A new publication by Sue Wilkinson, who recently
joined the Department as an Honorary Professor, analyses the work of
Unlock - a charity supporting
people with criminal convictions to move on with their lives.
The typical caller to the helpline is male, with a
conviction for violence, theft or motoring offences. Most are making enquiries about the need to
disclose a criminal record, and how much - and under what circumstances – they
need to disclose. Call-takers are
generally able to provide clear, appropriate and up-to-date information.
The call-takers are all ‘insiders’ – people who themselves
have convictions and experience of the criminal justice system. They draw on their own experience in
interactions with callers, displaying a considerable degree of understanding
and empathy: “Where you find yourself …
is quite a lonely place in the world” or “A lot of people … feel a little bit
sort of screwed over by the system”.
They regularly offer advice and encouragement, giving up-beat
injunctions (“Give it a go”, “Stick to your guns’) and minimising what is
needed in order to take the first step into employment or training (“You just
need to …”).
Callers to the helpline are very appreciative of the service,
and talk about the reassurance and confidence they have gained. They often say things like “Oh that's a weight off my mind”; “I do feel better now that I’ve
had a talk to you”. This reflects
the success of the helpline in offering peer support and empowering callers to
overcome the negative effects of their previous convictions.
The Unlock study is one of a series that Sue has been conducting
with small charities, using conversation analytic techniques to help them
understand and improve their telephone helpline services. Sue is also co-ordinating a series of courses on conversation analysis in the Department.
No comments:
Post a Comment