Emerging Voices: Working with women in the UK criminal justice system

Working effectively with women within the UK criminal justice system necessitates a sensitive and informed approach to working with participants within this challenging context. For community musicians working within such settings, adopting gender-responsive and trauma-informed practice is key in building constructive relationships within which creativity can flourish. This paper will examine the weekly singing and songwriting project, Emerging Voices, which has developed out of the York St John University Prison Partnership Project. The foundational concepts of trauma-informed community music practice are explored both as a set of values and as a basis for practice. Emerging themes from the first year of the project include improved emotional wellbeing, personal and creative skills development, and creation of positive social cohesion. Keywords: trauma-informed practice, safe space, building trust in relationship, negotiated practice, creative collaboration, empowerment through songwriting