Grand Avenues is a ten-year, place-based probation initiative in the Ely and Caerau neighbourhoods of Cardiff. Commissioned by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service in Wales, it reimagines probation as something built with, and embedded within, the communities where people live. 

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I contributed to the design of the project, helping to shape an approach that moves support beyond the probation office and into trusted local spaces. It connects people on probation with community organisations, housing, employment, health support and opportunities to contribute—recognising that lasting change depends on relationships, belonging and practical access to help.

Rather than asking people to navigate disconnected services alone, Grand Avenues brings a network around them.

 

Probation practitioners work from local community hubs alongside third-sector partners, helping people rebuild everyday stability and form positive connections in their neighbourhoods. The pilot has been described as supporting people directly in their communities, with reported improvements in engagement and compliance.

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At its heart, Grand Avenues asks a simple question: what if probation began not with surveillance, but with the conditions people need to belong and thrive?