This Summer we had the fantastic opportunity of filming a conversation between Noël, our Service Delivery Manager, and Donell, a young man who embarked on his Hero’s Journey in prison, and has since carved out a bright and brilliant future since his release.
In our new short film, Noël and Donell explore the topic of mental health and wellbeing for young Black men in prison, and Donell’s own personal experience during his time in custody. We filmed this conversation as part of our Being Well Being Equal campaign, and we were pleased to premier the video in September at our event in collaboration with the His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) Race Action Programme.
We have since had several opportunities to share it with wider teams in HMPPS and the criminal justice voluntary sector, and have been greatly encouraged by the response. It’s a testament to the growing recognition of the need to prioritise wellbeing support in prisons, particularly for young Black men.
Donell talks about the differences he saw in the treatment of white and Black young people in custody and shares what he would like to see changed in prisons.
Touching on his experience of coaching with Spark Inside, Donell said:
“When I was in my cell struggling, Jeffrey [his Spark Inside Coach] would come. That shows the consistency. That made me see the spark inside myself – it made me need to do better. It put me in a better place.”
We would like to thank Donell for his candour in the discussion and his contribution to our Being Well Being Equal campaign!
Watch the full film below and please share it with organisations and individuals with an interest in driving change in prisons.
