He continues: “Prisons are very prominent in our locality — with Doncaster having 4 of them and Hull having a couple as well — so we obviously wanted to focus on how we can support that aspect of our population. [If] they are properly integrated back into society then not only does it help them but it also lessens crime in the community, which in turn makes our residents feel much happier and safer. “Having said that, we also benefit from the prisoners maybe joining our workforce one day, equipped with the skills they need to succeed on one of our construction sites. After all, we’ve already taught them how to build to both quality and speed, so that they can meet industry standards without slowing down the rest of the bricklaying gang. We hope that they’ll remember us for that and want to come and work for Keepmoat as a result.” The programme is progressing well, which is why there is now talk of expanding it to Humber Prison in the future. Of course, it’s still early days with the original Moorland academy, so it might be a while before we find out more about these plans. For the time being, however, it’s abundantly clear that Mark and his team really do have a knack for this sort of thing and that they are tapping into something of a cultural zeitgeist. Reflecting on all that he’s achieved in his role thus far, he says: “Since the pandemic, the emphasis on social value has really accelerated and I am proud to say that we’ve done some fantastic work in that field. If you look at a lot of marketing nowadays, it’s less about the actual product or service a business is selling and more about things like sustainability practices. Because businesses are recognising that people, especially the younger generation, are choosing to buy through organisations that have an ethical focus. “For us, looking at social value is therefore not only the right thing to do but also the smart thing to do. And I have been very fortunate to be part of that journey.”
Opening Doors
Zeroing in on another case study, Mark then talks us through the HMP Moorland Bricklaying Academy project. One of the first institutions of its kind in Britain, this is a collaborative effort between Keepmoat, His Majesty’s Prison Service and the National House Building Council (NHBC). Together, these three organisations have created a bespoke training programme for inmates at HMP Moorland that will support them in learning valuable new skills and potentially securing employment upon release. It’s all wrapped up in a 12-month course that is designed to get the prisoners up-to- speed with the latest NHBC bricklaying standards, so that they are not at a disadvantage when they enter the labour market. Mark elaborates: “We’ll train them in everything from how to use specific tools to how to properly mix cement and how to build different types of walls. In addition to the basic trowel skills that they’ll obviously need to thrive on a building site, there’s also an element of employability teaching [embedded] in there as well. “You see, it might not be immediately apparent to those outside of the industry, but the vast majority of workers in construction are self-employed. Our sub-contractors will have a small core team that they keep on the books, but generally people are working for themselves and so will need to have a firm understanding of concepts like tax, insurance, eligibility proofs, and bank accounts. Which is quite intimidating if you’ve never had to deal with those things before! But through our academy, we are trying to cover all bases and get them suitably prepared for a career outside of the prison walls.” While this is undeniably in service of a societal and moral good (research suggests that prisoners who are employed within the first twelve months of release are 80% less likely to re- offend), Mark is quick to point out that Keepmoat’s motivation is not entirely altruistic. As you’d expect, there’s a win- win here for both the community at large and for the company itself.
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Keepmoat Homes
Keepmoat Homes
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