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10th Anniversary Celebration

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Inside-Out 10-Year
Anniversary Celebration​

On March 20th, we had the privilege of celebrating a significant milestone: the 10-year anniversary of the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, Prison-based Think Tanks, and BSWAC (Beyond the Stone Walls Advisory Collective) in Australia.

This special event brought together students, academics and justice professionals to reflect on the program’s impact and the strong partnerships that have made it possible over the past decade.
 

A highlight of the evening was a powerful panel discussion featuring our Director, members who are graduates of the Inside-Out Program, the Think Tank, and BSWAC, alongside staff representatives from Corrections Victoria and Community Correctional Services within the Department of Justice and Community Safety. The panel explored how our Director’s vision has come to life—demonstrating the transformative power of education and lived experience in shaping meaningful, systemic change.

The celebration also featured an inspiring art exhibition showcasing creative works by individuals connected to the program. These pieces were a testament to the depth of reflection and personal expression fostered through our prison-based and community-based initiatives.

Guests were treated to a selection of delicious food and mocktails, with plenty of space for reconnection, storytelling and meaningful conversation throughout the evening.

We look forward to the next decade of learning, growth and change. 

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Law Week

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BSWAC hosted three events at RMIT University as part of Law Week: two panel discussions, and an art workshop and exhibition. The aims of these events were to connect with the public, increase awareness about the ways people with lived experience of the justice system are contributing to policies and practices, and to illustrate these by sharing some personal stories about incarceration and reintegration.

BSWAC hosted three events at RMIT University as part of Law Week: two panel discussions, and an art workshop and exhibition. The aims of these events were to connect with the public, increase awareness about the ways people with lived experience of the justice system are contributing to policies and practices, and to illustrate these by sharing some personal stories about incarceration and reintegration.

 

The first panel discussion focused on providing a snapshot for the audience about people’s journeys fromentering to exiting custody, including their personal challenges and opportunities. These were then contextualised with an overview of the IBAC investigation and subsequent Cultural Review that found certain issues to be widespread, and recommended working with staff, Indigenous communities, and people with Lived Experience to inform best practice. The discussion closed with an overview of how this goal is being achieved, the challenges to implementing change in a bureaucracy, and beneficial outcomes recorded internationally from hiring people with Lived Experience to work in the justice sector.

The second panel discussion focused on reintegration, and included people with lived experience, a researcher, and a practitioner. The emotive conversation began by explaining the entire process of parole from the parolee’s perspective: procedural unawareness, simultaneous fear and excitement upon release, reactions from loved ones, and challenges associated with fulfilling parole requirements. The panel then discussed the reasons behind parole violations and recidivism, as well as the difficulty in accessing all-important reintegration support. The conversation closed with panel members’ hopes for the future and the ways to achieve them.

 

The final Law Week event was artwork on display in combination with an art workshop which gave participants a hands-on experience. The space was adorned with awe-inspiring pieces from justice-impacted individuals. The evening was a huge success, with many interesting and engaging discussions inspired by the moving works, stories, and lives on display. 

Thank you to the community from all of us at BSWAC for being open and curious to learn about the experiences of people impacted by the justice system. We believe that through these brave and vulnerable conversation we will reach a better place, together. 

 

Change through collaboration.

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