The Prison Reform Trust has made the call in its report Time Well Spent, which looked at case studies of 82 prisons and YOIs across England and Wales that encouraged their inmates to be active citizens.
This included peer support schemes to help fellow inmates, supporting local community groups and charities and restorative justice programmes.
Other examples include arts and media projects such as a prison radio service and prisoner councils and forums.
The charity said involvement encourages prisoners to take greater responsibility for their lives and encourage a sense of maturity.
However, it is concerned that such opportunities are scarce. Just a quarter of YOIs ran restorative justice projects and less than a third had prison councils.
Lord Woolf, chair of the Prison Reform Trust, said: "There are prisons where there are very good schemes, where they will make prisoners take responsibility. Sometimes it’s done by arranging opportunities for prisoners and their victims to meet. Sometimes it’s by... training people to help those who are in danger of taking their own life."
Among YOI schemes featured in the report was an initiative at HMYOI Portland, Dorset, where each wing adopts a charity. At HMYOI Thorn Cross, Cheshire, a peer mentoring scheme has been set up following the Childline model of support.
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