WELCOME TO
THE NOOR INITIATIVE
Networking with Offenders and Offering Resolve (NOOR) is an innovative third sector social enterprise which was founded by its Chief Executive Bilal Dunn in urgent response to the growing need we have as a society to engage with our fractured youth community.
It has since developed educational programmes as a way of bringing about social change by way of youth development. This has been achieved both locally within communities and amongst designated sections of the growing offender population within many of our country’s Young Offender and Adult Prison Institutions.
During this period what The Noor Initiative have done is successfully use this platform to ensure the special treatment of offenders in the hope that this will bring about procedural fairness and social inclusion.
We also understand much of the legal framework which surrounds many of the issues which relate to mental health, deaths in custody and any respective inquest which may result from them, which means that as an organisation we also offer a high level of legal awareness and current case law.
As a result we use this understanding we have to assist the families of those held as they too are often in dire need of this type of support as it is all too common that the families of those who are affected have little or no understanding of issues which relate to Prison Law.
This can typically lead to them having all sorts of anxieties about the level of support they are then able to offer. So as an organization we view this as being an equally valuable service.
Finally, as a way of helping to bridge the gap for offenders upon release we also provide a resettlement branch, similar to some of the ‘Through the Gate’ initiatives. This is geared towards enabling offenders who are under supervision access back into pro-social employment whilst liaising with other outreach agencies to help with any accommodation concerns.
OUR FOUR PART CURRICULUM
SEPERATE WAYS
Our crime diversion initiative, aptly titled ‘Separate Ways,’ addresses the challenge of gang and firearm culture.
YOUTH INCLUSION & DEVELOPMENT
The Youth Inclusion and Development Programme serves as our educational hub and plays a central role in the collective efforts of all our staff at The Noor Initiative.
SOCIAL & VICTIM AWARENESS
Our Social & Victim Awareness program fosters empathy and understanding among participants. By engaging with victims’ experiences and promoting social awareness, we strive to create a more compassionate and informed community, ultimately working to prevent future harm.
MENTORING
Our youth mentoring initiative plays a pivotal role in supporting young offenders. Through personalised guidance and support, we aim to steer these individuals toward a positive path, reducing recidivism rates and promoting their successful reintegration into society.”
The Young Review
Noor Initiative celebrated its 10th Anniversary of the compiling of the Young Review a report which had been compiled by a specially convened task group of which Noor Initiative were central to.
The hard-hitting report had been a strident call to action to policy-makers within central government and had been chaired by the then Justice Minister Chris Grayling and Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey.
Against the present day narrative the report is often used as a common point of reference when looking at discrimination towards black and muslim men within the criminal justice system and is often quoted as being the most compelling report of its type published this millennium.
Opening keynote speech given at the ‘Secure Estate of Mind’ conference at Middlesex University from our CEO Bilal Dunn.
‘Secure Estate of Mind’ had been a conference hosted by The Noor Initiative at Middlesex University immediately on the heels of the Young Review being released to central government receiving a swathe of positive reviews in the press.
The conference featured many of the leading names within prison reform and made an effective challenge to the age old common narrative relating to primary and secondary desistance.
OUR SUPPORTERS
