Inside-Out: education that transforms lives and systems | RMIT

"Dr Martinovic is an innovative and passionate teacher and leader, whose work has brought about significant change within the Victorian corrections system over the last decade.

Her teaching programs, including the Inside Out Prison Exchange Program and associated Think Tanks, exemplify pioneering approaches to education and rehabilitation. By fostering collaboration between university students and individuals within prisons, Dr Martinovic's programs create a unique learning environment that encourages critical engagement and innovation.

Her leadership not only enhances educational opportunities for university students but also empowers people in prison to contribute to meaningful policy and program development. The teaching programs have led to a fundamental shift in how Corrections Victoria designs and implements programs, services, and initiatives, ensuring they are more inclusive and effective.

Over the past 12 months, Dr Martinovic's Think Tanks have made a substantial impact on policy and program development at Corrections Victoria; examples include:

• Between the Blue and Green Program: Dr Martinovic and the Think Tanks developed a training program for newly recruited prison officers, aimed at enhancing relationships between staff and prisoners. This year, they have conducted 20+ trainings with over 200 staff. This, first-of-its-kind initiative is critical for maintaining safe and supportive prison environments, essential for effective rehabilitation efforts.

• Employment Hubs in Prison: The Think Tanks identified barriers to post-release employment and crafted solutions, including the creation of a Lived Experience Presenter Panel. Dr Martinovic played a pivotal role in designing and delivering training for these panel members, who now inspire hope and motivation among prisoners. This year, these have conducted 20+ trainings inspiring over 400 people in custody to engage with employment support services and improve their chances of successful reintegration into the community.

These initiatives underscore Dr Martinovic's commitment to future building which ultimately builds community and enhances community safety."

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Innika La Fontaine - A/Director, Offender Services and Reintegration

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"When I applied to do the Inside-Out elective at RMIT, I was really just curious to see the inside of a prison. It seemed a logical experience to seek out as a student of criminology and psychology. However, this experience with Dr Martinovic went far beyond the educational. My simplistic understanding of the subject matter of my degree transformed into a nuanced perspective that continues to grow. I learnt more from people in custody than all my textbooks put together, and the prison-based Think Tanks gave us an opportunity to collaborate. I had always been an advocate, but I had never worked alongside self advocates, let alone alongside people in custody to provide new insights to leaders in correctional agencies. Siloed departments of the system gained new understandings through communication, collaboration, and future-building for all, together. Like all outside students, my studies became guided by these experiences; my Honours research focused on reintegration, and my PhD research is about incorporating lived experience into the reintegration sector. I joined BSWAC, the community-based Think Tank, becoming part of the Leadership Team of BSWAC as Director of Research and Publications – it is my job to platform the voices of those with lived experience in the often-exclusive discourse of academia. This gave me the skillset required to be appointed as a Board Member of Exorior Reintegration Initiative, a non-profit organisation that provides reintegration support in Texas. I obtained the Inside-Out Facilitator qualification from Temple University in Philadelphia and now teach at RMIT – both Inside-Out, and on campus. My teaching has been influenced by my own education; I regularly have guest lecturers come talk to the students about experiences of the justice system. The impact on students reiterates the power of storytelling in education in providing both a holistic and realistic outlook before entering the sector."

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Kate Kennedy - Criminology and Justice Studies, Australian Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program Facilitator, Exorior Reintegration Initiative - Board Member, Beyond the Stone Walls Advisory Collective (BSWAC)

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"I first met Dr. Marietta Martinovic through the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, a transformative educational experience that brings together incarcerated students and university students to learn side-by-side. Over a semester, we studied criminology in a space that broke down barriers, challenged stereotypes, and created a genuine community of learning. For me, Inside-Out was life-changing. At the time, I was serving a sentence and felt disconnected from my potential. Marietta saw beyond my past and valued my contributions, not as “an inmate,” but as a student and equal participant. She fostered an environment where critical thinking, respectful dialogue, and lived experience were not only welcomed but essential. The impact didn’t end with that semester. The confidence and sense of purpose I discovered in Inside-Out followed me into the community. It inspired me to pursue opportunities I never thought possible, including becoming a peer worker with ACSO and a Lived Experience Coordinator with Prison Network. In these roles, I now walk alongside people transitioning from prison, offering the kind of support, belief, and encouragement Marietta showed me. Her vision has ripple effects well beyond the classroom. Marietta challenges systems to see the value of lived experience and pushes for spaces where people can grow, contribute, and lead. She doesn’t just teach theory, she cultivates pathways for change, both personal and systemic. Inside-Out didn’t just give me knowledge; it gave me a foundation for the work I do today. It proved that education can be a catalyst for transformation and that when someone invests in your potential, you carry that forward to others. For me and hundreds of other people in custody, Marietta is not only a teacher but a builder of futures."

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Pattie Phillips‍