In October 2024, Unlock received funding from The National Lottery to deliver our Better Advice for All (BAFA) project.
This three-year programme is already helping us rethink how we connect with people who have a criminal record, making sure our information, advice and support are easier to find, easier to understand, and easier to use.
BAFA focuses on working with people who have lived experience, not just for them. By bringing together a network of “led by and for” organisations and creating a panel of people with lived experience of criminal records, as well as language, literacy, disability or mental-health challenges, we are building new ways to engage with the communities we support. This means our services can meet people where they are and reflect what they really need.
The Community Network
Our Community Network is made up of grassroots organisations that support people affected by the criminal justice system.
Network members collaborate in a mutually supportive way, sharing knowledge and expertise to improve the quality of advice available to people with criminal records.
Rather than growing our helpline in an unsustainable way, Unlock aims to become a sector leader that empowers others. By working together, we can transform the support people receive right across the country.
As part of the Network, Unlock provides free training to all members, while organisations within the network also offer training swaps. This ensures inclusive practice, shared learning, and stronger support for the people we collectively serve; all at no cost to member organisations.
The Insight Panel
At the heart of BAFA is our Insight Panel, a group of 10 lived-experience experts who bring invaluable insight into the barriers people face when trying to access information and advice.
Panel members all have a criminal record and also navigate additional challenges, such as disability, mental-health issues, or difficulties with language or literacy. Their perspectives help us understand where services fall short and how they can be improved.
We support the panel to work together, build leadership skills, and co-design projects with Unlock’s team. Their involvement ensures our helpline, website, and written resources are shaped by the people they are meant to serve, making them clearer, more accessible, and more inclusive for everyone.
More information
If you’d like to learn more about joining the Network or becoming part of the Insight Panel, please get in touch:
Evan Davis, BAFA Community Network Coordinator at BAFA@unlock.org.uk
Debbie Sadler, Head of Delivery & Programmes and BAFA Lead at debbie.sadler@unlock.org.uk
