A Vision for Impact and Inclusion

As I reflect on my first few months as CEO of Social Interest Group (SIG), I am struck by the depth of commitment and expertise that runs through this organisation. From the frontline teams delivering life-changing services to the central support staff ensuring everything works seamlessly, SIG is powered by people who care deeply about making a difference. That passion is evident in every conversation I’ve had and every service I’ve visited.

Our work spans some of the most pressing social challenges of our time: complex mental health, homelessness, substance use, and criminal justice. These are complex, interconnected issues that demand solutions rooted in compassion, creativity, and collaboration. SIG has a proud history of delivering exactly that. My vision is to build on this foundation to create an organisation that is stronger, more inclusive, and even more impactful.

Looking ahead, SIG is committed to deepening its impact across the areas where we can make the greatest difference: criminal justice, mental health, and housing, while continuing to deliver the vital services that have long defined our work, including substance use recovery, women’s services, and floating support. These remain integral to our portfolio and often intersect with our strategic priorities, ensuring a holistic approach to supporting people with complex needs. These sectors face immense pressure, and our experience positions us to offer solutions that are community-based, values-driven, and effective. Our goal is simple: to be the trusted partner of choice for commissioners and collaborators who share our vision for a fairer, more inclusive society.

This year, we celebrate a remarkable milestone: SIG Safe Ground’s 30th anniversary. For three decades, Safe Ground has pioneered creative, human-centred programmes in prisons, helping people reflect, reconnect, and rebuild. Programmes like Fathers Inside and Man Up? challenge stereotypes, strengthen family ties, and reduce reoffending through arts-based, therapeutic interventions. These initiatives more than change behaviour; they transform lives by helping people rediscover identity, connection, and hope.

The stories featured in this newsletter from HMP Forest Bank’s journey with Man Up? to the powerful showcase of Fathers Inside at HMP Altcourse illustrate the profound impact of this work. Men who once felt isolated and defined by their mistakes are finding their voices, reconnecting with their families, and imagining new futures. At Penrose Drive, residents leaving custody are rebuilding confidence and stability through purposeful activities and psychologically informed care. SIG Penrose HerStory House offers women a safe, trauma-informed space to heal and achieve independence. This is rehabilitation in its truest sense: not compliance, but recovery; not punishment, but possibility.

Our commitment to innovation and inclusion extends beyond the prison gates. Services like SIG Penrose Drive provide a vital bridge between custody and community life, offering structured support and creative engagement that help residents reintegrate successfully. SIG Penrose HerStory House is proof of what is possible when services are designed with compassion and collaboration, achieving a 90% rehabilitation success rate and zero returns to custody or homelessness. These achievements are not just numbers; they represent lives rebuilt and futures reclaimed.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the extraordinary people who make up SIG. In this issue, you’ll meet staff like Ailsa Oakes, whose work in family services at HMP Altcourse is transforming relationships and creating moments of hope. You’ll also hear from residents and participants whose courage and creativity inspire us all. Their stories remind us why we do what we do, and why we must keep pushing forward.

As we celebrate SIG Safe Ground’s 30th anniversary and look to the future, my vision is clear: SIG will continue to innovate, collaborate, and lead with values at the heart of everything we do. We will champion equity, diversity, and inclusion, strengthen partnerships, and amplify the voices of those with lived experience. Together, we can create services and communities where healing, growth, and hope are not just possible, but expected.