Case Study

‘My dad helps people’ is how Dave’s 14 year-old son describes his dad’s role as a volunteer peer mentor with the Ingeus justice team. It’s an incredible transformation following a past life shaped by drugs, violence, homelessness, and time in prison. 

 

Dave’s difficult childhood saw him involved with drugs from an early age. At school, using them soon turned into selling them, building his street credibility with his fists. Age 18, he received the first of his two criminal convictions and served 16-months in prison. Jeopardising his long-term relationship with his now-wife with his behaviour, years of self-harm and suicidal thoughts followed. 

 

“There were many times I asked myself, ‘what am I doing, this is no way to live’,” says Dave, who is 35 and from Pontefract, “but deep down I still cared about my street reputation and so the drinking and violence continued. My incredible partner, and her mum, stuck with me – they 100% saved me.” 

 

Dave worked as a chef until Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a genetic muscular skeletal condition, resulted in time off work and stints volunteering. In 2024, following his second conviction, he was referred by his probation officer to the Ingeus personal wellbeing service. 

 

Delivered as part of Ingeus’ Commissioned Rehabilitative Services, it opened a door into self-reflection, development, and mentoring that he says, ‘is the best thing I’ve ever done’. Completing Managing Me and Goals workshops helped Dave come to terms with his past, build positive connections, and develop strategies to avoid reoffending. Recommended to complete the seven-week Ingeus peer mentoring programme finally fulfilled his dream of helping others: 

 

“I learned to recognise that I’m not my convictions,” adds Dave, who has since received an Ingeus values award for his volunteering efforts. “Where there was false bravado before, I now have confidence as a nice guy, making a positive difference. I’ve found it’s the same story with many people with criminal pasts – they’re often really nice people; it’s the stories behind them that aren’t.” 

 

Dave now shares his story with other Ingeus participants, supporting weekly groups like those he attended. Alongside Ingeus staff members, he’s visited prisons, probation offices, magistrate training, and events across West Yorkshire. He attended a speaker bootcamp to help him find the words to articulate his journey and has been filmed for an Ingeus video. His wife and son attended his peer mentor graduation event where he shared his story of hope and determination with a packed audience. 

 

“I simply haven’t got the words for what Ingeus has done for me,” concludes Dave. “I was a dead end drug dealer – now I have the opportunity to right some of the wrongs in my life. A paid position would be my dream, but I’ll volunteer as a peer mentor indefinitely, for as many hours as I can, if not. 

  

“My son knows my story and I don’t want him to live a second of anything similar. He’s proud of what I do to help others and asks after the people I volunteer with. The only reputation that’s important to me now is what my family thinks of me.”