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New Work Programme good for ex-offenders?
Ian Duncan Smith (Secretary of State for Work and Pensions) has led a major reorganisation of Welfare to Work, on behalf of the Coalition government. The outcome offers exciting opportunities for ex-offenders trying to resettle successfully. We need to grasp these opportunities now to help reduce re-offending and avoid some looming difficulties.
New government review of offender learning: and the winner is ... Virtual Campus
At last (18 May 11) government has published the review of offender learning promised on page 32 of last December’s green paper “Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of the Offender”. It is called “Making Prisons Work: Skills for Rehabilitation” and it is available online at: http://www.bis.gov.uk/publications.
Perfect storm or a bright tomorrow – help to chose
Consult on the resettlement green paper, or else..... There is just a week left to join the consultation process for the next green paper on offender learning and reducing re-offending. The participation of all those with views to share is vital. This is because we need to give the new team under Ken Clarke MP the best support to ensure we move forward and not backwards. Moving backwards is alarmingly possible.
Self-Employed ex-offenders are bucking the trend after one year of trading.
On the 13th March 2008 six new businesses run by ex-offenders were established at an enterprise day hosted by HMP Wandsworth, with the aid of a £10,000 grant from the Government Office for London. They are being followed up every three months to measure the outcomes. This report covers the trading period January, February and March 2009. It presents the position during the last quarter of their first year of trading.
It is not all doom gloom and snow drifts
On the 13th March 2008 six new businesses run by ex-offenders were established at an enterprise day hosted by HMP Wandsworth, with the aid of a grant from the Government Office for London. They are being followed up every three months to measure the outcomes. This is the third follow-up study covering the three months October, November and December 2008.
A framework for helping ex-offenders start up in business
Over the last six years I have delivered courses in business start-up and self-employment at the largest local prison in the country. This article explores the importance of delivering enterprise skills to offenders and offers lessons learned and access to learning materials for fellow tutors.
A Self-Employment Success Story for Ex-Offenders, you can help.
On the 13th March 2008 six new businesses run by ex-offenders were established at an enterprise day hosted by HMP Wandsworth. They are being followed up every three months to measure the outcomes. This is the second follow-up study covering the three months July, August and September 2008.
A self-employment success story for ex-offenders
On the 13th March 2008 six new businesses run by ex-offenders were established at an enterprise day hosted by HMP Wandsworth. This is the first follow-up study of the outcomes.
Just £10k got six new enterprises going. Here is how.
Six new enterprises run by ex-offenders were set up in three months with a £10k grant from Government Office for London. This case study tells how.
To stay afloat with OLASS you must apply this month - choppy waters ahead
Any organisation wanting to be part of the Offender Learning And Skills Service after August 2009 must apply to the Learning and Skills Council by 3 March 2008. After that it is too late. The service faces heavy demands on tight budgets.
NOMS: Reports of its death are greatly exaggerated.
THE “PRACTICE INTO POLICY” CONFERENCE (20/21 NOVEMBER) AT CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER HOSTED IMPORTANT SPEAKERS AND SHOWCASED RESETTLEMENT PROJECTS SPONSORED BY NOMS
Conference explores the demand and supply sides of the market for offender employment
By Dominic Murphy 4 October 2007 SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYMENT AND RESETTLEMENT OF EX-OFFENDERS 2ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE, 27TH SEPTEMBER 2007
LSC plans major changes amidst uncertainty on future of NOMS
Those who lived through the Carter Report, Blunkett's reponse and the creation of OLASS have seen rapid change. It seems: "you aint seen nothing yet"!
Test bed regions and an OLASS “prospectus” announced
On Tuesday 15 May the annual Offenders’ Learning, Skills and Employability conference took place at Barbican, London. Phil Hope, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills took the opportunity to announce some important developments in government plans for reducing reoffending.
How can we use enterprise to get "real work" for prisoners?
"There are valid institutional constraints on the Prison Service originating enterprise. Partnership with social enterprise can overcome these constraints. There are some path breaking success stories to learn from.
Creating the campus model to reduce re-offending through skills & employment: comments on the next steps
One major component of the new plan for reducing re-offending (13 Dec 06) is a Campus Model to help the participating organisations and other stakeholders to work together in a more joined–up way to reduce re-offending. This paper offers thoughts on how the path-finding regions might implement the Campus Model.
New plans for delivering Offender learning and skills
After a year of consultation and reflection the government has published "Reducing Re-Offending through Skills and Employment:Next Steps"on 13 December 2006. This is the new plan for resettlement intended to cut re-offending rates by some 15% by 2010.
The Elephant in the room.
Reporting a conference on motivating offenders to learn.
Lives changing for the better at HMP Wandsworth
On Thursday 13th July Start-Up's 5th Prisoner Entrepreneurial Day was staged at HMP Wandsworth. It was a joy to watch offenders and ex-offenders get a big boost to their resettlement prospects. Ten candidates presented their ideas for a business start-up. They got offers of finance and mentoring support "on the out". Here is how a fellow inmate, reporting for Wanno Media Centre, described the day:
A big step backwards
Forum on Prisoner Education goes bust!
