Debating Matters’ Beyond Bars is a project which takes DM’s schools-debating format inside prisons. Using our acclaimed substance-over-style format, teams of prisoners engage in debate with one another on a whole range of contemporary social, political and cultural topics. The programme aims to inspire participants to think about issues beyond their current situation and to look forward to their life ahead – in other words, beyond bars!
INTRODUCING BEYOND BARS
Initiated in 2015, Beyond Bars has run successful programmes in a number of UK prisons, most recently in August 2023 at HMP Bronzefield, the largest women’s prison in the UK. Next month, we will take the project into HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough.
The DM team working with prisoners in HMP Bronzefield
Using a selection of the Debating Matters Topic Guides, the prisoners will be tasked with conducting extensive research on a range of political and social issues such as
We should accept the risk inherent in contact sports
Britain should pay reparations for its colonial past
Unhealthy lifestyles are not the business of government
Tourism benefits the world
Participants will take part in a two-day intensive training programme to prepare themselves for the debating competition which will take place in front of an audience of their peers, family and other visitors. This will be followed by a number of visits to the prison by the Debating Matters’ team for some additional and bespoke guidance, training and encouragement.
A competitive round of debating will take place on Friday 16 May where high-profile figures from across a range of sectors – from Criminal Justice, Politics and Law, to the Arts, Academia and Architecture – will be invited as guests to judge the competitions and to provide helpful feedback to the debaters. The two winning teams of this ‘group stage’ will then take each other on in a head-to-head final the following week on Friday 23 May where they will be using their research, wits and intelligence to win the argument! By removing some of the traditional formalities of competitive debating, participants get the chance to:
- discuss contemporary controversies
- gain confidence in speaking and debating
- get involved in social issues beyond bars!
The Grand Final of the HMP Five Wells Debating Matters Championship will be part of a full day of thought-provoking and engaging events, including a special Question Time-style debate where prisoners and their guests will be able to put questions and points to a panel of experts on current affairs issues.
Announcing the winners of Debating Matters HMP Bronzefield
‘I have loved this experience and learned a phenomenal amount. I had to do lots of reading and research on my chosen topic and the challenge was condensing that into a three-minute presentation. I loved being asked questions and being challenged – it really was a healthy debate!’
Prisoner and Debater, HMP Bronzefield
BEYOND THE COMPETITION
Debating Matters empowers educators with the tools to establish sustainable debate clubs and make debate a part of their lives and the lives of those they teach. Debating Matters is not just a one-off competition, but an ongoing framework to keep people thinking. It is a way for those serving a sentence to find their own voice
Since serving his sentence, former Beyond Bars participant, Jon Floyd, has become a huge advocate of the programme. In a recent podcast with Debating Matters, Jon credits the programme with kickstarting his journey of rehabilitation. Listen to this podcast where Jon talks about the project and relays that all those who took part went on to do positive things with their lives.
PREVIOUS BEYOND BARS JUDGES
One of the central tenets of the Debating Matters Beyond Bars Competition is that those serving their sentence are intelligent and robust enough to have their ideas held up to critical scrutiny. Debating Matters judges are encouraged to be bold and challenging with participants, offering praise and criticism where it is due.
Ali Miraj, social entrepreneur; DJ; political activist; financier; founder, the Contrarian Prize
Andrea Carr, Chairman at Teacher Tapp, Strategic Adviser, Trustee Langley Park Learning Trust, Teacher Development Trust and Causeway Education
Anita Dockley, research director, Howard League for Penal Reform
Ann Mroz, Former Editor and Digital Publishing Director, TES, and former editor, THE
Austin Williams, senior lecturer, Dept of Architecture, Kingston University, London; honorary research fellow, XJTLU, Suzhou, China; author, 20 Chinese Architects, China’s Urban Revolution
Baroness Bennett, Former Leader, Green Party
Professor Colin Diamond CBE, Professor of Education Leadership at the University of Birmingham
David Maguire, Building Futures Programme Director at the Prison Reform Trust
Edwina Currie, former MP and cabinet minister; author; broadcaster
Eric Allison, prison correspondent, Guardian
Hugo Rifkind, columnist and leader writer, The Times
Ian Dunt, author, political journalist, broadcaster and columnist for the ‘i’. Ian previously served for many years as the editor of politics.co.uk.
Dr Kenneth McLaughlin, senior lecturer in social work, Manchester Metropolitan University
Luke Gittos, solicitor (criminal), partner at Murray Hughman Solicitors
Lord Maurice Glasman, political theorist, social commentator, Labour life peer
Mary Curnock Cook OBE, independent educationalist and former chief executive, UCAS
Max Wind-Cowie, deputy director, ResPublica, currently on secondment to the National Infrastructure Commission
Michael Merrick, Advisor to the Children’s Commissioner, commentator on education and social affairs; teacher, North Cumbria;
Miranda Green, journalist; commentator; deputy editor of opinion pages, Financial Times; former Liberal Democrat advisor
Nick Fraser, founder and editor of documentary streaming service Yaddo and former commissioning editor of BBC Storyville
Nicola Dandridge CBE, chief executive, Office for Students
Pamela Dow, Executive Director, cabinet office; former chief reform officer, Catch22; co-founder and co-host, De Beauvoir Debates; former director of strategy, Ministry of Justice
Phil Pegum, radio documentary producer, BBC
Professor Vicky Pryce, chief economic adviser and board member, Centre for Economics and Business Research; author, Women vs Capitalism
Sally Taylor, chief executive, Koestler Trust
Timandra Harkness, writer, comedian and broadcaster; author, Big Data: does size matter?
For further information about Beyond Bars, please email mo@ideasmatter.org.uk