During the summer of 2026, The Inside Academy spent four weeks travelling internationally, working with and learning from both men’s and women’s prisons to explore how they support people in custody and prepare them for life after release.
The purpose was straightforward: to see what provision exists, understand how it works in practice, and bring useful learning back to the UK.
Our focus was on education, employment and enterprise, including how people can develop the skills, confidence and support networks needed to move forward. We also explored the role of mentoring, peer support and lived experience in helping people build a different future.
Spending time in different prison environments gave us an opportunity to look beyond written policies and understand how approaches work day to day. It also created space to exchange ideas, ask questions and reflect on our own work.
This was not about finding a ready-made model to copy. Every prison system operates within a different culture, with different resources and challenges. Instead, it was about identifying practical ideas that could be adapted to strengthen support here in the UK.
We are now bringing that learning into the ongoing development of The Inside Academy’s work, helping us think carefully about what we deliver, how we deliver it, and how learning in custody can connect with opportunities after release.
Our aim remains the same: to help people build confidence, develop practical skills and see a realistic path towards employment or self-employment. Learning from others internationally is another way we can continue to improve that work.
