CRIMINAL JUSTICE
FROM PRISONER TO PEER LEADER
Forward Trust’ s health and wellbeing champions programme is demonstrating how peerled support in one prison can boost wellbeing, rehabilitation, recovery and personal growth, says Zoe Raw
For many people in custody, speaking openly about addiction, mental health, physical health or wellbeing can feel really difficult. Not only is the prisoner in an unfamiliar environment, but they’ re thrown into a whole new community of unknown people. It can be a scary time, and building trust with new people can be challenging; stigma around asking for help and support can feel overwhelming. Peer-led volunteering programmes can help bridge that gap in a unique and powerful way.
Through training, peer support and health promotion activities, health and wellbeing champions( HAWCs) are helping to create a culture where prisoners feel empowered to support one another, take responsibility for their recovery journeys, and contribute positively to their new community.‘ The Forward team helped me learn lots of coping strategies for when I’ m struggling, such as grounding and breathing exercises,’ says
Terry, a HAWC at HMP Stoke Heath in Shropshire.‘ One of the best things I’ ve learnt is just to talk and not bottle things up.’
HAWCs undertake a wide range of activities across the prison. Alongside promoting health and wellbeing information, they support harm minimisation initiatives, signpost peers into services, assist with inductions, and help raise awareness around mental health, neurodiversity, bloodborne viruses, cancer screening, heart health, restorative justice and substance misuse support.
One particularly significant achievement has been the contribution of HAWCs towards hepatitis C testing and awareness within the prison. Through ongoing peer engagement and testing support, Stoke Heath achieved hepatitis C micro-elimination status in late 2025, with HAWCs playing a key role in maintaining a 100 per cent testing-throughthe-gate rate on G wing.
In early 2026, HM Inspectorate of Prisons conducted a series of unannounced inspections of HMP Stoke Heath, and they highlighted the HAWC programme as an example of‘ notable positive practice’.‘ These prisoners had developed an impressive skillset and were active in the prison in supporting wellbeing,’ the report said.‘ They were available as a resource and to signpost prisoners to other services, but also undertook simple procedures, such as weight and blood pressure monitoring. They were all well coordinated, trained and supervised.’
For many HAWCs, taking on a peer-support role provides structure, responsibility, confidence and a renewed sense of purpose. Several HAWCs have progressed into trusted‘ red band’ positions and specialist peer-support roles, including supporting secondary mental health in-reach teams and assisting with wellbeing initiatives across the prison. This progression is important. Volunteering in prison is not just a way to keep people occupied; programmes such as HAWC demonstrate that peer-led volunteering is so much more meaningful than this alone.
The emotional impact of peer support should not be underestimated either. HAWCs frequently support individuals during some of the most difficult periods of custody, including times of crisis, poor mental health, isolation, or anxiety around release or family contact. During periods such as Christmas, HAWCs have supported wellbeing initiatives designed to reduce isolation and encourage self-care.‘ Since becoming a HAWC, I’ ve been able to help many of the other lads here who are struggling,’ says Terry.‘ They feel they can relate to me as they know I’ ve been there too.’
Partnership working has also been central to the programme’ s success. HAWCs have worked alongside healthcare teams, neurodiversity services, Pact, the British Heart Foundation, the Alzheimer’ s Society, Healthwatch Shropshire, Unlock My Life and NHS services to support a wide range of wellbeing initiatives and awareness campaigns across the prison.
Taking on a peersupport role provides structure, responsibility, confidence and a renewed sense of purpose
The HAWC programme epitomises the value Forward Trust places on lived experience within recovery-oriented environments. People are more likely to engage with support when it’ s delivered by somebody they can relate to – somebody who understands the realities of prison life – and who can communicate without judgement.
Forward’ s substance misuse service at HMP Stoke Heath is part of an integrated healthcare service delivered in partnership with Shropshire Community Health Trust and Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust.
Find out more at forwardtrust. org. uk
Zoe Raw is bid writer at The Forward Trust
Tanvir Ahmed / Dreamstime
WWW. DRINKANDDRUGSNEWS. COM JULY / AUGUST 2026 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • 15