Life After Prison: Podcast wants to break stigma of leaving jail

Getting retired of situation mightiness dependable similar a crushed to celebrate. But for galore state tin beryllium a frightening prospect. So 2 ex-inmates person launched a podcast astir it.

Busy streets, uncovering things to speech about, and getting connected the lodging ladder.

Just 3 of the problems ex-offenders look aft being released from prison.

"It's rather emotional. You're blessed and excited, but astatine the aforesaid time, you're stressed and worried. Things consciousness rather intense," says Zak Khalil.

The 31-year-old was released from situation successful 2019.

He'd served astir 9 years aft being fixed 3 abstracted sentences for robbery and drugs offences.

Zak says adapting to beingness extracurricular was truly difficult.

"Imagine being dropped successful the mediate of a jungle, it's that aforesaid feeling," Zak tells BBC Newsbeat.

"I couldn't truly get progressive successful conversations, due to the fact that each I could speech astir is prison."

"How bash you amusement that you're overmuch much than idiosyncratic who's made a mistake and served time?"

His co-presenter Jules Rowan tin relate. The 26-year-old served 2 and a fractional years for grievous bodily harm (GBH) and describes leaving situation arsenic "overwhelming".

"I truly felt similar no-one could recognize me. I was overwhelmed and beingness abruptly felt truthful fast," she says.

As good arsenic dealing with caller surroundings and emotions, Jules explains you person a daunting to-do database which includes uncovering lodging and enactment opportunities.

"It's wherefore we started Life After Prison, to supply quick, straightforward answers."

The brace person started talking astir issues similar these connected a caller podcast with the purpose of helping radical successful a akin position.

The podcast is funded by foundation The Prison Radio Association, with topics specified arsenic convictions, uncovering accommodation and employment tips each being covered.

"We ever perceive from a nonrecreational that works successful an organisation oregon foundation and they supply nonstop answers to questions we get," Jules says.

Inmates person entree to Prison Radio, with it broadcasting 24/7 to inmates successful much than 100 prisons crossed England and Wales.

It's a work Jules describes arsenic a "big help" but says enactment is besides needed connected the different side.

"I deliberation you request assistance erstwhile you're successful determination due to the fact that you're not astir your household oregon friends," she says.

"But erstwhile you're outside, you request conscionable arsenic much, and it's not ever there."

And she believes a deficiency of assistance is 1 of the reasons wherefore radical re-offend.

"There isn't support, truthful you're connected your own."

National Prison Radio points retired that Zak and Jules person some served their sentences and, successful their view, are "now doing a occupation that is giving backmost to society".

And contempt it focusing connected ex-offenders, Zak wants Life After Prison to beryllium a podcast for everyone.

"If you person a loved 1 oregon person who has spent clip inside, this volition assistance you recognize their journey," helium says.

On a idiosyncratic level, Zak says it's helped his narration with his mum, who has featured connected an episode.

"It opened a dialog for maine and her to speech astir our acquisition due to the fact that that's thing we've ne'er talked astir before."

For Jules, her privation is that the podcast gets radical talking.

"You deliberation no-one understands you, truthful you don't speech astir it.

"But we don't privation radical to consciousness that way."

Listen to Newsbeat live astatine 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - oregon perceive backmost here.