A unique crime prevention initiative aimed at educating young people in Bradford about the realities of prison life launched on Wednesday evening, 16 July, at Mary Magdalene Church on Wood Street.
The Con-Fession Project introduced a new mobile prison-cell van, which replicates the inside of a real prison van and cell. It is designed to deliver a hard-hitting, educational experience to schools, colleges, youth groups, and faith organisations across the region.
The launch event was co-hosted by Sharat Hussain and Councillor Muhammed Ali Islam, who represents Manningham, and attended by a range of professionals and supporters, including the Governor of HMP Wealstun, Susan Field, Head of Chaplaincy Imam Moosa Gora, youth workers, teachers, ex-offenders, and young people.
The project is led by Sharat, a community organiser and prison worker currently based in HMP Wealstun and Leeds. He explained that the project came out of years of witnessing a growing number of young people, particularly from South Asian and other minoritised communities, entering the criminal justice system.
“I currently work in the prisons,” said Sharat. “We have a massive increase in young people. We’ve got a massive increase in people from our communities going into the criminal justice system. A few years ago, we did a programme called the Con-Fession Project with young people, where we talked about knife crime, drugs, crime, and all the issues that affect young people.”
The project, whose slogan is No Crime, No Time, aims to deter young people from entering the justice system by showing them the reality of what prison is like, not through scare tactics, but through education, conversation, and lived experience. “This is a preventative method,” Sharat said. “We needed to do something more proactive so we could educate our communities, our elders, our young people about the dangers of gangs, crime, and the influence of social media.”
The mobile prison van will travel around West Yorkshire, delivering workshops to schools, colleges, faith institutions and community centres. The sessions will be interactive and led by professionals, including youth workers, teachers, ex-police officers, and former prisoners who now work in the community. The aim is to offer honest, first-hand perspectives of the consequences of crime.
“We’re not here to glamorise prison,” Sharat said. “We’re here to share the truth about the mental health impacts, the broken families, the lost time. We want to deter, not frighten. To educate, not punish.”
At the launch event, Cllr Islam praised the initiative and said it could not have come at a better time. “I think it’s a well-needed project, one of its kind,” he said. “For many years, areas like ours have been deprived of youth-focused resources. Sharat has taken a huge step forward in giving young people better opportunities and a real chance at a different future.”
He added, “Prison is always unfortunately glamorised by many. However, that is not the case. I think the prison van and the Con-Fession Project will be a real eye-opener for many young people, the communities, families, and those trying to find their place in society.”
Bradford is known as the youngest city in Europe, with over a quarter of its population under the age of 18. Cllr Islam said the project’s timing is crucial. “Now it’s up to the community to take advantage of what they have. The schools should be saying, ‘Look, our young people need this wake-up call.’ Just a couple of weeks ago, I put forward a motion to full council asking for this council to lobby the government to restore youth services and tackle anti-social behaviour. That’s a change at the policy level. But this project is action on the ground.”
The event also showcased how community collaboration can help bridge the gap between the prison system and society. Governor Susan Field and Imam Moosa Gora from HMP Wealstun spoke with guests about the importance of rehabilitation and employment opportunities for ex-offenders after their release.
As part of the programme, ex-offenders involved in the project will be sharing their experiences directly with the public. Sharat said these stories are not told to shock or entertain, but to reflect the emotional and social cost of being in prison. “We want young people to understand what prison really is. It affects your mental health, your family, and your lifestyle. We don’t want to hear people say it was easy or like a holiday camp, we want to change the narrative.”
The project is also supported by a range of funders and partners who have helped bring the mobile prison unit to life. While not all supporters were named at the launch, Sharat made a point to thank everyone who contributed to making the initiative possible.
Daniel Balaz, founder of Connecting Roma C.I.C., called it “a raw, honest tool that will steer young people toward brighter futures.”
Youth worker Muhammed Azeem, who has worked on the Con-Fession Project since its early days, said the most powerful part of the new phase is that young people who took part in the first round five years ago are now leading the second. “This is what youth work is all about,” he said. “Empowering young people to become leaders in their communities, creating a lasting ripple effect.”
Stephen Hetherington, who also attended the launch, said: “What Sharat has created here is extraordinary. This project will plant a seed in young people’s minds that could change the course of their lives.”
Bradford, home to one of the youngest and most diverse populations in Europe, faces unique challenges but also immense potential.
“This is all for our future generations,” Cllr Islam said. “We must invest in them, in prevention, and in projects like this that make a difference. It’s time we turn conversations into action.”
As the mobile unit now begins its journey across the region, the hope is clear: that young people from all walks of life will step inside, reflect, and choose a different path.
