Dr Gill Buck from the social work department presented her recent research findings to an expert panel at the British Academy in London this month.
The CRIMVOL event brought together researchers and practitioners from the UK, Ireland, Finland, Sweden and Canada to explore the challenges facing the voluntary sector in criminal justice.
Dr Buck examined a theme from her PhD, which examined peer mentoring by ex-offenders. The paper highlighted how peer mentoring in criminal justice can often be a political practice – raising participants’ awareness of systematic disadvantage. At the same time, however, these critiques are often subsumed by processes designed to ‘professionalise’ mentors and focus upon the ‘flaws’ of individual mentees.
These ideas will be explored further at the upcoming European Social Work Research Conference in Edinburgh.
If you would like to help form a network of peer providers, practitioners and service users to help people share resources and good practice, please join our ‘peer practice’ group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1837804569876618/?ref=bookmarks
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