Aaron joined the Prisoner & Family Support team in September 2025 as a casework intern, while on a placement year as part of his university degree. He shares some of his day-to-day responsibilities, some highlights, and the benefits of undertaking the role. Find more information on internships and student placements at Prisoners Abroad here.

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Working at Prisoners Abroad has been a rewarding, enjoyable and challenging experience. I joined the Casework team 6 months ago for my placement year as part of my degree in Sociology and Social Policy. As part of the casework team, I have gained valuable insight and experience into human rights, social policy and criminal justice.

Day-to-day, my responsibilities include liaising with consular staff at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), registering new clients, sending out information packs, and responding to letters from clients. Simple acts such a sending out birthday cards, distraction puzzles or magazines can have a huge impact on our clients.

One of my favourite parts of the role is receiving thank you letters from clients highlighting the positive impact that our support has had on their time in prison.

When I first started, familiarising myself with the administrative processes of the job was challenging, however, over time and with the support of the team, these processes soon became second nature. The guidance from the casework team was instrumental to my development over the past few months and the supportive culture is one of the best parts of working at Prisoners Abroad.

Being able to freely ask questions and gain knowledge from the caseworkers before deciding how to approach a task was extremely helpful.

Beyond my day-to-day responsibilities, I have had the opportunity to attend Family Support Group meetings, which have provided me with invaluable insight into the impact of overseas imprisonment on the lives and wellbeing of family members with loved ones abroad. I was also fortunate enough to be able to attend a couple of Prisoners Abroad supporter events. These experiences gave me the opportunity to connect with different people who have Prisoners Abroad as a commonality, whether as a donor or as a service user and further demonstrated the impact our work has on clients and the importance of the network of people that make Prisoners Abroad possible.

The casework intern role has been instrumental in the beginnings of my career development.

I’ve developed a wealth of knowledge including in human rights, international policy, criminal justice and the operations of consulates around the world. It has been a fantastic addition to my degree, and I believe it has set me up well for my future career prospects. Most importantly, I’ve developed a strong sense of compassion and empathy for those suffering because of overseas imprisonment.

I appreciate it can appear daunting to take on a voluntary role, especially for a placement year, however when I read about and familiarised myself with Prisoners Abroad, the prospect of the role was intriguing and aligned closely with my values, interests and education. With hindsight, I can see now that the skills, opportunities and impact of the role far exceed any material value.

My time at Prisoners Abroad has been an excellent opportunity and I feel privileged to be able to contribute to such an impactful and compassionate vision. I am now looking forward to the final few months of my time here and would encourage anyone considering the opportunity to embrace it. 

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Make a real difference with an internship or student placement

At Prisoners Abroad, we believe that internships and student placements are more than just work experience - they’re a chance to change lives. Every year, we welcome a small number of students who bring fresh ideas, energy, and commitment to our mission: protecting the health, wellbeing, and human rights of British citizens detained overseas and supporting their families at home. 

Learn more