Design Thinking for Prison Industries: Exchanging design tools, methods and processes with prisons in London and Ahmedabad to build inmate resilience
Lead Research Organisation:
University of the Arts London
Department Name: Central Saint Martin's College
Abstract
In future cities, design can make a contribution by developing tools and techniques that will help address recidivism by reframing prison industries as holistic 'creative hubs' that could better equip inmates to find employment opportunities when they are released from prison. Across the world inmates often work for prison industries to keep busy, earn some income and learn new skills that may lead to future employment opportunities, but prison industries rarely focus on creative thinking processes that help educate prisoners to become more resilient in the highly competitive and changing work places of the city where expectations of employment are often not met amongst marginalised groups, who in huge numbers fail to find legitimate employment and thus resort to crime. This project aims to help break that cycle.
In most prisons 'educational' and 'work' experiences are disconnected, and delivered separately; this project aims to innovate a new approach. It will explore if and how design engagement with prison industries may offer new opportunities to connect with hard to reach prisoners. Also to draw on design to address the gap that currently exists between 'vocational' and 'educational' approaches to increasing employability amongst prisoners. The project will introduce analytical approaches associated with 'design-thinking' (Kimbell, 2009, 2011) in accessible and visual ways into vocational prison industry activities, so that inmate learning can occur in pragmatic vocational contexts, producing a trial anti bag theft design or accessory. This 'Makeright' product currently being proposed - a label to be created by DACRC in both cities - will engage inmates in co-designing and making products to protect potential victims from crime. Ultimately to deliver a form of 'restorative justice' by helping others avoid crime and perhaps also generating a much needed income stream for prisons.
A pragmatic approach to thinking/making may suit some inmate learning styles. The aim is to develop and test new opportunities for prisoners to engage in traditional prison industry activities empowering them to learn additional skills (such as improved communication, collaboration, systemic reasoning and empathy) via the design of an anti theft bag or accessory. These skills may be achieved via an experimental approach to teaching 'design-thinking' to inmates linked to prisoner engagement with the Makeright product range both in London and Ahmedabad. Prof Lorraine Gamman and Adam Thorpe of the Design Against Crime Research Centre (DACRC) at Central Saint Martins will work in partnership with HMP Wandsworth, London and will lead the project. They will collaborate with Dr. Praveen Nahar of the National Institute of Design, Creative Writer Aliya Curmally and with Sabarmati Jail, in Ahmedabad to test the creative research materials/design brief generated by DACRC, and observe whether or not they have efficacy, and to write up.
In order to create the protocols for the project, the teams will consult with many stakeholders inside and outside of prison both in London and Ahmedabad to ensure creative materials are 'fit for purpose'. Here we wish to also understand whether or not our creative input can find new ways to improve the operational capacity of prison industries both in London and Ahmedabad, and thus serve inmates better in the outside world when seeking employment or self created enterprise opportunities. Also to find out whether it is possible to build the innovative capacity of prisons by beginning to reframe prison industries as a location of a 'creative hub' where new employment skills and opportunities can be developed/ fostered. To share our learning from the project the team anticipate creating diverse outputs including presentations to government, stakeholders and academics that discuss whether our approach to prison industries and the Makeright label build resilience and positively impact (or "unbox") on inmate experience.
In most prisons 'educational' and 'work' experiences are disconnected, and delivered separately; this project aims to innovate a new approach. It will explore if and how design engagement with prison industries may offer new opportunities to connect with hard to reach prisoners. Also to draw on design to address the gap that currently exists between 'vocational' and 'educational' approaches to increasing employability amongst prisoners. The project will introduce analytical approaches associated with 'design-thinking' (Kimbell, 2009, 2011) in accessible and visual ways into vocational prison industry activities, so that inmate learning can occur in pragmatic vocational contexts, producing a trial anti bag theft design or accessory. This 'Makeright' product currently being proposed - a label to be created by DACRC in both cities - will engage inmates in co-designing and making products to protect potential victims from crime. Ultimately to deliver a form of 'restorative justice' by helping others avoid crime and perhaps also generating a much needed income stream for prisons.
A pragmatic approach to thinking/making may suit some inmate learning styles. The aim is to develop and test new opportunities for prisoners to engage in traditional prison industry activities empowering them to learn additional skills (such as improved communication, collaboration, systemic reasoning and empathy) via the design of an anti theft bag or accessory. These skills may be achieved via an experimental approach to teaching 'design-thinking' to inmates linked to prisoner engagement with the Makeright product range both in London and Ahmedabad. Prof Lorraine Gamman and Adam Thorpe of the Design Against Crime Research Centre (DACRC) at Central Saint Martins will work in partnership with HMP Wandsworth, London and will lead the project. They will collaborate with Dr. Praveen Nahar of the National Institute of Design, Creative Writer Aliya Curmally and with Sabarmati Jail, in Ahmedabad to test the creative research materials/design brief generated by DACRC, and observe whether or not they have efficacy, and to write up.
In order to create the protocols for the project, the teams will consult with many stakeholders inside and outside of prison both in London and Ahmedabad to ensure creative materials are 'fit for purpose'. Here we wish to also understand whether or not our creative input can find new ways to improve the operational capacity of prison industries both in London and Ahmedabad, and thus serve inmates better in the outside world when seeking employment or self created enterprise opportunities. Also to find out whether it is possible to build the innovative capacity of prisons by beginning to reframe prison industries as a location of a 'creative hub' where new employment skills and opportunities can be developed/ fostered. To share our learning from the project the team anticipate creating diverse outputs including presentations to government, stakeholders and academics that discuss whether our approach to prison industries and the Makeright label build resilience and positively impact (or "unbox") on inmate experience.
Planned Impact
Project pathways are linked to HE and prison government in London and Ahmedabad and cover both academic, professional and enterprise networks. Jason Swettenham of the UK HM Prison Service, Jessica Plant of the Arts Alliance, Ezio Manzini of the Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability (DESIS) network (www.desis-network.org) and the DESIS-UK network (www.desis-uk.org) have all expressed interest in the work as have colleagues from Unbox and the Indian Design Forum (via Aliya Curmally) and are all likely to promote findings. In fact the initial Unbox engagement in March 2014 regarding the project development has already attracted some international press interest, for example The Times of India (Ahmedabad) covered the beginning of the project as follows: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/National-Institute-of-Design-UK-based-faculty-plan-course-for-jail-inmates/articleshow/31557267.cms. We also believe there are some opportunities presented by websites such as the Open University virtual campus which offenders can access: http://www.open.ac.uk/about/offender-learning/data-and-developments/virtual-campus, as well as virtual design campus site created by NID and IIT: http://www.dsource.in who have already expressed interest in this project and in any materials we may be able to share digitally.
There are many prison educational courses, but few that engage with prison industries so this work and consequent academic outputs from the project are likely to be unique in terms of building confidence and communication skills linked to employability and social resilience. This project will be of interest to a wide cohort including those organisations who work directly with prison industries, third sector organisations working with employability and enterprise that may be interested in finding out more about designing thinking tools, including the Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC), the Charities Commission and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) as well as the UK HM Prison Service itself who are slow to change because information is not widely shared and therefore need new information routes. Stakeholder engagement is envisaged as part of the PI and Co-I's remit in developing the work and consulting others in the field about teaching materials to be created. We anticipate the iterative design process we will adopt may also leverage existing networks of intermediary organisations whose members work in this area and may wish to promote the work at a later date. The research process will accommodate feedback and comment from key providers regarding the teaching materials to be created. Such feedback may come from those already mentioned including some of the 500+ individual service providers represented by the Arts Alliance members. The ambition is that the learning from this action research project will be publicised via existing relevant digital and print media. The case study to be created is also likely to have impact given it will be showcased at dissemination events in London and Ahmedabad, and existing online platforms.
There are many prison educational courses, but few that engage with prison industries so this work and consequent academic outputs from the project are likely to be unique in terms of building confidence and communication skills linked to employability and social resilience. This project will be of interest to a wide cohort including those organisations who work directly with prison industries, third sector organisations working with employability and enterprise that may be interested in finding out more about designing thinking tools, including the Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC), the Charities Commission and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) as well as the UK HM Prison Service itself who are slow to change because information is not widely shared and therefore need new information routes. Stakeholder engagement is envisaged as part of the PI and Co-I's remit in developing the work and consulting others in the field about teaching materials to be created. We anticipate the iterative design process we will adopt may also leverage existing networks of intermediary organisations whose members work in this area and may wish to promote the work at a later date. The research process will accommodate feedback and comment from key providers regarding the teaching materials to be created. Such feedback may come from those already mentioned including some of the 500+ individual service providers represented by the Arts Alliance members. The ambition is that the learning from this action research project will be publicised via existing relevant digital and print media. The case study to be created is also likely to have impact given it will be showcased at dissemination events in London and Ahmedabad, and existing online platforms.
Organisations
- University of the Arts London (Lead Research Organisation)
- National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad (Collaboration)
- Stretch Digital (Collaboration)
- Abel & Cole (Collaboration)
- Handmade Alliance (Collaboration)
- HM Prison Service (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- HMP Standford Hill (Collaboration)
- University of the Arts London (Collaboration)
- Government of the UK (Collaboration)
- Sabarmati Central Jail (Collaboration)
- Sue Ryder (Collaboration)
- Sirtris Pharmaceuticals (Collaboration)
| Title | Anti-theft bag prototypes |
| Description | First anti-theft bag prototypes co-designed by the Design Against Crime Research Centre team and inmates at HMP Thameside in 2015 (led by PI Gamman) and by the NID Product Design Discipline team and Inmates at Sabarmati Central Jail, Ahmedabad in 2015-2016 (led by Co-I Nahar). |
| Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
| Year Produced | 2015 |
| Impact | The pragmatic approach to making the anti-theft bag was found to suit inmate-learning styles in both the UK and Ahmedabad. From inmate feedback, it was found to have had a positive impact on their communication, collaboration, systemic reasoning, empathy and general imprisonment experience. |
| URL | http://www.makeright.org |
| Title | Exhibition at HMP Thameside, London |
| Description | A 'closed' exhibition of the outcomes of the project took place at HMP Thameside, London in November 2015. Each inmate showed their anti-theft bag idea, process and prototype to the Governor, other senior staff and invited guests, including the charity Sue Ryder. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2015 |
| Impact | Photographs were taken of the exhibition and of inmates with their anti-theft bag designs for inmates to show family and friends, and for the prison industries and partners on the project to use for PR activities. |
| URL | http://www.makeright.org |
| Title | Make It Right film by Lotje Sodderland |
| Description | Lotje Sodderland, independent film producer made 6-minute rough cut documentary for the Makeright project. See 'Make it Right film by Lotje Sodderland' here: https://makerightorg.wordpress.com/images-and-videos/ |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Impact | Extended learning. |
| URL | https://makerightorg.wordpress.com/images-and-videos/ |
| Title | Make it Right exhibition at HMP Thameside |
| Description | On 24th November 2016, the Makeright exhibition was held at HMP Thameside to launch a brand-new collection of anti-theft bags designed by inmates from HMP Thameside and produced at HMP Kilmarnock. Led by the Design Against Crime Research Centre at Central Saint Martins, inmates in London and Ahmedabad learnt design skills through the Makeright Design Academy and gained valuable skills and qualifications whilst developing this range of anti-theft bags. The exhibition provided an opportunity to meet some of the inmates, see their designs for crime prevention and hear their thoughts on creative thinking and "purposeful learning" in prison. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Impact | The above exhibition received strong press attention having launched the first range of bags designed by HMP Thameside inmates that were subsequently made up in quantity from recycled lorry tarp. |
| URL | https://makerightorg.wordpress.com/images/ |
| Title | Makeright Design for Dementia |
| Description | Pop up show in Glasgow curated by Prof Paul Rodger, Lancaster (funded by AHRC). In June, DACRC exhibited some of the patchwork dementia cushions (fidget blankets for seniors with dementia) with Paul Rodgers at an AHRC funded exhibition in Glasgow. The patchworks could not be made in HMP Thameside in time so they were made by HMP Downview female offenders on ROTL enabling us to connect with LCF's prison "Making for Change" project (via Claire Swift). |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Impact | DACRC are currently scheduling further meets with LCF to work out how the projects can collaborate going forward. This could be good for REF impact case studies in the future. |
| Title | Makeright Greetings Cards |
| Description | As another spin-off to the Makeright 'Emotionally Intelligent Greeting cards ', a funding proposal to Bromely Trust was generated and submitted in March 2020 to fund work at HMP Pentonville with CSM Graphics staff led by LG. This would be used to aid prisoners in co-designing a range of greeting cards, more appropriate for their needs, to be produced and sold in Pentonville prison. This will enable the sale of low cost greeting cards to prisoners. |
| Type Of Art | Artwork |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Impact | Too early to gauge actual impact |
| Title | Stretch Digital - Makeright inmates and volunteers videos |
| Description | Stretch worked with Makeright inmates at HMP Thameside to document their personal narratives in digital form regarding inmate learning (this work was funded by the lottery grant Stretch were in receipt of). Central Saint Martins funded Stretch to make videos of our volunteers' personal narratives and their experiences. See: 'Inmates videos' and 'Volunteers videos' here: https://makerightorg.wordpress.com/images-and-videos/. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Impact | Extended learning. |
| URL | https://makerightorg.wordpress.com/images-and-videos/ |
| Description | Gamman & Thorpe (2015, 2016) identify this research project demonstrates: 1. That creative design teaching techniques can help involve inmates in new ways with skills learning. 2. That such creative techniques are effective in catalyzing the co design of a range of anti-theft bags in 2 countries from non-designers with little or no previous design experience. 3. That the project is valued by inmates who have given strong and positive feedback about its value. 4. That the design process in terms of the empathic and entrepreneurial learning it delivers to inmates is more (or as) significant as the objects that inmates created. 5. That the impact of the inmate stories and their designs are significant and news worthy and have led to several awards for excellence (project attracted a British Council INDIA-UK Excellence Award for Collaborations in Higher Education under the 'Innovative Partnerships' category and Sublime Magazine Badge - Best Design Initiative 2016) as well as attracted documentary film interest. |
| Exploitation Route | 1. That this project can be shared with other prisons and inmates who have expressed an interest in it, when follow-on funding is established to fund the packaging of teaching materials to be shared as well as to promote "train the trainer" engagement. 2. That publications of anti theft design outputs from the project and the Makeright expo are being cited by other academics and practitioners. 3. That film outputs generated by this project are a good advertisement for the value and impact of arts in criminal justice. 4. That the Makeright brand may become a social enterprise (discussions are underway, that may eventually economically benefit inmates and charity partners). |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Creative Economy,Education,Government, Democracy and Justice,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Other |
| URL | http://www.makeright.org |
| Description | 1. After running the Makeright project 6 times with over 85 inmates in the UK at HMP Thameside and with 25 inmates in India at Sabarmarti Jail, feedback received enabled us to conclude we had met our objectives and our educational resources did work, and enabled inmates in two countries to design an anti theft bag. Also so to engage with creative resources aimed at developing empathy, thinking and resilience skills, linked to the design process. 2. We subsequently introduced an art and design graduate volunteer system in the UK, after the first iteration of the course, so more designers would be available to mentor inmates - and give them more one-to-one support we saw they needed for learning through practice to be effective NB Learners could not deliver the practice unsupported and without delivering the practice they could not learn through it. To achieve this, we advertised at our own University and London design websites for volunteers. We received response and subsequently provided a day's training for those we took on, before taking them into the actual prison, where our training was delivered after security briefings. After the volunteers had completed attendance (several days each week) on one of the numerous 8-week Makeright course we ran , we gave them a day's debriefing, using their feedback to continually improve the course content and structure. 3. We introduced certification processes for inmates and volunteers to recognize learning in the studio projects for all participants. 4. We launched the project to the public with the Make it Right exhibition at HMP Thameside in November 2016 attended by all prison inmates who expressed interest, families of Makeright learners and invited outside guests and press. 5. The above exhibition received strong press attention having launched the first range of bags designed by HMP Thameside inmates that were subsequently made up in quantity from recycled lorry tarp (provided by the food box delivery company Abel & Cole) by inmates at Kilmarnock prison. Designs displayed included: Tote Bag, Messenger Bag, Holster Bag, Arm Lock Bag and Laptop Case. See bag images here: https://makerightorg.wordpress.com/images/. 6. In the next phase of the Makeright project from February 2017 we plan to package up the Makeright teaching materials and empathy and enterprise "things" we have created to be disseminated at other prisons in 2017, in order to scale the value and impact of project. 7. We are reviewing how to ensure the inmates and Sue Ryder charity we are working with can continue to benefit from the economic value of the anti theft bags we have developed. We are currently reviewing how best to sell the outputs of this project, and reviewing whether or not to develop a social enterprise, so that if more prisons engage with developing bags for sale we can manage this activity more effectively, all to raise money for charity and esteem for inmates. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2016 |
| Sector | Creative Economy,Education,Government, Democracy and Justice,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Other |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal,Policy & public services |
| Description | AHRC Large Grants: Disseminating "Design Thinking for Prison Industries" through Teaching Resources, Delivery Models and Training for Trainers |
| Amount | £79,838 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AH/R00157X/1 |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2017 |
| End | 02/2018 |
| Description | Private company funding |
| Amount | £15,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | SERCO |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2016 |
| End | 10/2016 |
| Description | Abel & Cole donation of profits from sale of anti-theft Makeright bags |
| Organisation | Abel & Cole |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Profits generated by the Makeright bags sold by Abel & Cole have led to a £900 donation in January 2020 to the Sue Ryder charity. Bags continue to be sold by Abel & Cole who are hoping to extend the range of bags offered. The original agreement with all prisoners and designers who worked on this project is that IPR was donated for free on the understanding all profits from the range go to charity. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Abel and Cole have worked in close communication with DACRC and Sue Ryder in order to be able to donate the profits made from the Makeright bags. We will review whether or not in future we can donate funds direct to aiding prisoners leaving prison to develop new enterprises. |
| Impact | £900 donation to Sue Ryder. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Abel & Cole donation of profits from sale of anti-theft Makeright bags |
| Organisation | Sue Ryder |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Profits generated by the Makeright bags sold by Abel & Cole have led to a £900 donation in January 2020 to the Sue Ryder charity. Bags continue to be sold by Abel & Cole who are hoping to extend the range of bags offered. The original agreement with all prisoners and designers who worked on this project is that IPR was donated for free on the understanding all profits from the range go to charity. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Abel and Cole have worked in close communication with DACRC and Sue Ryder in order to be able to donate the profits made from the Makeright bags. We will review whether or not in future we can donate funds direct to aiding prisoners leaving prison to develop new enterprises. |
| Impact | £900 donation to Sue Ryder. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | HMP Stanford Hill ROTL (Release on Temporary Licence) invitation for prisoners to co-create Makeright designs |
| Organisation | HMP Standford Hill |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | HMP Standford Hill have been approached about allowing 3 prisoners, who previously worked on the Cell Furniture project led by DACRC, to be Released on Temporary License for a 3 month period to work with DACRC part-time to create new designs for the Makeright range to be sold by Abel & Cole. UAL are currently engaging with with pre-vetting procedures which include a building inspection of where the inmates will be located, as well as having in place a number of key safeguards to meet prison requirements for ROTL. |
| Collaborator Contribution | We were impressed by the work and collaborative skills of the inmates who worked with the DACRC team on the Cell Furniture project and to whom we taught the methods previously used on Makereight and chose to approach HMP Stanford Hill about the possibility of working with these individuals again. |
| Impact | Too soon to gauge impact but once we have the go ahead from HMP Stanford Hill we are hoping this project will be up and running by June 2020. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | HMP Wandsworth |
| Organisation | HM Prison Service |
| Department | HMP Wandsworth |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Gamman and Thorpe developed a good understanding of the working processes of HMP Wandsworth. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Even though the governor Sir Kenny Brown resigned and and our project went to HMP Thameside, after the appointment of a new Governor (Ian Bickers) at Wandsworth in 2016 and 2017 the conversation about Makeright has continued. Subsequently, we have been discussing with the education department and prison industries (in particular with Claire Skeet and Sarah Fitzgerald ) future ways we might work together to scale the Makeright project at HMP Wandsworth in 2017. |
| Impact | n/a |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Handmade Alliance |
| Organisation | Handmade Alliance |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Co-I Thorpe agreed to be a research partner on a research funding application made by the Handmade Alliance to Google in 2015 (which was unsuccessful). |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Handmade Alliance gave the research team advice and shared the benefit of their experience, linked to best ways to engage with inmates to deliver quality making skills. This relationship has ended because Handmade Alliance has folded. |
| Impact | n/a |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | London College of Fashion |
| Organisation | University of the Arts London |
| Department | LCF London College of Fashion |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Various meetings in 2015/16 to share learning. |
| Collaborator Contribution | London College of Fashion's Director of Social Responsibility, Claire Swift, gave time in 2015/16 across various meetings to share the learning from her project at HMP Holloway. In particular, she shared her experience of creating accreditation mechanisms for the courses she delivered at HMP Holloway, to help us think what to do at HMP Thameside, and we hope that there may be some further connection between our two colleges in 2017. |
| Impact | n/a |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Makeright (India) |
| Organisation | National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad |
| Country | India |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Gamman and the Design Against Crime Research Centre provided the teaching and learning materials delivered to inmates at HMP Thameside, UK to the NID team and students. Gamman also attended the co-design workshop run with inmates at Sabarmati Jail. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Faculty, Design Associates and students from NID reiterated the teaching and learning materials delivered in the UK so that they could be delivered in Hindi at a workshop for inmates at Sabarmati Central Jail, Ahmedabad, India. They customised the material as per the local context and added a few assignments unique to the design thinking/systems thinking processes of NID. The co-design workshop with inmates at Sabarmati Central Jail took place in 2015 as well as a seminar with stakeholders at the jail to present the findings of the workshop. |
| Impact | The following press coverage was received: NID goes to Sabarmati jail for empowering prisoners for meaningful living, Ahmedabad - Tv9 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTSAEE0XwUg NID goes to Sabarmati jail to teach theft-proof designs to inmates, Gujarati - Tv9 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyhVfmFN6bE Sarfaraz Shaikh (27 February 2016), NID goes to Sabarmati jail for designs against theft, The Times of India. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Makeright (India) |
| Organisation | Sabarmati Central Jail |
| Country | India |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Gamman and the Design Against Crime Research Centre provided the teaching and learning materials delivered to inmates at HMP Thameside, UK to the NID team and students. Gamman also attended the co-design workshop run with inmates at Sabarmati Jail. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Faculty, Design Associates and students from NID reiterated the teaching and learning materials delivered in the UK so that they could be delivered in Hindi at a workshop for inmates at Sabarmati Central Jail, Ahmedabad, India. They customised the material as per the local context and added a few assignments unique to the design thinking/systems thinking processes of NID. The co-design workshop with inmates at Sabarmati Central Jail took place in 2015 as well as a seminar with stakeholders at the jail to present the findings of the workshop. |
| Impact | The following press coverage was received: NID goes to Sabarmati jail for empowering prisoners for meaningful living, Ahmedabad - Tv9 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTSAEE0XwUg NID goes to Sabarmati jail to teach theft-proof designs to inmates, Gujarati - Tv9 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyhVfmFN6bE Sarfaraz Shaikh (27 February 2016), NID goes to Sabarmati jail for designs against theft, The Times of India. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Makeright (UK) |
| Organisation | Government of the UK |
| Department | National Offender Management Service |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Gamman and other staff from the Design Against Crime Research Centre worked as part of a collaborative team on the creation of design education teaching materials for HMP Thameside. The team also provided teaching time to run a workshop with inmates to build their future resettlement and employment prospects, whilst additionally helping to reframe inmates' previous behaviour in a positive manner by enabling them to engage with design processes and skills, and make a contribution to society through the design of anti-theft bags aimed at preventing crime. Both Gamman (PI) Thorpe (Co-I) are funded on the project but have contributed an additional 30 days in-kind labour each. Other Design Against Crime Research Centre staff have also provided their time in-kind to the project: Marcus Willcocks - 30 days Sarah Rhodes - 1 day Gamze Toylan - 3 days Emma Jonsson - proportion of her internship Dani Davies - 20 days managing volunteers and other administrative support In addition, the Assistant Dean of Research, Janet McDonnell gave several days of her time to help train student volunteers to Makeright. Also the Centre's Business Development Manager, Chryssi Tzanetou has contributed considerable time attending meetings liaising with the relevant Serco staff at HMP Thameside to secure additional funding of GBP 15,000 and 7,000 from Serco's PIAC to expand the outreach and impact of the research via expo dissemination. This additional financial support covered April - October 2016 period and then helped finance the expo that occurred in November 2016 at the prison the cost of which was heavily underwritten by UAL. Ultimately, this additional financial support from Serco plus staff support from UAL enabled the team to deliver a range of Makeright bags, co-designed by inmates, of a sufficient quality than those already created, to enable them to be exhibited and a number of test bags to sold by Sue Ryder charity shops, in order to involve the public in user testing the bags. |
| Collaborator Contribution | HMP Thameside - Serco Group is the main partner on this project, replacing HMP Wandsworth, and has consequently made a considerable in-kind contribution to the project. This includes in-kind time of the Prison Governor John Biggins and then Craig Thomas and senior staff such as Keith Jarvis who advised how best to set up the project. Also, Serco have funded the cost of employing two designers from Central Saint Martins as 0.5 FTE Serco prison employees to run the Design Textiles Studio, where Makeright run their Design Academy focus. Staff from Sue Ryder attended various meetings at CSM in 2015 and 2016 with the research team and NOMS, HMP Wandsworth and HMP Thameside to help conceptualise the sustainability aspect of the project, and consider whether it was possible to turn turn their rags into anti-theft bags. They gave additional time in 2016 towards the creation of press release and ideas for the Make It Right exhibition. Jason Swettenham of National Offender Management Service gave time in-kind to mentor Gamman and Thorpe as to how the project could run within government prison industries and endeavoured to find them a prison to work with. He introduced them to Kenny Brown, Governor of HMP Wandsworth and attended many meetings to help set up this partnership, involved two senior prison staff in discussion as well as Cynthia Clottery who manages OLAS. He also was introduced to Andy Gregson of UK's Fab Lab in Central London who has advised the project about DACRC's idea to set up a resettlement creative unit nearby the prison for inmates. Even when HMP Wandsworth were unable to go forward with the project, Swettenham continued to mentor Gamman so that any learning from the project (subsequently delivered within the private prison context) will be shared with national prison industries, given he expressed a particular interest in Fab Lab developments. Carlotta Allum, of Stretch, a digital arts company made 4 videos of the Makeright project with inmates, using funds she had acquired from the National Lottery for such purpose. Central Saint Martins also funded GBP 1,200 of additional work in order to enable her to make videos of the volunteers on the project. See 'Inmates films' and 'Volunteers films' by Stretch Digital here: https://makerightorg.wordpress.com/images-and-videos/ Lotje Sodderland, an independent film producers also contributed significant time and made a 6-minute rough cut documentary free of charge for the the project that can be found here: https://makerightorg.wordpress.com/images-and-videos/. Janet Lee of BBC1 also gave 1 day's time to advise about the potential of making a documentary on Makeright. |
| Impact | The project featured in the CSM Public Newspaper http://www.arts.ac.uk/csm/csm-public/csm-public-launch-event/ |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Makeright (UK) |
| Organisation | HM Prison Service |
| Department | HMP Thameside - Serco Group |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Gamman and other staff from the Design Against Crime Research Centre worked as part of a collaborative team on the creation of design education teaching materials for HMP Thameside. The team also provided teaching time to run a workshop with inmates to build their future resettlement and employment prospects, whilst additionally helping to reframe inmates' previous behaviour in a positive manner by enabling them to engage with design processes and skills, and make a contribution to society through the design of anti-theft bags aimed at preventing crime. Both Gamman (PI) Thorpe (Co-I) are funded on the project but have contributed an additional 30 days in-kind labour each. Other Design Against Crime Research Centre staff have also provided their time in-kind to the project: Marcus Willcocks - 30 days Sarah Rhodes - 1 day Gamze Toylan - 3 days Emma Jonsson - proportion of her internship Dani Davies - 20 days managing volunteers and other administrative support In addition, the Assistant Dean of Research, Janet McDonnell gave several days of her time to help train student volunteers to Makeright. Also the Centre's Business Development Manager, Chryssi Tzanetou has contributed considerable time attending meetings liaising with the relevant Serco staff at HMP Thameside to secure additional funding of GBP 15,000 and 7,000 from Serco's PIAC to expand the outreach and impact of the research via expo dissemination. This additional financial support covered April - October 2016 period and then helped finance the expo that occurred in November 2016 at the prison the cost of which was heavily underwritten by UAL. Ultimately, this additional financial support from Serco plus staff support from UAL enabled the team to deliver a range of Makeright bags, co-designed by inmates, of a sufficient quality than those already created, to enable them to be exhibited and a number of test bags to sold by Sue Ryder charity shops, in order to involve the public in user testing the bags. |
| Collaborator Contribution | HMP Thameside - Serco Group is the main partner on this project, replacing HMP Wandsworth, and has consequently made a considerable in-kind contribution to the project. This includes in-kind time of the Prison Governor John Biggins and then Craig Thomas and senior staff such as Keith Jarvis who advised how best to set up the project. Also, Serco have funded the cost of employing two designers from Central Saint Martins as 0.5 FTE Serco prison employees to run the Design Textiles Studio, where Makeright run their Design Academy focus. Staff from Sue Ryder attended various meetings at CSM in 2015 and 2016 with the research team and NOMS, HMP Wandsworth and HMP Thameside to help conceptualise the sustainability aspect of the project, and consider whether it was possible to turn turn their rags into anti-theft bags. They gave additional time in 2016 towards the creation of press release and ideas for the Make It Right exhibition. Jason Swettenham of National Offender Management Service gave time in-kind to mentor Gamman and Thorpe as to how the project could run within government prison industries and endeavoured to find them a prison to work with. He introduced them to Kenny Brown, Governor of HMP Wandsworth and attended many meetings to help set up this partnership, involved two senior prison staff in discussion as well as Cynthia Clottery who manages OLAS. He also was introduced to Andy Gregson of UK's Fab Lab in Central London who has advised the project about DACRC's idea to set up a resettlement creative unit nearby the prison for inmates. Even when HMP Wandsworth were unable to go forward with the project, Swettenham continued to mentor Gamman so that any learning from the project (subsequently delivered within the private prison context) will be shared with national prison industries, given he expressed a particular interest in Fab Lab developments. Carlotta Allum, of Stretch, a digital arts company made 4 videos of the Makeright project with inmates, using funds she had acquired from the National Lottery for such purpose. Central Saint Martins also funded GBP 1,200 of additional work in order to enable her to make videos of the volunteers on the project. See 'Inmates films' and 'Volunteers films' by Stretch Digital here: https://makerightorg.wordpress.com/images-and-videos/ Lotje Sodderland, an independent film producers also contributed significant time and made a 6-minute rough cut documentary free of charge for the the project that can be found here: https://makerightorg.wordpress.com/images-and-videos/. Janet Lee of BBC1 also gave 1 day's time to advise about the potential of making a documentary on Makeright. |
| Impact | The project featured in the CSM Public Newspaper http://www.arts.ac.uk/csm/csm-public/csm-public-launch-event/ |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Makeright (UK) |
| Organisation | Sirtris Pharmaceuticals |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Gamman and other staff from the Design Against Crime Research Centre worked as part of a collaborative team on the creation of design education teaching materials for HMP Thameside. The team also provided teaching time to run a workshop with inmates to build their future resettlement and employment prospects, whilst additionally helping to reframe inmates' previous behaviour in a positive manner by enabling them to engage with design processes and skills, and make a contribution to society through the design of anti-theft bags aimed at preventing crime. Both Gamman (PI) Thorpe (Co-I) are funded on the project but have contributed an additional 30 days in-kind labour each. Other Design Against Crime Research Centre staff have also provided their time in-kind to the project: Marcus Willcocks - 30 days Sarah Rhodes - 1 day Gamze Toylan - 3 days Emma Jonsson - proportion of her internship Dani Davies - 20 days managing volunteers and other administrative support In addition, the Assistant Dean of Research, Janet McDonnell gave several days of her time to help train student volunteers to Makeright. Also the Centre's Business Development Manager, Chryssi Tzanetou has contributed considerable time attending meetings liaising with the relevant Serco staff at HMP Thameside to secure additional funding of GBP 15,000 and 7,000 from Serco's PIAC to expand the outreach and impact of the research via expo dissemination. This additional financial support covered April - October 2016 period and then helped finance the expo that occurred in November 2016 at the prison the cost of which was heavily underwritten by UAL. Ultimately, this additional financial support from Serco plus staff support from UAL enabled the team to deliver a range of Makeright bags, co-designed by inmates, of a sufficient quality than those already created, to enable them to be exhibited and a number of test bags to sold by Sue Ryder charity shops, in order to involve the public in user testing the bags. |
| Collaborator Contribution | HMP Thameside - Serco Group is the main partner on this project, replacing HMP Wandsworth, and has consequently made a considerable in-kind contribution to the project. This includes in-kind time of the Prison Governor John Biggins and then Craig Thomas and senior staff such as Keith Jarvis who advised how best to set up the project. Also, Serco have funded the cost of employing two designers from Central Saint Martins as 0.5 FTE Serco prison employees to run the Design Textiles Studio, where Makeright run their Design Academy focus. Staff from Sue Ryder attended various meetings at CSM in 2015 and 2016 with the research team and NOMS, HMP Wandsworth and HMP Thameside to help conceptualise the sustainability aspect of the project, and consider whether it was possible to turn turn their rags into anti-theft bags. They gave additional time in 2016 towards the creation of press release and ideas for the Make It Right exhibition. Jason Swettenham of National Offender Management Service gave time in-kind to mentor Gamman and Thorpe as to how the project could run within government prison industries and endeavoured to find them a prison to work with. He introduced them to Kenny Brown, Governor of HMP Wandsworth and attended many meetings to help set up this partnership, involved two senior prison staff in discussion as well as Cynthia Clottery who manages OLAS. He also was introduced to Andy Gregson of UK's Fab Lab in Central London who has advised the project about DACRC's idea to set up a resettlement creative unit nearby the prison for inmates. Even when HMP Wandsworth were unable to go forward with the project, Swettenham continued to mentor Gamman so that any learning from the project (subsequently delivered within the private prison context) will be shared with national prison industries, given he expressed a particular interest in Fab Lab developments. Carlotta Allum, of Stretch, a digital arts company made 4 videos of the Makeright project with inmates, using funds she had acquired from the National Lottery for such purpose. Central Saint Martins also funded GBP 1,200 of additional work in order to enable her to make videos of the volunteers on the project. See 'Inmates films' and 'Volunteers films' by Stretch Digital here: https://makerightorg.wordpress.com/images-and-videos/ Lotje Sodderland, an independent film producers also contributed significant time and made a 6-minute rough cut documentary free of charge for the the project that can be found here: https://makerightorg.wordpress.com/images-and-videos/. Janet Lee of BBC1 also gave 1 day's time to advise about the potential of making a documentary on Makeright. |
| Impact | The project featured in the CSM Public Newspaper http://www.arts.ac.uk/csm/csm-public/csm-public-launch-event/ |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Makeright (UK) |
| Organisation | Stretch Digital |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Gamman and other staff from the Design Against Crime Research Centre worked as part of a collaborative team on the creation of design education teaching materials for HMP Thameside. The team also provided teaching time to run a workshop with inmates to build their future resettlement and employment prospects, whilst additionally helping to reframe inmates' previous behaviour in a positive manner by enabling them to engage with design processes and skills, and make a contribution to society through the design of anti-theft bags aimed at preventing crime. Both Gamman (PI) Thorpe (Co-I) are funded on the project but have contributed an additional 30 days in-kind labour each. Other Design Against Crime Research Centre staff have also provided their time in-kind to the project: Marcus Willcocks - 30 days Sarah Rhodes - 1 day Gamze Toylan - 3 days Emma Jonsson - proportion of her internship Dani Davies - 20 days managing volunteers and other administrative support In addition, the Assistant Dean of Research, Janet McDonnell gave several days of her time to help train student volunteers to Makeright. Also the Centre's Business Development Manager, Chryssi Tzanetou has contributed considerable time attending meetings liaising with the relevant Serco staff at HMP Thameside to secure additional funding of GBP 15,000 and 7,000 from Serco's PIAC to expand the outreach and impact of the research via expo dissemination. This additional financial support covered April - October 2016 period and then helped finance the expo that occurred in November 2016 at the prison the cost of which was heavily underwritten by UAL. Ultimately, this additional financial support from Serco plus staff support from UAL enabled the team to deliver a range of Makeright bags, co-designed by inmates, of a sufficient quality than those already created, to enable them to be exhibited and a number of test bags to sold by Sue Ryder charity shops, in order to involve the public in user testing the bags. |
| Collaborator Contribution | HMP Thameside - Serco Group is the main partner on this project, replacing HMP Wandsworth, and has consequently made a considerable in-kind contribution to the project. This includes in-kind time of the Prison Governor John Biggins and then Craig Thomas and senior staff such as Keith Jarvis who advised how best to set up the project. Also, Serco have funded the cost of employing two designers from Central Saint Martins as 0.5 FTE Serco prison employees to run the Design Textiles Studio, where Makeright run their Design Academy focus. Staff from Sue Ryder attended various meetings at CSM in 2015 and 2016 with the research team and NOMS, HMP Wandsworth and HMP Thameside to help conceptualise the sustainability aspect of the project, and consider whether it was possible to turn turn their rags into anti-theft bags. They gave additional time in 2016 towards the creation of press release and ideas for the Make It Right exhibition. Jason Swettenham of National Offender Management Service gave time in-kind to mentor Gamman and Thorpe as to how the project could run within government prison industries and endeavoured to find them a prison to work with. He introduced them to Kenny Brown, Governor of HMP Wandsworth and attended many meetings to help set up this partnership, involved two senior prison staff in discussion as well as Cynthia Clottery who manages OLAS. He also was introduced to Andy Gregson of UK's Fab Lab in Central London who has advised the project about DACRC's idea to set up a resettlement creative unit nearby the prison for inmates. Even when HMP Wandsworth were unable to go forward with the project, Swettenham continued to mentor Gamman so that any learning from the project (subsequently delivered within the private prison context) will be shared with national prison industries, given he expressed a particular interest in Fab Lab developments. Carlotta Allum, of Stretch, a digital arts company made 4 videos of the Makeright project with inmates, using funds she had acquired from the National Lottery for such purpose. Central Saint Martins also funded GBP 1,200 of additional work in order to enable her to make videos of the volunteers on the project. See 'Inmates films' and 'Volunteers films' by Stretch Digital here: https://makerightorg.wordpress.com/images-and-videos/ Lotje Sodderland, an independent film producers also contributed significant time and made a 6-minute rough cut documentary free of charge for the the project that can be found here: https://makerightorg.wordpress.com/images-and-videos/. Janet Lee of BBC1 also gave 1 day's time to advise about the potential of making a documentary on Makeright. |
| Impact | The project featured in the CSM Public Newspaper http://www.arts.ac.uk/csm/csm-public/csm-public-launch-event/ |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | Stretch |
| Organisation | Stretch Digital |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | CSM funded Stretch to make videos of volunteers personal narratives and their experiences. See 'Volunteers films by Stretch Digital' here: https://makerightorg.wordpress.com/images-and-videos/ |
| Collaborator Contribution | Carlotta Allum attended the 'Misfit Economy' presentation given by Professor Lorraine Gamman on 28 April 2015. They met early 2016 to see whether or not they could engage and Gamman invited Stretch to work with Makeright inmates at HMP Thameside to document their personal narratives in digital form regarding inmate learning (this work was funded by the lottery grant Allum in receipt of). See 'Inmates films by Stretch Digital' here: https://makerightorg.wordpress.com/images-and-videos/ |
| Impact | To add. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | CSM Public Launch Event (London) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | On 14th January 2016, Makeright was introduced as part of Central Saint Martin's launch of 'CSM Public'. The project featured as a key flagship initiative of 'CSM Public' - the College's newly formed programme which showcased how art and design schools can be agents for social change. The CSM public newspaper was produced for the launch event and included Gamman's interview about the project, including feedback from inmates. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.arts.ac.uk/csm/csm-public/csm-public-launch-event |
| Description | Creative Entrepreneurship Community of Practice - Launch meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of Makeright project and teaching and embedding social entrepreneurship in-curriculum at Creative Entrepreneurship Community of Practice - Launch meeting, 28th April 2016 at Chelsea College of Arts (PI Lorraine Gamman with Tessa Read, Employability Practitioner, Careers and Employability, UAL). Creative Entrepreneurship Community of Practice and set up in response to growing staff interests and ambitions for developing student and graduate entrepreneurial practice, thinking and opportunities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Creative Innovation Across Disciplines, Nottingham Trent University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation titled 'From "design against crime" in public space to "Makeright design thinking for prison industries" - empathic crime prevention through socially responsive design practice' by Prof. Lorraine Gamman to research staff and students at Nottingham Trent University, 5th April 2017. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Cultures of Resilience Forum (London) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Gamman presented 'Why teach prisoners resilience?' to the Cultures of Resilience Forum (19 February, 2015) led by Prof Ezio Manzini. Cultures of Resilience is a two year University of the Arts London-wide initiative, the goal of which is to build a 'multiple vision' on the cultural side of resilience by putting together a set of narratives, values and ideas that are coherent in that they are all based on resilient systems, but in many other aspects they are very diverse. This presentation shared the learning from the prison project so far and discussed whether the approach to prison industries and the Makeright label could build resilience and positively impact (or unbox) on inmate experience. This presentation raised interest in the project from staff across all 6 colleges at University of the Arts London and sparked an interesting discussion around the idea of teaching prisoners to become more resilient in the highly competitive and changing work places of the city, where expectations of employment are often not met amongst marginalised groups who in huge numbers fail to find legitimate employment and thus resort to crime. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.culturesofresilience.org/wordpress |
| Description | HRH Princess Anne visit to HMP Thameside (London) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | On 10th February 2016, Gamman introduced the Makeright project to HRH Princess Anne on behalf of the Butler Trust, HMP Thameside, London. A presentation was given in the studio to explain the designing thinking, as well as making elements, of the project and how they are linked to building entrepreneurial skills for prisoners. Her feedback was positive. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Innovate Inside: Towards Creative Prison Industries seminar (Ahmedabad) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | A seminar organised by Co-I Nahar titled 'Innovate Inside: Towards Creative Prison Industries' at Sabarmati Central Jail, Ahmedabad was attended by officials from the police department, prison industry, NGO's and students of various disciplines from NID, as well as inmates who had participated in the Makeright project. The ambition of the seminar was to raise awareness and initiate interesting conversations about bringing creative practices to the prison industries. Future opportunities were also discussed and suggested by various stakeholders to bring a positive change to the current prison system, and to ultimately reduce crime in society. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.makeright.org |
| Description | Magistrates' Association Retired Member Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of Makeright project at Magistrates' Retired Member Event on 5th December 2016 at the Marlborough Arms, London. Attended by circa 30 members who gave positive feedback. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Makeright coverage |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Project attracted the following international media coverage: Sublime, Teleri Lloyd-Jones, 6 December 2016. Design in prison. Arts & Humanities Research Council, December 2016. Makeright exhibition: Design Against Crime in Prison. Abel & Cole, December 2016. Bags of character. The Grocer, Daniel Selwood, 29 November 2016. Abel & Cole tarpaulins turned into anti-theft bags. The Times of India, Parth Shastri, 9 November 2016. Project with Sabarmati Jail gets design award. The Design Observer, Michael Bierut and Jessica Helfand, 5 May 2016. Episode 33: Prisons and Paradise. New Directions (Novus), Spring 2016. Learners make anti-theft bags. Co.Design, Diana Budds, 28 April 2016. The Latest In Prison Education? Design Thinking Design Week, Tom Banks, 25 April 2016. New scheme launched to teach "design thinking" to prisoners. Design Indaba, Nicole Horgan, 5 April 2016. Makeright: Involving prisoners in anti-crime design. Times New Network, 22 March 2016. Convicts help design theft-proof bags. Tv9, Ahmedabad, 4 March 2016. NID goes to Sabarmati jail for empowering prisoners for meaningful living. Tv9, Gujarati, 28 February 2016. NID goes to Sabarmati jail to teach theft-proof designs to inmates. The Times of India, Sarfaraz Shaikh, 27 February 2016. NID goes to Sabarmati jail for designs against theft. CSM Public newspaper, 14 January 2016. Delivering Design Education for Prisoners. The Times of India, Runa Mukherjee Parikh, 7 March 2014. National Institute of Design, UK-based faculty plan course for jail inmates. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014,2016 |
| URL | https://makerightorg.wordpress.com/about/media-coveragepress/ |
| Description | Making It Out, University of Sussex Business School |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Meeting with Making it Out, University of Sussex Business School to discuss Makeright and how to combine our research interests regarding returning citizens and youth at risk in terms of providing design thinking, making and entrepreneurial strategies available to them. This is in relation to the development and submission of a Nuffield funding application. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Misfit Economy Book Launch (London) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Gamman organised the book launch of the Misfit Economy (by Kyra Phillips) at Central Saint Martins, London (10 June, 2015). She gave the presentation 'What do creatives and criminals have in common', the purpose of which was to highlight and discuss the activities of prolific individuals who are self-directed and commit acquisitive crime as a sort of quasi 'trade' or 'profession' - a way to make a living. Such individuals may not 'work' in the traditional sense, but they are very active and entrepreneurial in terms of finding opportunities (Garwood, 2011; Felson and Clarke, 1998) to rob, swindle, thieve or drug deal etc. The argument was that art and design, as participatory creative processes, can help people who are imprisoned for committing crime to be more resilient in a society that denies them the opportunity to live through criminal means. This event prompted an engagement with the charity Stretch. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.designagainstcrime.com/2015/04/28/the-misfit-economy-what-creatives-and-criminals-have-in... |
| Description | New Nordic Welfare Conference (Odense) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | On 22 October, 2015 Gamman presented 'Makeright - the case for design thinking' at the New Nordic Welfare: Inspiration conference (Odense Congress Centre, Denmark) which was published as part of conference proceedings. Approximately 250 professionals from municipalities in Denmark, Norway and Sweden attended the conference, and was during the day spread out on a total of 8 different sessions. This trip and presentation was commissioned by Southern Denmark University and funded by Tryfonden council. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://subsites.odense.dk/subsites4/new%20nordic%20welfare |
| Description | Presentation at HMP Thameside, February 2016 (London) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Presentation given to staff at HMP Thameside to finalise the decision of granting additional financial support for further iterations to the Makeright project. The purpose of the presentation was to explain how this additional financial support will enable the Design Against Crime Research Centre team to iterate the design thinking experiment to formalise a design-led course embedded in prison industries, which will be certified and repeated every two months. Furthermore, this additional financial support will deliver a range of Makeright bags co-designed by inmates of a sufficient quality to enable them to be sold by Sue Ryder charity shops. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Presentation at HMP Thameside, September 2015 (London) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | On 8 September 2015, Gamman gave a presentation to the Governor of HMP Thameside and key senior management staff, to secure permission to run the Makeright project with the prison, instead of HMP Wandsworth who were unable to deliver classroom space or staffing support. The purpose of the meeting was to find out whether it would be possible to start to reframe prison industries as a location of a 'creative hub' at HMP Thameside, where new employment skills and opportunities could be developed and fostered. The aim of this presentation was to highlight how design can address the gap that currently exists between 'vocational' and 'educational' approaches to increasing employability amongst prisoners and with this aim, secure the go ahead to run the Makeright project at the prison. Following on from the meeting and presentation, the Makeright Design Textiles Studio was set up at HMP Thameside in October 2015 to introduce analytical approaches associated with 'design-thinking' to prisoners ' in accessible and visual ways, so that learning could occur in pragmatic vocational contexts. Two CSM designers were appointed by HMP Thameside to work for the prison. The outcome of this was anti- theft bag products designed by prisoners, with an internal team at HMP Thameside capable of continuing the project when the research funding ends. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.makeright.org |
| Description | Presentation at Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT) (Pune) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | On 26 February 2016, Gamman gave the presentation 'Introducing Design Against Crime and Makeright' to the Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT) Industrial Design course, Pune, India. A British Council project led by Central Saint Martins funded this visit. The purpose of the presentation was to explain the work of the Design Against Crime Research Centre and why we are engaging with prison industries. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Presentation at Raksha Shakti University (Ahmedabad) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | On 4th March 2016, Gamman gave the presentation 'Design Against Crime and Makeright project' at Raksha Shakti University, Ahmedabad. The purpose of the presentation was to explore participatory design strategies, devices and the idea of design against crime as well as co-designing with inmates. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.makeright.org |
| Description | Presentation for Social Design Institute / Policy Lab event (February 2020) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Lorraine Gamman presented the Makeright project and policy issues it raised at an event organised by the Social Design Institute (UAL) and Policy Lab on 26 February 2020 which was attended by approx. 150 people. This event was to enable new connections between design and policy making (between UAL staff and students and civil servants and their guests) using design approaches. Guests included design consultants and other stakeholders Policy Lab work with. This is part of the policy and evidence capability we are trying to build across UAL's expertise in social design and design for sustainaiblity. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Presentations at 'Innovate Inside' seminar (Ahmedabad) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | On 3rd March 2016, at the 'Innovate Inside: Towards Creative Prison Industries' seminar at Sabarmati Central Jail, Ahmedabad, Gamman and Nahar gave the following presentations: 'Introducing Design Against Crime at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London and how this has led to the Makeright project with HMP Thameside, London and the National Institute of Design and Sabarmati Jail, Ahmedabad' (Gamman) 'UK prison reforms ahead and why the National Alliance for Arts in Criminal Justice are making a powerful case for change' (Gamman) 'Some examples of work delivered by NID so far from a design/NID perspective: Some findings of the ongoing design thinking workshop at Sabarmati Central Jail'. (Nahar) Over 100 officials attended the seminar from the police department, prison industry, NGO's as well as students of various disciplines from NID. The purpose of the presentations was to show how design could reframe prison industries as a 'creative hub' that enhances inmates' future employment and resettlement prospects. The presentations sparked questions and a discussion afterwards. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | The Guardian (London) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | On 9th December 2015, Gamman gave a formal presentation to staff from The Guardian who followed HRH Princess Anne's visit to HMP Thameside, and explained design thinking and making as an innovative educational tool embedded in prison industries at HMP Thameside. The presentation was accompanied by an on-site guided tour to the project's workshop space and facilities, where the inmates presented their prototypes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Tricky Design, Design Ethics for a Complex World. 2-day symposium at the Design Museum (June 2019) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | In collaboration with Tom Fisher (Nottingham Trent University), Social Design Institute (UAL) and the Design Museum, this 2-day symposium (hosted at the Design Museum) on the 7 and 8 June 2019 was attended by approx. 75 people. It brought together leading designers, academics, journalists and theorists to discuss ethical approaches for design in response to some of today's most urgent challenges. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.designresearchsociety.org/articles/event-report-tricky-design-symposium |
| Description | UnBox Popup event (London) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Gamman delivered, with Co-I Nahar, the presentation 'Introducing Makeright - Working with Inmates at HMP Thameside, London and Sabarmarti Jail, Ahmedabad' as part of a celebration of 3 years of UnBox fellowships at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (organised by the British Council/ AHRC on 25 June, 2016). The Unbox Festival fosters collaborations between creative practitioners and researchers from UK and India, which is where this project initiated. The presentation was followed by an open discussion and informal conversations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.eventbrite.com/e/unbox-popup-london-tickets-17350308239 |
| Description | Workshop at NCJAA Conference HMP Askham Grange |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Workshop run by Prof. Lorraine Gamman with Pras Gunasekera on 5th October 2016 at HMP Askham Grange - titled 'Makeright: using design thinking in prison industry textile workshops to build empathy and design skills' - part of the NAACJ conference. Contributors were asked to consider the theme for the whole day Arts, Culture and innovation in criminal justice settings: Improving outcomes in a new policy landscape. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Workshop with inmates at HMP Thameside (London) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A workshop was delivered to inmates at HMP Thameside over a 6 week period (starting on 12th October 2015) to introduce, in accessible and visual ways, analytical approaches associated with 'design-thinking' (Kimbell, 2009, 2011) to prisoners, so that learning could occur in pragmatic vocational contexts, producing a trial anti-theft bag design or accessory. The aim was to develop and test new opportunities for prisoners to engage in traditional prison industry activities, empowering them to learn additional skills (such as improved communication, collaboration, systemic reasoning and empathy) via the design of an anti-theft bag or accessory. Following the completion of the workshop, semi-structured feedback interviews were conducted with those inmates willing to be interviewed and still in prison (6), by a staff member (Erika Renedo) who had worked with the inmates throughout the project and delivered this as unpaid work. The findings are listed below. It is worth noting that the changes were predominantly more apparent in the inmates that were challenging and clearly disengaged at the beginning of the workshop (e.g. smoking, sleeping on table, lacking attention or disrupting others). 1. Pragmatic approach to thinking/making suit inmate learning styles? All interviewees agreed that the project was very good and few went on to report more specifically about how it differed from other work and education experiences, mentioning the reasons why they engaged with it uniquely. 2. Effect on communication: Overall, participants showed an improved ability to communicate with one another and an improvement on presentation skills was evident to staff members. 3. Effect on collaboration and systemic reasoning: Overall, the ability to work with one another for the benefit of the project was observed and some inmates' behaviour clearly changed throughout the process. 4. Effect on empathy: Six participants who agreed to be interviewed reported an increased insight of the user's situation, therefore a potential victim of crime. Another common element in the interviews was a sense of pride for having done something useful, or for a good cause. 5. Improve the imprisonment experience so that imprisonment is less damaging; All interviewees reported it was helpful, and most reported they thought the workshop should be longer than 4 weeks. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.makeright.org |
| Description | Workshop with inmates at Sabarmati Central Jail (Ahmedabad) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | This intense 6 day co-creation workshop built on the UK Makeright projet and was titled 'Creative Design Thinking for Prison Industries: Co-creation of anti theft bags'. The workshop ran as action research and education project with prison inmates at Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad, to help build inmate design thinking and resilience. The intention of the workshop was to show inmates how to co-design and co-create anti-theft bags to teach transferable skills and, in the long term, better communication, teamwork, conceptual design skills, pragmatic making skills and enterprise skills that will help them gain employability. Once developed and tested, we are considering proposing this model to the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) in India and other policy frameworks within prison industries for further implementation. In terms of impact, the workshop developed some very interesting concepts. The feedback from the participants suggested a building of self-confidence and opening up of their minds. Overall we found that the workshop was a very good learning experience for all the inmates who participated and also brought in other aspects like peer learning, group work and realisation of their creative potential. Inmates who participated in workshop also got remission of 2 days each. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.makeright.org |