About us – Unitas

About Us

Crime, its causes and consequences concern us all, particularly if children are involved.

Unitas is an education charity specialising in criminal justice, offering transformational learning opportunities for anyone wanting to learn more about or work in the youth and criminal justice systems.

We provide high quality, vocationally relevant courses and degrees, that are affordable and accessible to all.  The largest provider of youth justice programmes in the UK, having taught over 3000 students since 2012, we also recently established the Youth Justice Institute in partnership with other key organisations, to identify and disseminate the latest research and evaluation evidence to help practitioners improve outcomes for children.

We commission leading academics, highly experienced managers, and skilled practitioners from a wide range of organisations to design our courses and their materials. We also employ people with extensive experience of the youth and criminal justice systems. Our courses combine academic rigour with vocational relevance and students are supported by staff who combine specialist subject knowledge with an understanding of its practical application.

We are passionately committed to improving outcomes for children who have been involved in the criminal justice system by helping improve the knowledge and skills of those working with them. Unitas pioneered the innovative Summer Arts Colleges programme which has benefited over 3000 children over the past fifteen years. Working with staff from 85 Youth Offending Services keeps us closely attuned to the reality of working with the most troubled and vulnerable children in our society and generates invaluable research material to inform our learning programmes and help develop practice.

What Our Partners Say

“Unitas has worked closely with the YJB since 2012 on several projects, developing vocational-led courses. They have a proven record in successfully delivering youth justice courses for over half the local authorities in England and Wales, and the quality of learning materials and the standard of learning coach expertise is endorsed by the Youth Justice Board. All the courses are focused on ensuring practitioners are equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviours to support successful interventions with the children they work with.”

Ruth Searle, Youth Justice Board (YJB)

What Our Partners Say

“Unitas was our preferred supplier due to their focus on support and mixed learning styles and their accessible online resources. They have been professional, accommodating our complex environment and working with us to ensure positive outcomes for staff and delivered everything required within the contract, and more. They provided key support for learners within a number of departments, and the level 5 qualification has assisted staff in working with children and improving those outcomes.”

Jon Spray, Workforce Development Lead, Youth Custody Service (YCS) HMPPS

What Our Customers Say

“The YJEPC has become a core element of the YOS training offer. The highly specialised learning provided offers links between theory and practice, set in the wider context of academic research. This up-skilling of our staff has a demonstratively positive effect on their practice and Unitas delivery has proved both effective and affordable for us. Our experience of working with Unitas has been extremely positive, and we have confidence that they will deliver what is promised on time and to a high standard.”

Northamptonshire Youth Offending Team (YOS)

What Our Customers Say

I was fortunate to be one of a small cohort who were given the opportunity to complete the YJEPC.  We were given the option to carry on and complete the next course and I know of at least one person that is doing this.  It is a great opportunity and really rewarding to have your employer invest in you as staff.  The opportunity to work alongside people within Youth Justice has been really beneficial as is the improved communications between services, which are now working in a more co-ordinated way as a result.  We, as services, are all working with the goal of supporting children and young people to be the best that they can be and this course has helped reinforce that goal in the knowledge that we are not doing this in silo.  My hope would be that over time we would see even better communication between professionals and an improved knowledge around the links with trauma, attachment and issues affecting young people to be able to support them as they go through the Youth Justice system and beyond

Lorraine Davies, Senior Practitioner – Ceredigion County Council