OpenLearn Profile

William Mitchell

William Mitchell

The Act Initiative

Professional biography
William is Project Director of The Act Initiative, a conflict transformation programme for Loyalist (UVF) ex-combatants in Belfast. William, a former UVF prisoner, was imprisoned in Long Kesh (the Maze and Long Kesh prison) in 1975, aged 17, for almost 13 years. Whilst in Long Kesh he gained his O Levels, athletics coaching badge and studied community education with The Open University. Following his release in 1987, he became a youth and community worker and later gained a PhD in philosophy at the University of Ulster. William has dedicated his career to addressing the lack of opportunity and marginalisation of those categorised as ex-combatants, and to working with young people and communities on conflict transformation.