“Education is not for you” - Shaen’s journey

From being told that “Education is not for you”, Shaen’s journey highlights the multiple overlapping barriers to education that many people face from a young age. Having a criminal conviction compounds these and raises further barriers that Shaen remarkably overcame. His story teaches us much about the importance of inclusivity and equality in education and society.

About the Unlocking Potential Project

The Unlocking Potential Podcast highlights the effects and impacts of admissions policies and supports for people with convictions. Across the series, Dr Joe Garrihy will explore the educational journeys and experiences of students with criminal convictions including the barriers faced and the remarkable resilience of those who have achieved their goals. Additionally, contributions from key stakeholders will highlight key issues including GDPR, employment and social enterprise, and the work of Unlock UK.

Unlocking Potential is an innovative project aiming to increase access to higher education for people with convictions, improve the diversity of the third level student population and support desistance and reintegration. This project originated from the Maynooth University (MU) and Mountjoy Prison Partnership (Public Service Innovation Fund 2019) launched in April 2021. The Unlocking Potential Project is a collaborative project, led by MU Access Programme and MU School of Law and Criminology, which brings together a consortium of partners including MU Innovation Lab (Mi:Lab), Irish Prison Service, Irish Probation Service, Pathways Centre (City of Dublin ETB), and the Irish Penal Reform Trust. The project is funded by the (Irish) Department of Public Expenditure and Reform within the framework of the Public Service Innovation Fund 2020.

The Unlocking Potential Project Team are Professor Claire Hamilton, Dr Rose Ryan, Dr Joe Garrihy, Dr Ciara Bracken-Roche, Dr Ian Marder, Dr Trevor Vaugh, and Gemma Lynch.

For more information: UnlockPotential.ie(live January 17th, 2022)

The podcast is essential listening for anyone with an interest in second chances, desistance, inclusive education and social justice.