A University of Staffordshire student has won a national award for her placement work where she helped reunite prisoners with their families.
Hana Bosworth, who is studying Forensic Psychology, spent her placement year with the Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT) at HMP Gartree in Leicestershire.
As a student family engagement worker, she helped organise family days for prisoners, created activities for their children, and was involved in casework and courses. Hana also came up with a ‘feelings board’ so the children could express their emotions using superhero characters.
Her work has seen her win the Student Placement of the Year award at PACT’s 125th Anniversary National Volunteering and Citizenship Awards.
The 21-year-old, from Northampton, said: “It was nice to get recognised as I did work hard. When I won my award, they mentioned the mood board. The CEO of PACT had sent it to all prisons as an example of what a student had done. Now they might take it up in other prisons.”
Among those Hana helped to reconnect with family is a prisoner who hadn’t seen his son for 20 years.
Family Engagement Manager Hannah Woods, who nominated Hana, said she had been a “massive help” to the team.
She added: “She really has shown great enthusiasm and put her all into every job or task that has been set. She has gone above and beyond.”
