We aim to improve the quality of life for those who are marginalised by language and culture, by increasing awareness of the prison system and their rights by enabling them to access and exercise these rights. We provide a wide range of services to BMER (Black, Minority Ethnic and Refugees) and foreign nationals in UK prisons, and our goal is to ensure that the client’s transition from prison back into the community is as smooth as possible. For those wanting to return to their countries of origin, we provide them with information and the assistance they need to do this smoothly.
Our role is to facilitate our clients in re-building their lives and reducing the cycles of re-offending.
Contact
Jo Greenhouse
Head of Community and Prison Services
020 7697 4120 ext 4126
07951 182 558
jo@hibiscus.org.uk
WHAT'S NEW
HIBISCUS INITIATIVES ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF NEW CEO, MARCHU GIRMA
Hibiscus Initiatives (Hibiscus), the UK’s leading organisation working to support and empower Black, minority ethnic, refugee and migrant women affected by the criminal justice system and immigration restrictions, is delighted to announce the appointment of Marchu Girma as its new Chief Executive. Marchu is joining Hibiscus from her current role as Deputy Director of refugee […]
Hibiscus Initiative’s Response to COVID-19
In response to government advice on the current COVID-19 crisis relating to social distancing and homeworking, Hibiscus Initiatives (Hibiscus) has had to adapt our delivery model in order to adhere to these new measures and to help keep our clients and staff safe during this time. With our 30-year track record of providing high-quality, impactful […]
Our Annual Review 2018-2019
We are very proud of our achievements and look forward to developing our work. Please read more on our newly published Annual Review: Hibiscus Annual Review 2018-2019
Article on repatriation
The February 2019 edition of Association of Members of Independent Monitoring Boards (AMIMB) journal Independent Monitor featured an expert article by Anu Liisanantti on repatriation of prisoners. Read full article
Volunteering opportunity (ongoing): Basic computer skills teacher
Our Women’s Centre is a bright and friendly women-only space offering a range of activities for women such as ESOL class, IT classes, yoga & wellbeing sessions and art therapy sessions. About the opportunity: To deliver a weekly (12-week) course in basic learning and computer skills to foreign national women affected by the criminal justice […]
Commonweal Housing Competition
We are thrilled to have won Commonweal Housing Competition with our proposal for a feasibility study looking at housing provision for victims of trafficking. Our research proposal seeks to look at the injustice caused by current policy which places potential vulnerable and traumatised victims of trafficking into unsuitable accommodation whilst their needs and experiences are […]
Empowering the Adolescent Girl – an art exhibition in Resource for London with input from Hibiscus
ArtCan Members exhibition “There are nearly 600 million girls aged 10 to 19 in the world today, each with limitless individual potential, however they are disappearing from public awareness and the international development agenda. Between inequities in secondary education to protection issues, adolescent girls are uniquely impacted and should benefit from targeted investments and programmes […]
Still No Way Out report published
Too many foreign national and trafficked women face inappropriate imprisonment Vulnerable foreign national women in the criminal justice system, including trafficking victims, are facing inappropriate imprisonment and the threat of deportation at the expense of rehabilitation or support, according to a new report published today by the Prison Reform Trust and Hibiscus Initiatives. The report, […]
Stephen Shaw’s follow up report on the welfare in detention of vulnerable persons
Assessment of government progress in implementing the report on the welfare in detention of vulnerable persons A follow-up report to 2016 review of the welfare in detention of vulnerable persons to the Home Office by Stephen Shaw was published in July. This detailed report also recognised and complimented the services Hibiscus provides: Across all IRCs, I felt that […]
Refugee Week in Yarl’s Wood
Our team delivered a special workshop to celebrate refugee week on the 25 June with over 40 Yarl’s Wood residents joining the event. Some residents wrote beautiful short stories about their lives and experiences as refugee in the UK on colourful flags. The flags were presented on a beautiful board for everyone to read and […]
