TED Community » Alexander McLean

About Me

African Prisons Project, Founder and Director General (December 2005 – present)
• The African Prisons Project is a registered charity dedicated to improving inmate welfare in African prisons
through refurbishing libraries and hospitals. The charity now has fourteen employees and in excess of thirty
volunteers, whom serve around 5000 members of the prison community each month.
• The focus in 2012 for APP is the development of model clinics and libraries which can be purchased at low
cost by African prisons services, alongside development of a library of training materials for prison workers,
and a fellowship programme to provide visionary senior prisons staff to read for master’s in the UK and
receive leadership development there; and creative advocacy work with choirs and drama.
• APP is lucky to have many high profile patrons and trustees from across the criminal justice world and the
house of Lords. A full list of whom can be viewed at: http://www.africanprisons.org/who-we-are/people/
Associate Lecturer - Law and Criminology Department, University of Derby (March 2012 - present)
Development Officer (secondment), University of Nottingham (November 2011 - June 2012)
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
In addition to full time employment, I have also undertaken a raft of other relevant development and criminal –
interest roles of which some are featured below:
TED Fellow (March 2012 - present)
United Nations Prisons Visitor – South Sudan (February 2012)
I was invited by the corrections division of the UN to conduct a short needs assessment at Juba prisons, to
suggest possible interventions in relation to rehabilitation and wellbeing of prisoners and prisons staff.
Executive Programme, JFK School, Harvard University (June 2011 - June 2012)
General Management Programme, University of Cambridge (June 2011 - July 2011)
The Cambridge General Management Programme is specifically designed for professionals moving into more
senior management and leadership positions in their organisations, and who are looking to develop their
general management skills.
Clore Social Leadership Programme Fellow (January 2010 – February 2012)
This fellowship recognises and nurtures leaders with potential to contribute significantly to the third sector. The
fellowship includes mentoring, coaching, conducting research, action learning, residentials and other elements.
United Nations Department for Peace Keeping Operations Prisons Visitor, Sierra Leone
(January – April 2010)
Alongside General Orit Adato and Colonel Zur Kredo of the Israel Prisons Service I took part in two extensive
visits covering almost all the prisons in Sierra Leone, in order to make practical recommendations for the
reform of the country’s prison service.
Tearfund Inspired Individual (September 2009 – September 2012)
The Inspired Individuals Initiative operates in a similar way to the Clore Fellowship but on a global basis.
Tearfund is London based. Magistrate: Nottingham Magistrates Court. Prisons Lecturer
Education: Middlesex University (September 2009- ongoing)
PhD Human Rights Law (Current student)
University of London, UCL/ Queen Mary’s (September 2007 – May 2009)
LLM Criminology and Criminal Justice (Merit)
BPP School of Law (October 2008 – May 2010)
Bar Vocational Course (Very Competent)
University of Nottingham (September 2004 – June 2007)
BA Law (2:1)

AWARDS, PRIZES AND SCHOLARSHIPS
• One of the Top 40, Under 40 International Development Leaders in London in 2011
(aged 26)
• Bert Thompson Pioneer Award for Faith Based Restorative Justice (2011)
• African Achievers International Millennium Development Award (2010)
• First “Old Kingstonian of the Year’ (September 2009)
• V inspired legend award for leadership (2009)
• Fellow of the Royal Society of The Arts (elected October 2008)
• Winner inaugural ‘Vodafone UK World of Difference’ (September 2008)
• Hardwicke and Lord Mansfield Scholarships, Lincoln’s Inn (June 2008)
• ‘UK Young Philanthropist of the Year’, overall winner ‘Beacon Prize for Philanthropy’
(November 2007)
“A celebration of people who are by their example encouraging other people to do great things” -
Gordon Brown.
• ‘UK Graduate of the Year 2007’ (September 2007).
Sponsored by Price Waterhouse Coopers and Real World Magazine.
• First ‘University of Nottingham Alumni Laureate’ and ‘Alumnus of the Year’ (June 2007).
• “Most outstanding of the last 50,000 graduates”- Katrine Scott-Mitchell: Head of Alumni Team,
University of Nottingham. (2007)
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