News & Events

^{At the start of December, Emma, Paula and Gill attended the very first “Becoming an Imagination Activist” weekend training at Hawkwood College, Stroud. Led by Phoebe Tickell, they embarked on an immersive journey of the imagination, learning new techniques for imagining different futures.}

Together we imagined a future world where prisons had been closed and were now places of dark tourism. The revenue funds healing circles and community learning spaces where skilled healing practitioners take a restorative approach to harms. These places are based in nature, connecting people to their environment. As a result, people feel they belong and take care of these places. Love is now one of the most important lessons taught in schools. People master empathy, self regulation and care for self and others. Every street and locality is responsible for the people they live alongside. Local harms are addressed by collective healing circles, where people decide together what repairs are needed. This includes harmful business practices. Those neighbouring the businesses vote and hold leaders accountable.

Our fellow activists reimagined a range of other beautiful futures, including a future education system designed around diverse needs and strengths, future cities which prioritise human and non-human wellbeing, and future food and energy systems focused on sustainability and ethics.

These techniques and practices will be incorporated into forthcoming future-focused work on the project.

Members of the Experience for Justice Collective (E4J), a key partner in Imagining Possible Futures, gathered at the University of Liverpool for a two-day workshop to shape a shared research agenda and spark momentum for a major community-led research proposal.

4–5 November 2025

Building on earlier gatherings, including the inaugural Sheffield symposium (2023) and E4J presentations at the British Society of Criminology conferences (2024 and 2025), the workshop explored research priorities related to participatory and coproduced criminal justice research.

Participants worked collaboratively to refine the group’s research ambitions and priorities. Sessions included short presentations, group discussions, and thematic exercises designed to strengthen shared principles and develop plans.

Guest contributor Emma Murray (Imagining Possible Futures and Anglia Ruskin University) shared insights on developing imagination based work with key stakeholders. Collaborators reflected on future possibilities for community-driven research and explored funding and infrastructure support.

Outcomes

The workshop:

• Agreed a set of shared priorities and broad research questions.
• Mapped potential funding routes and next steps for proposal development.
• Strengthened the Collective’s capacity and networks for advancing its research agenda.

E4J will continue this work through follow-up meetings in 2026.