Latest News Could you feature on our new podcast? Submissions to our podcast are now closed. But look out for the finished product coming soon! Find out more by following us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. What is it? A new podcast providing information, stories and support to women living in the community who have experience of the criminal justice system. We know that time is tight so we want to create something you can listen to on the go. (We will also be producing transcripts of the podcasts so that you can read along or find specific information quickly.) This project is supported by Pact, Women in Prison and Advance and is produced by Wanda Canton. Who is it for? We want to hear from you if you: are a woman have experience of prison/the criminal justice system in the UK are over 18 years old have stories, music, poetry, information or tips to share. You don't have to be an expert interviewer or have any experience of podcasts. We're creating a spoken resource which allows you to contribute by creating your own materials: it's a podcast by women, for women. What do I do? Perhaps you already have an idea of something you might like to record such as your personal story, a song, a poem or advice for other women. You should try to create something connected to one of the key themes - mental health, relationships, housing and finance, and services. You may also want to consider: interviewing services or programmes you have used or would recommend. What do they provide? Why did you find it useful? interviewing individuals - for example, your local MP/doctor/campaigners. sharing your tips on wellbeing and mental health. How have you coped and what might be useful for others? discussing a particular theme/subject with your peers, family or friends - for example, managing family relationships; taking time for yourself; finding education/employment opportunities. As a guideline we recommend the following time limits for each piece: Song/poem: 3 minutes per piece Personal stories/advice: 15 minutes per piece Interviews: 30 minutes per piece Ideas and suggestions We have outlined some questions below that might help you to prepare an audio piece: How does prison affect families? What are your top tips for adapting to life after prison? What advice would you give to someone looking for work? What can you do to look after your mental health and make yourself feel good? What services are available in your community to support women who have recently left prison? Key themes Women have told us that the following themes are important for them to feature on the podcast: Mental health Relationships Housing and finance Services How do I submit something for the podcast? 1. Record your audio file. It's great if you've got a microphone to use but if not - you can use voice notes on your mobile phone! Just make sure that you're in a quiet place so we can hear you clearly - and try not to talk over each other if you're in a group. Practise what you want to say before you start recording - and remember you can record over and over again if you make a mistake or you're not happy with it. 2. Listen back to your recording to make sure the sound quality is good enough and we can hear what you're saying. If not - have another go. 3. Complete a consent form for everyone featured on the audio recording. Without these, we won't be able to use your submission. 4. Email your audio file to [email protected]. You can use WeTransfer to send large files. What happens after I submit? We hope to include as many submissions as possible in the final podcast(s). But this may not always be possible so please keep in mind: The quality of the recording is important - there should be no background noise or interference. The language that you use is important - any submissions containing offensive language cannot be used. You shouldn't identify anyone who isn't taking part in the recording (for example, don't name friends/relatives/staff members/specific prisons). This also means you shouldn't say anything about them that means they could be identified even if you don't use their name. All of the information you provide should be accurate and truthful. All submissions must include a consent form. Your submission should relate to one of the key themes of mental health, relationships, housing and finance or services as much as possible. If you would like to be involved in the podcast production but not feature directly on it, please contact [email protected] with your ideas. For example, you may like to: produce transcripts of podcast episodes help to promote the podcast design a logo for the podcast share your family story for our next animation create a jingle/introduction to be used for each episode. When will I be able to hear it? The deadline for submissions is Friday 31st January. We'll be launching the podcast for April 2020. Manage Cookie Preferences