COMMENDEE 2023-24: John, a Probation Services Officer at Southwood Approved Premises, is Commended for the talent, professionalism, and tireless dedication he has shown throughout a 30-year career in APs, for which he is respected and acclaimed by colleagues and residents alike.

John’s nomination

John was nominated by: Jessica Keogh (Trainee Probation Officer).

I am nominating John Dunleavy for this award not for one major thing, but because for 30 years he has shown up, maintained commitment and enthusiasm for his work, offered consistent support and gone the extra mile for those he works with, leaving a legacy he can always be proud of.

One Probation Officer said the following: “John was a keyworker for one of my cases during the national lockdown period, who was somewhat a difficult person to manage and engage due to his mental health issues. John provided much dedication to support this resident to seek support with his mental health which supplemented his RMP. He identified a supported move on accommodation suited for his needs and provided him with aftercare which is above and beyond his key worker duties. This included taking this residents property to the new address, meeting him there to make sure he was settling in well and being a listening ear.

Sadly, this resident took his own life not long after his move from the AP, John arranged a memorial in the AP gardens for residents and staff including myself to join. He bought an engraved birdhouse and placed a photograph of him underneath. This evidences the care and attention he has to all residents living at the AP, he took time to understand his interests and understood his needs. He also took into account how the other residents who knew him may be feeling and offered a safe space to share their thoughts, feelings and memories of this resident. In addition, John contacted myself to see if I needed support, again beyond his keyworker role he offered me encouragement and advise. It is evident he has a strong work ethic and genuinely wants the best for residents he works with.

John doesn’t forget about anybody who leaves the AP and is always there for them even after they have left – the example above is by no means an isolated incident and he has spent many hours on public transport delivering food parcels or simply visiting ex-residents to offer a listening ear.”

John also works closely with the local community and linked in with Everton In The Community for food parcels during the pandemic. He is very passionate about football and for many years Southwood AP had a football team which won some silverware which he is very proud of. He now continues this work by supporting residents to train and take part in the homeless football league. One resident recently won his first trophy and spoke of his pride having “waited all his life to get a certificate and now he has a medal and a trophy”, evidencing how sport can help build confidence and self esteem, integral to rehabilitation and desistance.

John also brought in Health Through Sport which was run by ex-Everton footballer Ronnie Goodlass. This focused on health and sport which the residents really enjoyed. Some went onto great things through their participation, one example of this was an ex-gang member who turned his life around and is now a mentor for young offenders. He is a regular in the media promoting his work and is now having a great impact on young people.

John has a strong work ethic and genuinely wants what is best for every resident that walks through the doors of any AP environment. John makes the time and effort to understand each resident’s needs but also knows how to communicate with them in an effective way. For example, there was a young resident being tormented by another resident. His usual response would have been to resort to violence but a quite word in his ear from John calmed the situation down and resulted in the young resident walking away. Not only did this have a massive impact on this resident as he was able to avoid a recall and successfully move on from the AP, it is testament to the working relationship he had with John and the mutual respect they had that John’s intervention was so impactful.

John Edwards – colleague:
“John has spent the majority of his career at Southwood. However he did start at Canning House and also spent a period of time at Stafford House PIPE AP.

He has seen many changes over the years some good and some not so good; however he has always maintained an excellent work ethic and remains focused on the principles of the Approved Premises. John’s role is challenging at times; however, over the years he has helped so many offenders in addressing their criminogenic needs. Many ex-residents from the AP still return to see John and they always say they will never forget how much he helped them, which he finds humbling.

John is pro-active in working with partnership agencies to enhance the residents stay at the AP, from ETE to parenting skills and has arranged many workshops for residents and training events for staff. This is just a snapshot of what John has achieved and I am delighted to be nominating him as it is fully deserved.”

Ex-resident, Southwood Approved Premises:
“John Dunleavy literally saved my life & many others. When I was released from jail in 2011 I was assessed as a MAPPA 3 tier 4 nominal and also quoted as the most dangerous person in the North West by police & statuary agencies. Whilst residing at Southwood Approved Premises John was assigned as my personal project worker. He went above and beyond to support me & chose to treat me as a human & not just an offender, he was always on hand when I had a problem whether he was on shift or on a day off.

It’s safe to say he played a massive part in my rehabilitation and I’m the man I am today thanks to John. I’m now a very successful business man whilst having won numerous national awards for being a positive role model, to date I’ve advised HRH Prince Charles & HRH Prince Harry on youth violence and knife crime, I have spoken to MPs in parliament, worked & educated youngsters in schools, facilitated prevention work in HMP Leeds & HMYOI Wetherby, worked on numerous Documentaries for the BBC & I’m an advisor for Panorama. I can honestly say if it wasn’t for John I wouldn’t have made it this far in life. John Dunleavy should be knighted as he actually prevented me from committing serious violence including murder this is not fiction it’s fact.”

Ronny Goodlass – Health Through Sport:
“I first met John many years ago when he came to Kirkby Sports Centre with a full mini bus of Southwood residents. They came for my football coaching programme that I was putting on for the Probation Service. It went on for over 10 years. I have always found John to be hard working, professional, enthusiastic and he always went the extra mile to help me and the residents. When I organised trips to Wigan Football Club, which included a tour of the ground and a game between residents and staff, John sorted out a team of staff and played himself, which residents appreciated. He certainly goes the extra mile for residents. He has my respect and that of the residents. I am delighted that John is being nominated for this award, which he thoroughly deserves.”

In conclusion

John has been in the service for 30 years and retains a level of commitment and enthusiasm which would be difficult to rival. For me as his manager he is a safe pair of hands – someone I know I can trust to do his best, to prioritise what matters, to be innovative in his work with the residents, to motivate them to engage with the AP and give them opportunities to contribute and build self esteem. He is also famous for his hosting skills on a Monday morning when playing Play Your Cards Right. The buzz and enthusiasm he fosters within the AP during that session is a sight to behold, setting the tone for the week to come. John truly deserves recognition for a lasting career that has impacted so many people, residents and colleagues alike.