Our next guest has been a freelance journalist, a lawyer, but currently he's the managing director of About Time, who have been collaborating with a Vision Australia radio program, Inside Voice. His name is Joseph Friedman and he joins me now. Joseph, welcome to Talking Vision. Thank you very much for your time today.

Our next guest has been a freelance journalist, a lawyer, but currently he's the managing director of About Time, who have been collaborating with a Vision Australia radio program, Inside Voice. His name is Joseph Friedman and he joins me now. Joseph, welcome to Talking Vision. Thank you very much for your time today.

It's great to be here. Thank you Sam.

It's great to be here. Thank you Sam.

Now today we're here to chat a bit about Inside Voice, which is a new reading program featuring content on Vision Australia Radio by and for incarcerated people. But that's, you know, just a bit of a very brief overview. Could you tell us a bit more about Inside Voice?

Now today we're here to chat a bit about Inside Voice, which is a new reading program featuring content on Vision Australia Radio by and for incarcerated people. But that's, you know, just a bit of a very brief overview. Could you tell us a bit more about Inside Voice?

Yeah, absolutely. So Inside Voice is obviously this new radio program for the Vision Australia network. And one of the publications that Inside Voice reads out each week is About Time, which is Australia's new and only national prison newspaper. So each week the presenter on Inside Voice reads out some articles, letters, stories and experiences from people in prison and people who have been formerly incarcerated who have written in to about time to share their story with each other and with the wider community. And I come in because I'm one of the founders and managing directors of About Time, the national prison newspaper.

Yeah, absolutely. So Inside Voice is obviously this new radio program for the Vision Australia network. And one of the publications that Inside Voice reads out each week is About Time, which is Australia's new and only national prison newspaper. So each week the presenter on Inside Voice reads out some articles, letters, stories and experiences from people in prison and people who have been formerly incarcerated who have written in to about time to share their story with each other and with the wider community. And I come in because I'm one of the founders and managing directors of About Time, the national prison newspaper.

We'll get back to your involvement with About Time in just a second, but I'm also keen to hear a bit about Paper Chained, if you would be able to tell us a bit about them.

We'll get back to your involvement with About Time in just a second, but I'm also keen to hear a bit about Paper Chained, if you would be able to tell us a bit about them.

Yeah. So there's two publications that publish content from inside prison and are read out loud in Inside Voice. And the second one, of course, is Paper Chained, which has been around for longer than about time. It was started by a formerly incarcerated person, Damian Linane. It's predominantly distributed in New South Wales, and it's a platform for art and creative expression. They have monthly publications and they're kind of a magazine of sorts. Most of the content is incredible art and creative writing from people inside prison.

Yeah. So there's two publications that publish content from inside prison and are read out loud in Inside Voice. And the second one, of course, is Paper Chained, which has been around for longer than about time. It was started by a formerly incarcerated person, Damian Linane. It's predominantly distributed in New South Wales, and it's a platform for art and creative expression. They have monthly publications and they're kind of a magazine of sorts. Most of the content is incredible art and creative writing from people inside prison.

Now, I'm very interested to hear about your involvement as one of the founders of About Time. How did that all come about? What's the story behind that?

Now, I'm very interested to hear about your involvement as one of the founders of About Time. How did that all come about? What's the story behind that?

Yeah, so About Time is inspired by similar projects overseas. So in the United Kingdom since 1990. In fact, there's been a really successful prison newspaper called Inside Time. It's distributed across the UK. I think they print more than 50,000 copies each month and it's almost 60 pages long. It's colour. It's just full of incredible content and experiences shared by people in prison. When it was started, it was somewhat unique and it's a way for people in prison to express themselves. People in prison are obviously incredibly isolated, Related. Often bored, they lack the necessary information to make informed decisions about their life, both today and when they're released. And Inside Time tries to combat all of that. And so I heard about Inside Time. I've got a background in law and in journalism and a particular interest in criminal justice. And I heard about inside time. I realized Australia didn't have anything of the sort. And I thought, you know, what a wonderful initiative this could be for the Australian incarcerated population.

Yeah, so About Time is inspired by similar projects overseas. So in the United Kingdom since 1990. In fact, there's been a really successful prison newspaper called Inside Time. It's distributed across the UK. I think they print more than 50,000 copies each month and it's almost 60 pages long. It's colour. It's just full of incredible content and experiences shared by people in prison. When it was started, it was somewhat unique and it's a way for people in prison to express themselves. People in prison are obviously incredibly isolated, Related. Often bored, they lack the necessary information to make informed decisions about their life, both today and when they're released. And Inside Time tries to combat all of that. And so I heard about Inside Time. I've got a background in law and in journalism and a particular interest in criminal justice. And I heard about inside time. I realized Australia didn't have anything of the sort. And I thought, you know, what a wonderful initiative this could be for the Australian incarcerated population.

And, Joseph, how did the collaboration come about between About Time and Inside Voice and Vision Australia radio to put inside voice to air.

And, Joseph, how did the collaboration come about between About Time and Inside Voice and Vision Australia radio to put inside voice to air.

Yeah. So one thing we're really conscious of is that there are many people in prison who have low levels of literacy, and there are also many people who are vision impaired. And we we know that we we want as many people as possible to consume the content and experience the stories that we share. But not everyone can do that in the written form. Inform. And so we were put in touch with Conrad from Vision Australia quite a while ago, in fact, about finding a way to bring to air these voices in the paper. And it's been a long process to get there, but about six months since it all came about. Here we are with Inside Voice.

Yeah. So one thing we're really conscious of is that there are many people in prison who have low levels of literacy, and there are also many people who are vision impaired. And we we know that we we want as many people as possible to consume the content and experience the stories that we share. But not everyone can do that in the written form. Inform. And so we were put in touch with Conrad from Vision Australia quite a while ago, in fact, about finding a way to bring to air these voices in the paper. And it's been a long process to get there, but about six months since it all came about. Here we are with Inside Voice.

That's fantastic. And as you've said, you've had a journalism background for quite a while. As I understand, you've been a freelance journalist for quite a bit. Has that sort of sparked your interest in radio through there, or did you sort of come about it through other avenues?

That's fantastic. And as you've said, you've had a journalism background for quite a while. As I understand, you've been a freelance journalist for quite a bit. Has that sort of sparked your interest in radio through there, or did you sort of come about it through other avenues?

Yeah, that's a really good question, Sam. I suppose even before I started freelancing, I've always consumed an enormous amount of media. And I think radio and podcasts are one of the very best mediums to tell stories and make you feel like you're there. You're almost that fly on the wall figure. Um, you can often feel when you're listening to a podcast or the radio that it's just you and the presenter, and everyone has that special relationship, even if they're listening separately from their home or from their car or somewhere else. And so, yeah, I just think it's a really valuable medium and a great way to bring something that's in print to a different form.

Yeah, that's a really good question, Sam. I suppose even before I started freelancing, I've always consumed an enormous amount of media. And I think radio and podcasts are one of the very best mediums to tell stories and make you feel like you're there. You're almost that fly on the wall figure. Um, you can often feel when you're listening to a podcast or the radio that it's just you and the presenter, and everyone has that special relationship, even if they're listening separately from their home or from their car or somewhere else. And so, yeah, I just think it's a really valuable medium and a great way to bring something that's in print to a different form.

And other than your involvement in journalism and as the managing director of About Time, you've mentioned this already, you've got yourself a law background and most recently an associate at the Supreme Court of Victoria. So tell us a bit about that and your background in law and that sort of how that's tied in with your work with about time and the stories and the interest you've had in criminal justice for quite a while.

And other than your involvement in journalism and as the managing director of About Time, you've mentioned this already, you've got yourself a law background and most recently an associate at the Supreme Court of Victoria. So tell us a bit about that and your background in law and that sort of how that's tied in with your work with about time and the stories and the interest you've had in criminal justice for quite a while.

I think when I started my law degree, the enduring, the degree, the subjects I always found most compelling were related to the world of criminal law, and particularly a unit I did in my second last year, which was called Current Issues in Criminal Justice. And it really kind of struck a chord with me about how broken our system of punishing people really is, and how much there is to fix it. I spent some time in America working for an Innocence Project in the state of Wisconsin, so representing clients convicted of murder and other serious offenses who we believe to be innocent. I spent some time in the Northern Territory at the Aboriginal Legal Service for people in Darwin and in Alice Springs, and I also did some advocacy work for an organisation called the Capital Punishment Justice Project, trying to advocate to end the death penalty in countries in Asia. So I've been really passionate about this space for a long time. Like criminal justice is an area where the most vulnerable people in our community suffer the most, and it's vital that we make decisions that are evidence based and grounded in empathy. And so I think that a newspaper like this, which gives people a voice, allows them to have a say in decisions that affect them, feels really vital and very much connected with with where my passions lie.

I think when I started my law degree, the enduring, the degree, the subjects I always found most compelling were related to the world of criminal law, and particularly a unit I did in my second last year, which was called Current Issues in Criminal Justice. And it really kind of struck a chord with me about how broken our system of punishing people really is, and how much there is to fix it. I spent some time in America working for an Innocence Project in the state of Wisconsin, so representing clients convicted of murder and other serious offenses who we believe to be innocent. I spent some time in the Northern Territory at the Aboriginal Legal Service for people in Darwin and in Alice Springs, and I also did some advocacy work for an organisation called the Capital Punishment Justice Project, trying to advocate to end the death penalty in countries in Asia. So I've been really passionate about this space for a long time. Like criminal justice is an area where the most vulnerable people in our community suffer the most, and it's vital that we make decisions that are evidence based and grounded in empathy. And so I think that a newspaper like this, which gives people a voice, allows them to have a say in decisions that affect them, feels really vital and very much connected with with where my passions lie.

Well, there's so much to discuss there. We've had a couple of programs on Vision Australia radio in the past. You may have heard Talking Law, where a lot of those things have been covered there in quite a few stories from a few volunteers who were or are lawyers in this area. It's really interesting how inside voice ties in with that, and it's great to have that opportunity to share these stories from both paper chain, but also about time and your enthusiasm and passion for criminal justice and making visible these stories is fantastic to hear. Now, in regards to how people can access Inside Voice, I believe there is also the podcast. Inside voice is broadcast across the Vision Australia radio network every Thursday from 4:30 p.m. and repeated on Monday at 4:30 p.m., including Adelaide. And if people would like to listen to Inside Voice, all the episodes are available on our online podcast platform. Or you can of course, head to Vision Australia Radio's website at VA radio.org. That's VA radio all one word.org. I've been speaking today with Joseph Freedman, Managing Director from about time involved with Inside Voice, the new program on Vision Australia Radio, featuring content by and for incarcerated people, featuring content from About Time and Paper Chained. Joseph, thank you so much for your time today. It was great to catch up with you and talk about About Time and Inside Voice.

Well, there's so much to discuss there. We've had a couple of programs on Vision Australia radio in the past. You may have heard Talking Law, where a lot of those things have been covered there in quite a few stories from a few volunteers who were or are lawyers in this area. It's really interesting how inside voice ties in with that, and it's great to have that opportunity to share these stories from both paper chain, but also about time and your enthusiasm and passion for criminal justice and making visible these stories is fantastic to hear. Now, in regards to how people can access Inside Voice, I believe there is also the podcast. Inside voice is broadcast across the Vision Australia radio network every Thursday from 4:30 p.m. and repeated on Monday at 4:30 p.m., including Adelaide. And if people would like to listen to Inside Voice, all the episodes are available on our online podcast platform. Or you can of course, head to Vision Australia Radio's website at VA radio.org. That's VA radio all one word.org. I've been speaking today with Joseph Freedman, Managing Director from about time involved with Inside Voice, the new program on Vision Australia Radio, featuring content by and for incarcerated people, featuring content from About Time and Paper Chained. Joseph, thank you so much for your time today. It was great to catch up with you and talk about About Time and Inside Voice.

It was a pleasure. Thanks so much for having me, Sam, and I do encourage all your listeners to go check out Inside Voice.

It was a pleasure. Thanks so much for having me, Sam, and I do encourage all your listeners to go check out Inside Voice.