and talking to people, I found it quite therapeutic.”
“If we don’t have more people sitting down here telling these little kids you’re a leader, you know, or you’re meant to be great, or actually letting them see the spark inside themselves, then it’s like, there’s gonna be more people going through mental health.”
The message was clear: young Black men in custody need mental health support that is easy to access, relevant, and free from judgement.
A Powerful First Step
Javel, one of the brilliant Champions who spoke, had this to say when he reflected on the day:
“The event wasn’t just a discussion — it was a space for raw, honest, and heartfelt conversations. Everyone spoke their truth, and in doing so, we created a safe space where groundbreaking solutions and ideas emerged.
The day was filled with passion, laughter, insight, and a deep sense of purpose. This is just the beginning — change starts with conversations like these!”
Jason, another one of our incredible Champions, said:
“Rather than presenting information from a whiteboard, we chose to speak in a more conversational way, aiming to bring authenticity to the experience. We have noticed that in informal discussions, we often uncover deeper insights, moments of wisdom and breakthrough ideas so we wanted to create that same dynamic in the room.
The feedback was positive, it seemed we provided new perspectives and highlighted issues that had previously been unclear. I’m hopeful and optimistic that our words had enough impact to help steer the change-makers in the right direction as they implement new strategies.”
This feeling was shared by those in attendance, including Vikki Ryan, HMPPS Young Adults Lead:
“[We] remain committed to incorporating your work and the voices of those with lived experience into our future approach to the management of young adults in prisons.” Vikki Ryan, HMPPS Young Adults Lead
What’s Next?
This roundtable was just the beginning. It set the stage for bigger conversations about how young Black men in custody can get the mental health support they deserve. More than that, it made it clear that real change needs to come from those with lived experience leading the way.
So what’s next? Turning these conversations into real action — whether that’s through policy changes, improving practice in prisons, or expanding programmes that truly support young people’s mental health and wellbeing. Real change starts with listening and then making things happen.
If you want to learn more and get involved, check out the Being Well Being Equal and Black Hero’s Journey reports, and follow our journey in this work on LinkedIn, Instagram and Bluesky.
A huge thank you to everyone who came to our event. An even bigger shoutout to the four incredible young men who shared their experiences so honestly and powerfully.
Lastly, a massive thank you to Barrow Cadbury Trust and St Sarkis Charity Trust for funding this important work!
