A new home within ICPA: launching the First Nations and Indigenous Network in Belfast

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For the first time, Indigenous and First Nations people will have their own home within the International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA). 

“Our peoples are overrepresented in prisons in many parts of the world, including, but not limited to, Australia, Canada, Aotearoa New Zealand and the United States. Behind those numbers are families and communities carrying the impacts of imprisonment, disconnection, and systems that have too often been shaped without Indigenous voices at the centre.” - Michael Doyle, Netowrk Chair 

We know that the best outcomes come when our communities have a say in the systems that affect them. This Network is about making that happen, and we are launching it at the ICPA conference in Belfast. Culture, community leadership and lived experience can help shape policy, practice and services both in custody and on return to community. The ICPA First Nations and Indigenous Network is a practical step toward making that leadership visible, connected and influential internationally. 

Why this Network matters 

The Network brings together Indigenous and First Nations people working in corrections, health, research and community services, along with our allies. It is intended to be a respectful, action-focused space where members can build relationships across borders, share what is working and learn from different cultural, legal and correctional contexts. Indigenous people with lived experience of incarceration and the justice system bring voices, knowledge and leadership that are central to this work. 

Importantly, it also creates a place within ICPA to elevate Indigenous perspectives, ensuring they are heard as essential expertise in improving corrections, rehabilitation, reintegration, and community safety. 

What the Network will do 

The ICPA First Nations and Indigenous Network will focus on practical collaboration and peer learning. Together, members will work to: 

• build a strong, collective Indigenous voice within ICPA 

• share what is working across countries, especially programs led by our own communities 

• back Indigenous staff and researchers in the corrections sector 

• elevate the voices, knowledge and leadership of Indigenous people with lived experience of incarceration and the justice system 

• create partnerships that lead to real change for our people in custody and when they return home 

The Network will also support the identification of emerging issues of shared concern across jurisdictions and help create opportunities for cross-jurisdictional collaboration, research, and professional development, including collaboration with other ICPA Networks. 

Network Leadership 

The Network will be led by chair Professor Michael Doyle, a Bardi person from the Kimberley Region of Western Australia, and co-chair Tosha Big Eagle, a member of the Húŋkpati Oyáte of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe in South Dakota, USA.  

Michael has spent nearly three decades working in Aboriginal health, beginning in frontline services before moving into research. He now leads the First Nations Health research team at the University of Sydney’s Edith Collins Centre, working to improve treatment and care for people moving between prison and community.  

Tosha brings both academic expertise and a deeply personal connection to the work, drawing on five generations of family incarceration, including her own lived experience. A PhD candidate at Washington State University Vancouver and Director of Programs and Research for The Kindred Light Initiative, she focuses on health equity, harm reduction and community-defined pathways to healing.  

Together, Michael and Tosha bring a shared commitment to First Nations and Indigenous leadership and improving the lives of people and families affected by incarceration. 

Launching at the ICPA Belfast conference 

The Network will be officially launched at the ICPA conference in Belfast, with options to participate in person and remotely. The launch will introduce the purpose and aims of the Network, provide an opportunity for members to connect, and invite participants to help shape priorities for the Network’s first year. 

Launch event details 

Date and Time: 29 October, 13:30 - 15:00 PM

Location: Room 3A, ICC

How to join 

ICPA Networks are open to all ICPA members, including free members. This is the start of something big, and we want you to be part of it. If you are in Belfast, come and join us at the launch. Wherever you are, join the Network and help us shape what comes next. We would love to hear from you. 

For more information: [email protected]