Getting ex-offenders back to work
Sally Eley, Head of the CIPD Trust said: “Reoffending costs the country £18 billion every year, and many organisations have skills gaps, so there’s a really strong economic argument for doing this. “I think HR professionals are the ones who understand the workplace more than anyone else. They have the passion for people. That’s why this opportunity is so exciting.”
“Like many sectors these days, construction faces labour shortages and it seemed a no-brainer to look at prison populations, who have a variety of skills, and represent a massive opportunity for employers if we can break down the barriers to employment.”
The majority of businesses (86%) rate ex- offenders as good at their jobs, yet only 17% of people with a criminal record will manage to get a job within the first year of their release. We take a look at some of the pioneering new approaches that are working hard to change this by upskilling prison leavers to get them job-ready and able to gain paid employment upon their release.
Open-minded employers Construction firm J. Murphy & Sons has
demonstrated its commitment to giving ex-offenders a second chance by establishing the first National Prison Employment Advisory Board in July 2021 with His Majesty’s Prison Service (HMPPS). The board is a link between the jail and employers, making sure that offenders use their time in prison to gain the skills and links to the job opportunities they need to head straight into stable work upon release. Vice Chair of the Prison Employment Advisory Board, Dawn Moore, Group Director of People at J. Murphy & Sons said: “The pilot was carried out at HMP Berwyn and involved upskilling offenders while they are still in prison by offering support such as buddies, training and work experience. It has led to over 200 jobs being offered to prison leavers from HMP Berwyn.”
Following the success of the valuable programme, Prison Employment Advisory Boards have now been rolled out across 91 prisons in England and Wales this year.
Dawn commented: “The fact that the pilot has now been rolled out nationally shows the scheme is making significant
Established last year to help get people into work and develop in their roles, the CIPD Trust is running a pilot to help ex-offenders sustain paid employment by pairing the skills and expertise of HR professionals - as mentors - with someone who’s looking for a job, or who’s just started a role. The pilot, in collaboration with Offploy and St Giles – both of which work with people with convictions - will see mentors work with mentees to rebuild their confidence and skills-set.
waves. We’re incredibly proud to be actively getting prison leavers into stable jobs so they can break the cycle of crime, and we would encourage other industry employers to get on board.”
Find out more about the CIPD Trust here .
6
REGIONAL INSIGHTS
Autumn 2023
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online