MEET ZAK
Founder
Facilitator, Podcast presenter & Head of Programmes and Delivery
Zak was released from Prison in 2020 with the determination to change his life by staying true to his intentions working to get 35 job interviews, he built the resilience needed to take 34 no’s.
Instilling a positive mindset despite the knockbacks and challenges of rebuilding his life again after prison he was able to build a career path in construction becoming a site supervisor.
You won't meet anyone more motivated and determined
than us.
My long-term vision is to deliver workshops within the criminal justice system, schools and businesses to change the narrative.
Zak then turned his attention to utilising his Lived experience of the criminal justice system and began working with service providers and service users to bridge the gap of communication, feedback and improvements to improve service delivery and cohesion.
It was during this period Xconversation came to life.
Conducting Lived experience interviews, Xconversation began as a podcast platform, but Zak felt as if more could be done to support young people and prison leavers aiming to transition into positive pathways. Zak’s Social entrepreneurship journey began. Learning and working with Social Ark an East London Charity, Zak learned about social entrepreneurship and community engagement and built his skill set in mentoring and facilitation.
A new aspect of Xconversation was created, offering mindset workshops, employability skills and paid work experience to young people in prisons and the community.
Zak found a love for public speaking and presenting, and when the opportunity came to be part of a grassroots project, working with National Prison Radio and a brand new podcast show. He was successful in his application to become a co-host of the now Award-winning ‘Life After Prison’ podcast. Scooping the Silver Award in the Grassroots Category and The Gold Award for Best New Presenter alongside his co-host Jules Rowan at The Radio Academy Awards 2023.
Zak has been featured on billboards across London, made appearances on BBC London News interviewed by Asad Ahmed, as well as a host of radio interviews including Times Radio and the National newspaper The Observer / Guardian.
Zak's love for presenting, public speaking and facilitation grows and develops as his career moves forward, having interviewed guests such as UK music legend Ghetts, Indie musician Hak Baker, Easr Hustle Podcasts host Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poore CEO of HMPPS and author and lecturer Joy White amongst a long prestigious list.
Zak has a passion for working with young people, developing talent, and promoting social enterprise and social change through workshops, mentoring, poetry, public speaking and consultancy. Through hard work & dedication Zak’s journey goes from strength to strength.
