Prisoners and workers at HMP Pentonville recently celebrated the successful completion of an empowering Public Speaking and Communication course ran in partnership with the University of Westminster. The course culminated in a parliamentary-style debate hosted by former Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow.
The seven-week course was designed to build self-esteem, confidence and communication skills, preparing participants for real-life speaking situations such as job interviews, court appearances and public forums. The programme was led by José Aguiar, Prison Educator at HMP Pentonville, in collaboration with John Bercow, former Speaker of the House of Commons, and Westminster Business School academics Dr Randhir Auluck, Sobia Razzaq, Ailu Hiew and Dr Caroline Bolam.
Throughout the course, prisoners and prison officers worked together to explore the art of storytelling, role-play, persuasion and self-awareness, combining theory with practice through short speeches, storytelling exercises and mock debates. Designed to ensure that education in prisons is not simply about teaching new skills, these activities focused on restoring confidence, cultivating self-expression and building bridges of understanding between universities and communities often excluded from educational spaces.
In the classroom
A graduation event took place on 13 October and featured a parliamentary-style debate in the prison’s chapel centred on the question of whether prison education should be funded and treated as equivalent to mainstream education. Learners and prison workers took on the roles of government and opposition, delivering structured arguments and rebuttals under the guidance of Bercow, who chaired the session with his trademark wit and precision.
Following the debate, certificates were presented to all who completed the programme. Several guests joined to celebrate their achievements, including Governor Simon Drysdale; Amanda King, Head of Education, Skills and Work at HM Prison and Probation Service; members of the Chance for Change Foundation; Friends of Pentonville; and colleagues from the Prison Radio Association.
Certificate ceremony
This collaboration between the University of Westminster and HMP Pentonville exemplifies the transformative potential of partnerships between higher education and custodial institutions. By combining academic expertise with the lived experience and resilience of learners in custody, the programme demonstrates how creative, structured learning can open pathways to rehabilitation and personal growth.
Westminster has a long-held commitment to helping people from all backgrounds to reach their full potential. The University has run several higher education participatory prison projects such as Making Links with HMP Pentonville and HMP Coldingley from the Centre for Social Justice Research, and was ranked 2nd for social mobility by the Institute for Fiscal Studies against universities in England in 2021.
Reflecting on the experience, one participant said: “The course has made me feel normal again, just for that moment.”
José Aguiar, who leads education projects at HMP Pentonville, said: “This course isn’t just about learning to speak, it’s about learning to believe in oneself. Public speaking helps individuals find their voice and recognise that it has value, both inside and beyond the prison walls.”
Sobia Razzaq, Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Westminster, said: “Watching the learners deliver their final speeches with such confidence and conviction was incredibly moving. Their voices, measured, persuasive and full of hope were a powerful reminder that even in the most restrictive settings, education has the capacity to transform lives and open new possibilities.”
Ailu Hiew, Westminster Senior Lecturer in Business and Management, added: “This has been a 360-degree learning experience for me. While I initially thought we would be the primary disseminators of knowledge, I have been humbled to find that I have gained more insights and inspiration from the participants and everyone involved. At the core of our collaboration was a commitment to make a positive change for the participants. It was truly rewarding to observe how some of the more reserved participants began to engage more openly, while others consistently built their confidence week by week. The creativity, energy and humour they brought to the sessions were joyful and meaningful.”
The University of Westminster and HMP Pentonville’s collaboration directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG): 4: Quality Education, 10: Reduced Inequalities and 17: Partnership for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
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