Future Skills Commission for Prisons

The latest stories in this category from the City & Guilds Foundation and our networks.

Commitment of big business proves vital to tackle reoffending

Commitment of big business proves vital to tackle reoffending

We were delighted to see the latest MOJ release that some of the UK’s biggest and most progressive companies have deepened their commitment to get people in prison into work on release, and that this has played a pivotal role in the rising numbers of prison leavers in employment 6 months after release - almost two thirds between April 2021 and March 2022, from 14 per cent to 23 per cent. According to government statistics, reoffending is reduced by up to nine percentage points for those who...

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Support for a green start

Support for a green start

This guest post is by Andrew Harrison, Head of Contracts at Groundwork UK. As has often been said of late, we’re facing unprecedented challenges as a nation. Those challenges are many and significant – global economic trends, a changing climate and now an unforgiving pandemic. All of these forces impact first and worst on those in our society who have least, adding to the structural inequalities that have been affecting parts of our country for decades. Supporting those who need it most...

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New skills fund to unlock £500m per year employment potential of UK prison population supporting efforts to rebuild after Covid

New skills fund to unlock £500m per year employment potential of UK prison population supporting efforts to rebuild after Covid

Unlocking the skills potential of the UK’s prison population could put £500million a year back into the economy in lowering reoffending rates alone[1], a much-needed boost as we seek to rebuild the economy following Covid, new analysis from the City & Guilds Foundation suggests. The findings come as City & Guilds, the leading skills development provider, launches an ambitious new Future Skills Commission for Prisons to use jobs and training to help divert prisoners from committing...

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Junior Smart: Meaningful work will keep ex-offenders like me out of prison

Junior Smart: Meaningful work will keep ex-offenders like me out of prison

The Foundation’s Big Idea Fund wants to experiment, to find out what really works so that it can be scaled up and used elsewhere. It is going out to brilliant charities and innovative prison projects that want to partner up and find practical solutions to one of our society’s biggest problems.  I believe a big idea like this has never been needed more. View this post on Instagram Meaningful work will keep ex-offenders like me out of prison, writes Junior Smart a member of our Future...

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The Clink charity launches Clink@Home takeaway / delivery service

The Clink charity launches Clink@Home takeaway / delivery service

The Clink Charity has launched a takeaway / delivery service at HMP Brixton called Clink@Home. This has enabled The Clink to keep the restaurant open during lockdown, keeping prisoners employed and allowing them to continue studying towards their qualifications. Great @BBCNews feature showing the impact @TheClinkCharity has on reducing re-offending. If you live within 5 miles of @HMP_Brixton please support #ClinkAtHome - you'll be helping prisoners to continue studying towards their...

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City & Guilds Foundation launches groundbreaking new skills fund for prisons

City & Guilds Foundation launches groundbreaking new skills fund for prisons

The City & Guilds Foundation is inviting bids to a new £1m fund to help provide skills training and employment for prisoners and ex-offenders. The Big Idea Fund is now inviting expressions of interest from charities, prison governors and other potential providers, with awards to be made from April 2020. It is seeking bids that aim to meaningfully reduce reoffending through personalised training and sustained employment support in innovative new ways that can be rapidly scaled up if...

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