Unlock Drama’s Role in Health and Justice
Overview
Unlock Drama delivers trauma informed, theatre-based interventions that sit at the intersection of health and justice. Our work supports individuals in custody who are navigating complex needs, including poor mental health, addiction, trauma, and social isolation — often with little or no access to traditional forms of support.
By offering structured, creative spaces where people can reflect, process, and express themselves, Unlock Drama plays a vital role in improving mental wellbeing, supporting emotional regulation, and encouraging long-term recovery.
Context and challenge
Rates of poor mental health in the prison system remain alarmingly high.
- 62% of women and 54% of men in prison report mental health problems
- 40% have attempted suicide
- Many participants arrive in our workshops with a history of trauma, addiction, or chronic emotional dysregulation
Despite these challenges, access to consistent, effective, and meaningful mental health support is limited — particularly for those who don’t engage with conventional services.
Unlock Drama offers an alternative point of access: A place where participants feel seen, safe, and able to connect — without judgement or diagnosis.
Our Approach
Our health-focused projects are carefully co-designed with:
- Healthcare providers such as NHS England and Practice Plus Group
- Prison education and mental health teams
- Participants themselves, whose lived experience shapes each project
We focus on:
- Social prescribing — reaching self-isolators and those with anxiety, depression or long-term poor mental health
- Addiction and recovery support — exploring substance misuse and its emotional consequences
- Trauma-informed facilitation — prioritising safety, agency and emotional regulation
- Creative peer-led performance — helping participants share their stories, reduce stigma and build community
Each project includes verbal and written evaluation, and concludes with an informal performance that supports wider awareness and dialogue.
Participant Outcomes
Participants consistently report:
Improved mood, emotional resilience, and self-awareness
A shift from isolation to connection:
“I’ve come out of my shell.”
“I feel more like my real self — not the prison person.”
“This helped me get closer to the person I was before my trauma.”
Increased engagement with their own recovery and rehabilitation journey:
“This has made me want to work towards my Cat D and eventually go home to be with my children.”
Many participants describe a renewed sense of purpose, social connection, and even joy:
“I haven’t smiled this much since coming into prison.”
“Even when I go back to my cell, I’m still thinking about it. I’m still buzzing.”
Impact
Unlock Drama’s work directly supports health outcomes in secure environments by:
- Increasing access to mental health support for those least likely to engage
- Offering an effective form of creative social prescribing
- Complementing existing services with a high-engagement, low-barrier entry point
- Reducing stigma around mental health and addiction through peer-led storytelling
Our theatre-based model builds bridges — between people and their emotions, between peers, and between prison systems and meaningful rehabilitation.
