Lived-experience Leadership Summit

The Lived-Experience Leadership Summit is a national gathering led by and for people with lived experience of the criminal justice system. We’re bringing together campaigners, practitioners, creatives, social entrepreneurs, and policy shapers who are changing the system from the inside out.

Why is the Summit being convened? The criminal justice system continues to make decisions about people with lived experience while excluding them from meaningful leadership. Lived experience is often reduced to story-telling or symbolic involvement rather than being recognised as expertise that should inform policy, practice, and reform. This summit has been convened to bring that dynamic to an end.

Our purpose is to explore how we can create a permanent and credible body led by people with lived experience. The summit will provide a space to shape an organisation that campaigns for structural justice, offers policy advice, amplifies lived-experience voices, and holds institutions accountable.

Who has been invited? The summit will bring together around 30 participants in total. These include: - Established leaders who already influence reform. - Emerging leaders whose perspectives and energy are vital for the future of this movement across the UK.

What do we want to emerge in concrete terms?

By the end of the gathering, we want to have:

1. A collective agreement to formally establish a Lived-experience Leadership Alliance (LELA).

2. Agreement on its principles and structure so it is democratic, representative, and independent.

3. A clear set of campaign and advocacy priorities for the first 12 months.

4. A shared commitment to collaborate with other reform efforts, including the LE Justice Collective, so that our work strengthens rather than fragments the movement.

5. Clear next steps, including working groups, communication plans, and accountability measures. The ultimate purpose The summit is not just a meeting but the beginning of a movement.

Our aim is that everyone who attends leaves with a sense of ownership, optimism, and responsibility for a new body that can speak with credibility and authority.

Safeguarding Note for Delegates on Licence or Subject to Legal Restrictions

We warmly welcome all delegates with all types lived experience of the criminal justice system. However, we recognise that some attendees may currently be on licence or subject to restrictions that affect their association with others who have past convictions.

If this applies to you, we strongly encourage you to seek prior approval or guidance from your probation officer or relevant supervising authority before attending the event. This will help ensure that your participation does not breach any conditions and can proceed with full peace of mind.

Our aim is to create a safe, inclusive, and lawful space where lived-experience voices can be heard and valued. Thank you for taking steps to support that.