Action for Prisoners' Families, London
PhotoVoice was commissioned by The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund to run workshops for young people with Action for Prisoners' Families. Through the workshops participants produced images that explored how they felt about life with a family member in prison.
Some of the images produced have been made into postcards, which were distributed at the Cathcart Spring Proms evening at the Royal Albert Hall, a fundraising night in celebration of the life of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Action for Prisoners' Families have also used these images in their advocacy work.
Young people with a close family member in prison can be isolated from their peers and the community. Often the only support and information they receive is from another family member. Having a parent or sibling in prison can have many complicated effects on the lives of young people, and they often remain silent about the fact, for fear of the judgements they may face. 125,000 children this year will experience the imprisonment of a parent, while more than 500,000 children in the UK have a parent in prison during their school years. Poor facilities and long distances make it hard for children to visit a parent regularly, and visiting itself is a major issue which brings its own burdens and pressures.
Comments from the participants:
"In my pictures I am trying to show that I might not be strong on the outside but I am strong on the inside. I had to be for my mum and my little sister and brother while my dad was in the nick." Jamie
"I took a photo of my mum holding a sign saying 'Just Understand Us'. It is an important thing to say because when some people find out my dad is in prison they start to judge us before even knowing our situation." Rochelle
"I used to get scared when I would go to the prison and see my dad. The screws search you like you were the criminal. I hide this fear because I know I have to be strong for my mum and little sister and little brother." Jamie