Moving forward to a positive future - new Prison Based Employability scheme gets go ahead
Helping people of all ages and abilities into worthwhile careers is a big part of East Ayrshire Council’s Community Wealth Building strategy. The strong track record of the Employability Teams is now moving forward with approval of a new four year long programme which is being introduced at HMP Kilmarnock.
The new Prison Based Employability Programme, recently approved by Cabinet, will support people who are in custody and nearing release, to help them into worthwhile employment.
The programme follows the highly effective evidence based Individual Place and Support(IPS) model and will include the creation of training assistant posts in the Council to give people work experience in services such as Housing and Communities, Facilities and Property Management and Ayrshire Roads Alliance.
Building on, and integrated with, the well-established Inside Out Service, which is delivered by Recovery Enterprises Scotland the new programme aims to support 24 individuals every year for four years and will use funding from the Council’s Jobs and Training Fund to support up to 12 people a year for four years via the Fresh Start Programme.
Welcoming the new initiative, Councillor Jim McMahon Cabinet Member for Community Safety said: “This new programme is a multi agency response to tackling the the negative consequences of crime and re-offending experienced by our local communities.
“Our teams have been working closely with prison staff and our partner agencies to find the best solutions for re-introducing people in custody back into society in a way which should help cut re-offending and boost their employment and wellbeing prospects to help them contribute positively to our communities.
“The reasons why people end up in prison are often complex and preventable. And upon release, if the circumstances which led to offending in the first place haven’t changed, the challenges of adjusting to life back in the community can be overwhelming for many. A holisitic approach to helping these people at a vulnerable time in their lives can make all the difference to their future prospects.
“Looking at each individual, assessing their needs and equipping them with job specific skills, confidence and work experience can go a long way to helping them follow successful paths in future.
“Working with Recovery Enterprises Scotland, housing and social work teams, our Employability teams support both the ex offenders and their employers to ensure a smooth transition.
“Providing support to resolve employment, housing, mental health and substance use issues all contributes to reducing the chances of reoffending – an outcome which is of great benefit to that individual, taking pressure off the justice system and society as a whole.
”The programme will focus on people in custody who are between six and twelve months from their release date and who face significant barriers to employment. Often this means poor education, history of substance misuse, mental health issues, limited work experience and criminal records.
By working with employers to identify suitable work experience and job opportunities, participants can build relationships leading to direct employment upon release.
Once identified as a suitable candidate by Scottish Prison Service and Recovery Enterprises Scotland, individuals will be able to participate in programmes run in fully equipped sheds in the grounds of HMP Kilmarnock. These training workshops will offer hands on experience in skills including road building, catering, grounds maintenance, car valeting, brick laying, with opportunities to gain SVQ and SQA recognised qualifications.
Upon leaving prison, participants will be offered continual support. Councillor McMahon emphasised: “With this collaborative working between ourselves, HMP Kilmarnock and Recovery Enterprises Scotland we can offer support tailored to their needs for as long as is necessary to help put them on a successful path.
“This is a win-win situation. We can help break the ‘revolving door’ cycle of reoffending which can happen when issues are not resolved, and by helping people into meaningful jobs we can help them lead a productive life which strengthens our community cohesion, reduces crime and boosts our local economy.”