Speakers
Parallel Workshops
This presentation explores the role of peer mentoring in women’s prisons, focusing on its potential to address operational challenges and support incarcerated women. Peer mentors alleviate staff workloads by undertaking practical tasks, fostering communication, and de-escalating conflicts. Their non-authoritative approach enhances prisoner-staff relationships, supporting prison operations in under-resourced environments. However, ethical concerns arise as peer mentors often fill gaps left by systemic issues such as staff shortages, creating blurred boundaries between peer support and institutional labour. The absence of structured supervision exacerbates emotional strain for mentors, highlighting the need for formalised support systems to balance operational benefits with ethical considerations.