Equity, equality, diversity and inclusion: review, learn and improve

We’ve just published our Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EEDI) strategy which will guide all aspects of our work until 2026.

The strategy sets out the values of Unlock and how we will be moving forward to ensure we respect and promote EEDI.

Review – understanding where we are and what we do well

The strategy is a culmination of various work streams including an external audit carried out by Diverse Matters and staff and trustee involvement via anonymous surveys and internal discussions (both remote and in person) as well as training.

We are proud to be an inclusive employer that celebrates diverse voices and supports individual needs. We are an organisation that has lived experience at the core of everything we do. We have people with lived experience throughout Unlock – volunteers, staff and trustees. Our approach is to value everyone for the skills, knowledge and experience that they bring, not just their lived experience. We lead by example by prioritising what people have to offer, irrelevant of any criminal record.

A core aim at Unlock is to take an ‘ear to the ground’ approach by listening to and learning from people with criminal records. What we hear from those who access our services, from our colleagues, or from those who support our research influences all aspects of our work.

It is important to ensure our services are inclusive and accessible to all, and that everybody with a criminal record trusts us to provide advice and support. This also means that we can be confident that our service users are representative of those that get caught up in the criminal justice system, so we are taking account of all experiences.

Learn – what an inclusive and accessible approach means in the criminal justice sector

We know that certain minoritised communities are disproportionately represented at all stages of the criminal justice system, meaning they are more likely to end up with a criminal record. We know this is particularly an issue for people from racially minoritised communities. This has been evidenced in various independent reviews, academic research and through the experiences of our service users. Yet, fundamental reform to address this disproportionality has not happened.

In addition, we know that anyone with a criminal record will have unique experiences and face distinct challenges. We also know that, often, those challenges intersect. This intersection can be where an individual’s characteristics interact in such that they compound disadvantage or can be where a criminal record impacts multiple aspects of an individual’s life.

Improve – your experiences and our processes

In appreciating this diversity of experience, we know how important it is for us to show our commitment to providing inclusive services. This ethos is already at the heart of our peer-led helpline. Our helpline team offers non-judgmental support to anyone worried about their criminal record. They understand the different challenges faced by people from all backgrounds and can give specific and tailored advice to everyone.

We also want to challenge and eliminate disproportionality through our policy and advocacy work. One of our priorities is to identify where people are particularly disadvantaged in respect of their criminal record. We explore how this intersects with other challenges people face, and how we can work collaboratively to change the systems that embed this disproportionality.

We hope that this strategy shows our ambition to build on our EEDI successes.

We will continue to review, to learn and to improve wherever we can.