Life After Prison

4.6 (71)
PERSONAL JOURNALS
UPDATED WEEKLY

A podcast for anyone who has spent time in prison or is close to someone who has. Featuring incredible stories from people who've been inside, plus advice and support for those recently released. Follow us at @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X and @lifeafterprisonpod on TikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 HR AGO

You Must Meet People Where They Are, To Help Them Grow - Donell & Jeffrey

On this episode of Life After Prison, we explore a story that doesn’t follow a straight line — because real change rarely does. Donell, a successful contractor & former prisoner, shares the highs, setbacks, and hard truths of life after release, while Jeffrey, a prison coach, reflects on the turning point that changed his own path and led him to work with young people in custody. The two met at Cookham Wood, where honest, in-depth coaching built a powerful connection — one that was tested by setbacks, including a return to prison and homelessness. They reflect on what changed the second time around, and why some people break the cycle while others don’t. This episode of Life After Prison accompanies the launch of a short film from Spark Inside focused on Donell's remarkable journey. Watch here: https://www.sparkinside.org/news/donells-story-how-coaching-unlocked-his-hero-within-5 This podcast is also available as a video – just search Life After Prison on YouTube. Useful Organisations: Kings Trust – support young people to get into work, education, or training, especially those facing disadvantages or barriers like unemployment or a history with the justice system. Offering mentoring, courses, and funding to help build confidence and create new opportunities. Spark Inside - deliver coaching programmes in prisons, helping young people develop confidence, emotional intelligence, and a sense of purpose. Their work focuses on supporting long-term personal change and better outcomes after release. Contact us: If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us. 💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok 📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio ✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

52 min
14 MAY

From Being Labelled The Devil to Delivering Hope - Sosa Henkoma

Today’s guest is the definition of transformation. At the age of 11 he was groomed into county lines, by 12 he was regularly carrying firearms and by 15 he’d already seen the inside of a prison cell. The following years were a mix of serving time as a teenager, along with physical and mental trauma. Once labelled a criminal, he’s now recognised as a survivor of child criminal exploitation and modern slavery, becoming one of the voices leading the change. You can find him speaking in Parliament, contributing at the United Nations, and influencing national policy on exploitation and justice. Useful Organisations: Open University - offers flexible, distance learning courses that can be studied in prison or after release, helping people continue their education and build new career paths. Mind - provide advice, support, and services for people experiencing mental health challenges. It offers helplines, local services, and resources to help individuals understand their mental health and access the right support. Unique Talent - Our mission is to break the cycle of offending, gang involvement, and serious youth violence by providing mentorship, education, and life-changing opportunities. https://uniquetalent.org.uk/ Human Trafficking Foundation - Bring together statutory and non-statutory organisations working to tackle human trafficking and modern slavery, sharing knowledge to support informed and effective action. This podcast is also available as a video – just search Life After Prison on YouTube. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact us: If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us. 💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok 📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio ✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1hr 9min
7 MAY

BAFTA Breakthrough Star Talks Healing Through Film - Daisy-May Hudson

Today on Life After Prison, we’re joined by filmmaker Daisy-May Hudson. In 2013, Daisy-May was living in a hostel with her mum and sister — a reality she didn’t fully recognise as homelessness at the time. At that young age she decided to pick up a camera and document it, a decision that would change everything. Her story went viral, leading to her documentary Halfway, which she crowdfunded and took to cinemas. Now a BAFTA Breakthrough talent, her work — including feature film Lollipop — focuses on storytelling, healing, and lived experience, particularly around prison and homelessness. This podcast is also available as a video – just search Life After Prison on YouTube. Organisations: Clean Break - Support women affected by the criminal justice system through training and performance, helping them build confidence and pathways into creative industries. Reclaim The Frame - Directly support women into film through development programmes, training, and showcasing work by women directors. Daddyless Daughters - support girls and young women who have been affected by family breakdown, abuse and adversity across London between the age of 14 - 30 years old. Supporting them to go on to build and sustain healthy relationships and lifestyles in aid of preventing criminal and sexual exploitation. Birth Companions – Provides support for pregnant women and mothers in prison, including help with resettlement and parenting.Petition for the Holloway Centre - https://levelup.movement-action.org/p/islington-council-finish-holloway-womens-centreDaisy-May's first feature film Lollipop - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002pvjy Contact us: If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us. 💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok 📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio ✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1hr 5min
30 APR

Responding To More Comments On Social Media

A few series back we looked at some of the comments that people had left on our social media. We responded to comments tackling the stigma of having been to prison and cleared up a few myths about what life is really like inside. Those episodes were interesting to say the least! Today we’re going for it again, responding to the comments from our conversations with a few guests last series. This podcast is also available as a video – just search Life After Prison on YouTube. Useful Organisations Refuge (National) – Offers emergency accommodation and support for women escaping domestic abuse. Abianda (London) – Supports young women affected by gangs through tailored mentorship and advocacy. Radical Recruit - Help people with barriers to work secure employment and regain control of their futures. Aiding them access to fair opportunities and meaningful work. Disclosure Calculator - https://unlock.org.uk/disclosure-calculator/ The Orphan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5VYaTepAQA Contact us: If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us. 💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok 📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio ✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

41 min
23 APR

My Football Career Isn't Over Yet - Jay Emmanuel-Thomas

This week's guests is someone whose football journey has been anything but ordinary. From coming through the ranks at Arsenal FC, one of the most prestigious academies in the country—to playing across England and abroad, our guest today has built a career that many young players dream of. Known for his strength, technical ability, and versatility on the pitch, he was once seen as one of the brightest prospects of his generation. Representing England at youth level and sharing dressing rooms with some of the game’s biggest names. However, behind the headlines and highlights, there’s a deeper story that goes far beyond football. This is a conversation about resilience, reflection, and redefining purpose. This podcast is also available as a video – just search Life After Prison on YouTube. Useful Organisations: 3 pillars project - Mentor and support people in custody and after release, helping them build discipline, confidence, and pathways into education and employment. Key 4 Life - Work with young men at risk of reoffending, using sport and mentoring to develop life skills, improve wellbeing, and support them into work and a more stable future. Contact us: If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us. 💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok 📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio ✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

55 min
16 APR

Labour Government Want To Remove Juries?

At the end of last year the Labour government introduced the Courts and Tribunals Bill. In this bill, the government are proposing to reduce the use of juries and have some criminal cases decided by a judge alone. Some very big changes. This week we unpack key parts of this bill, and look at the implications it will have IF it is passed. The Lammy Review - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/lammy-review Prison Reform Trust - Works to create a fairer and more effective criminal justice system, focusing on improving conditions in prisons and reducing unnecessary imprisonment. They conducts research, influences policy, and advocates for reforms that support rehabilitation and reduce reoffending. This podcast is also available as a video – just search Life After Prison on YouTube. Contact us: If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us. 💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok 📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio ✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

36 min
9 APR

They Labelled Me A Human Trafficker - Glodi Wabelua

This week we’re joined by Glodi Wabelua. From a young age he struggled to fit in at school and soon found himself deep into a life of crime. The years that followed were a mix of prison sentences and life threatening injuries. Each experience leaving its mark and shaping who he was. In 2019, he stood trial in a landmark case, as the first person in the UK to be convicted of human trafficking under the Modern Slavery Act. Today he uses his story to educate and mentor young people, to avoid the paths that he walked and change the narratives placed on them. This podcast is also available as a video – just search Life After Prison on YouTube. Useful Organisations New Horizon Youth Centre is a London-based charity supporting young people aged 16–24 who are experiencing homelessness or unsafe housing. It provides advice, advocacy, mental health support and practical services to help young people move towards stability and independence. The Ben Kinsella Trust (London)– Works on preventing youth violence and supporting those at risk of gang involvement. XO Bikes (London) - Trains and employ bicycle mechanics, providing prison-based training and post-release work opportunities to reduce reoffending and support community reintegration. Contact us: If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us. 💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok 📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio ✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

53 min
2 APR

Prison Helped Me Escape My Chaos - Nick Hadris

This week we’re joined by Nick Hadris. Nick’s story is one of resilience, reflection, and using personal experience to help others move forward. After spending time in prison, Nick faced the challenge of rebuilding his life and finding a new direction. Since then, he’s worked tremendously hard to turn that experience into something positive - supporting others who are coming through the system and trying to rebuild their own lives. More recently, Nick completed a 250 mile bike ride fundraiser inspired by the memory of a close friend, raising awareness and showing the power of community and purpose after prison. This podcast is also available as a video – just search Life After Prison on YouTube. Organisations RAW Talent programme - A programme by COOK Trading Ltd that supports people facing barriers to employment, including those leaving prison, into paid work. It focuses on potential over experience, offering training, support and pathways into permanent jobs. Speak to your probation officer or support worker to receive a referral. www.cookfood.net Bounce Back – trains people in trades like painting, decorating, scaffolding, and helps them into work after release. Spark2Life (London) – Offers mentoring and workshops to help young people and adults make positive life changes, often led by individuals with lived experience of the criminal justice system. Mind (UK-wide) – Provides support and advice for anyone experiencing a mental health problem. https://www.mind.org.uk/ Contact us: If anything you’ve heard in this podcast has inspired you to make a positive change in your life, or you’d just like to get in touch, please contact us. 💬 Socials: @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X, @lifeafterprison on TikTok 📧 Email: podcasts@prison.radio ✉️ Write: Life After Prison, National Prison Radio, HMP Brixton, London SW2 5XF 🖥️ Website: https://lifeafterprisonpod.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

49 min

See All (174)

Jules Rowan

Host
Zakarriyah Katakyie Addae-Kodua khalil

Host

4.6

out of 5

71 Ratings

I love this!

09/08/2024

John V M

I listened to the episode with Chris Atkins and thoroughly enjoyed it. I’d recommend this to anyone who wants to listen to a truly authentic podcast with two ‘real’ people speaking unscripted and from the heart. Keep up the good work!
Frustrating

03/11/2024

jeckles88

A frustrating listen for any hardworking, law-abiding citizens. Getting all sorts of education in prison that I had to pay a hefty sum for! Seems they weren’t wrong about prison being a holiday camp.
Just beautiful

22/08/2023

5796533567890

This podcast is so important. Educational while still being accessible and offering real and practical help that could really transform someone’s life. Zak and Jules should be so proud of the hard work they put into this show and know that everyone listening is so grateful! I recommend this podcast to everyone I know, whether they have had experience with the prison system or not I think it’s really crucial that the public understand the complexities of life in and after prison and have an opportunity to listen to real life tales that include both struggles and uplifting, inspiring stories.
Informative and eye opening

01/07/2023

M23682368

Really enjoyed listening to the latest episode about the gambler. It’s a very inspiring motivating story as to how addictions can be overcome and how people can turn their lives around. it was a good insight into the prison system and how that all works as it is a completely different bought one that we know. Thank you so much for allowing us to share this journey.

A podcast for anyone who has spent time in prison or is close to someone who has. Featuring incredible stories from people who've been inside, plus advice and support for those recently released. Follow us at @afterprisonpod on Instagram and X and @lifeafterprisonpod on TikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.