About Us

Next Chapter Scotland is here for anyone in Scotland who’s affected by the criminal justice system — whether that’s through a conviction, an ongoing investigation, or the impact on a loved one.

‍

We offer non-judgemental, rights-based support to help people navigate the stigma, isolation and barriers that too often come with justice involvement.

‍

Founded in 2022 and a registered charity since 2023, our organisation is proudly shaped and led by people with lived experience of the justice system. At least half of our Board of Trustees have a criminal record or a close family connection to the justice system.

‍

We believe everyone has the right to turn the page and begin their next chapter — and we’re here to support them.

‍

Our Vision

‍

Our vision is of a future society in which everyone is treated equally for who they are in the present and no one’s future is defined by their past.

‍

Our Mission

‍

Our mission is to help people in Scotland who have been involved with the criminal justice system to navigate the stigma and discrimination they can face.

‍

Our Values

‍

Non-judgemental

‍

We connect with people as they present to us on any given day.

We only ever ask about offence type if it is relevant to the support being provided.

We will never exclude an individual based on their offence type.

‍

The irony of this value is that, of course, we all make judgements. What we work hard to do is make sure that every team member is supported to acknowledge their own internal judgements. We support them to work through any challenges they might experience, therefore allowing them to meet people with openness and compassion.

‍

Trauma informed

‍

Our organisation is guided by the principles of:

‍

• Safety: Prioritising emotional and physical safety of team members and service users.
• Trustworthiness: Building trust through transparency.
• Choice: Giving team members and service users a voice and choice.
• Collaboration: Working in partnership with organisations and individuals to support each other and reach shared goals.
• Empowerment: placing team members and service users at the centre of our decision-making processes.

‍

Valuing lived experience

‍

We place lived experience at the heart of everything that we do. Our involvement of people with lived experience of the criminal justice system is underpinned by the following principles:

• Equality: Every voice carries equal weight.
• Diversity: We take proactive steps to remove barriers and ensure we hear as broad a range of voices as possible.
• Accessibility: We take proactive steps to provide everyone with the support they require to be able to be heard.
• Compensation: We want to be able to demonstrate the value of people’s time and contribution by fairly compensating them for their involvement. We are working with our funders to achieve this.

‍

How will we get there?

‍

Our priorities are to:

‍

• Share clear and accessible information to help people who have been involved with the criminal justice system navigate any discrimination they may face.
• Bring people together to foster hope and amplify the voices of people who have been involved with the criminal justice system.
• Support people who have been involved with the criminal justice system to challenge the discrimination they face.
• Help to breathe life into the ideas that people who have been involved with the criminal justice system have on how best to improve ‘the system’.

‍

Why are we needed?

‍

It’s estimated that 1 in 3 men and 1 in 10 women in Scotland have a criminal record. In their words:

‍

“The punishment only started with prison. 23 years on from release and it hasn’t ended yet”

“You’re not classed as a valuable member of society. You’re tainted”

“I was better off in prison because I at least had people to talk to and didn’t worry about having to sleep on the street”

“I’ll be forever known as someone who’s been to prison. No matter how much time passes or what good I do, I’ll always be judged for my past crime”

“(It's so hard) Having to disclose to a faceless call centre operator every time I need insurance”

‍

Keeping People Safe

‍

Safeguarding is what we do to promote the welfare of all people who use our service, and to protect them from harm. Keeping people safe is our first priority and is at the heart of everything we do. 

‍

Please view our Safeguarding Statement for more information.