Just launched: City & Guilds Neurodiversity Index 2023 – Increasing neurodiversity in the workplace

Read the report

Prisoners and ex-offenders

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

Improving ex-offenders’ prospects through Groundwork’s ‘Green Start’ programme

Improving ex-offenders’ prospects through Groundwork’s ‘Green Start’ programme

by | 26 May 2023 | , , ,

Groundwork is a federation of charities mobilising practical community action on poverty and the environment across the UK. Dedicated to supporting communities and creating a green future, they aim to improve people’s prospects and promote opportunities for everyone, whatever their background or circumstances. As part of Groundwork’s commitment to enhancing opportunities for employability, back in 2021 they launched their ‘Green Start’ programme, in partnership with us at the City & Guilds...

read more
Celebrating skills development, in Prison, to support rehabilitation, on release

Celebrating skills development, in Prison, to support rehabilitation, on release

by | 12 May 2023 | , , ,

For nearly four years now we have endeavoured, through our Foundation, to identify and activate practical ways for offenders to build skills and gain a job upon release. Reoffending costs approximately £18.1bn every year in England, and evidence shows that upskilling prisoners to gain sustainable employment upon release, together with stable accommodation and support, is the most effective way to counter reoffending. As part of our Future Skills Commission for Prisons, we have now funded eight...

read more
Delivering Green Skills Training with Greenworkx and Catch22

Delivering Green Skills Training with Greenworkx and Catch22

by | 3 May 2023 | , , , , , ,

The City & Guilds Foundation is pleased to announce two new partnerships with Greenworkx and Catch22 to deliver green skills training. The partnerships will provide training and support to help people from disadvantaged backgrounds develop the skills they need to work in the green economy. Greenworkx is a climate EdTech startup that is tackling the green skills emergency and building the net-zero workforce. Their mission is to get 10 million people into green jobs in 10 years. They are...

read more
Commitment of big business proves vital to tackle reoffending

Commitment of big business proves vital to tackle reoffending

by | 24 Mar 2023 | , , , ,

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...

read more
City & Guilds Foundation funds Breakthrough to support prison leavers into apprenticeships in innovative new partnership

City & Guilds Foundation funds Breakthrough to support prison leavers into apprenticeships in innovative new partnership

by | 8 Feb 2023 | , ,

The City & Guilds Foundation and Breakthrough, the UK’s first apprenticeship provider to recruit directly from prisons, have entered a new partnership to support prison leavers into employment. Founded in March 2020, Breakthrough was the first charity to focus on delivering pre-apprenticeship training in prison and technology apprenticeships on release. And for the first time, from October 2022 the government has allowed prisoners to start apprenticeships in prison – this could be...

read more
Reflecting on our achievements in 2022

Reflecting on our achievements in 2022

by | 14 Dec 2022 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

As the end of 2022 fast approaches, the team at the City & Guilds Foundation took some time to reflect and share their top highlights and achievements from the last year and moments to be proud of. Laura Mountain “Thinking about what we’ve collectively achieved over the past year, it is really incredible and just goes to show what you can do with brilliant, passionate people who constantly pull together – and challenge each other – to do the best they can. A particular highlight for me has...

read more
How we’re supporting St Giles to change lives by investing in vital training

How we’re supporting St Giles to change lives by investing in vital training

by | 14 Jul 2022 | , , , ,

St Giles is a London-based charity that helps people create a better future for themselves, and they’ve been an active part of our Foundation network for over five years. The charity works with people to overcome poverty, exploitation, abuse, addiction, mental health problems, crime or a combination of these issues. And a significant number of its peer advisors are people who have overcome their own struggles – often through St Giles’ own programmes. The peer advisors then use their ‘lived...

read more
Helping our partners in the offender / reoffending space to embrace neurodiversity

Helping our partners in the offender / reoffending space to embrace neurodiversity

by | 16 Jun 2022 | , , , ,

Last week was my second week of secondment with the Foundation Team and I was fortunate to be able to attend a two-day Neurodiversity Train the Trainer event. It was delivered by Helen Arnold Richardson from DO-It Solutions, and was specifically for our Foundation charity partners who work with offenders and ex-offenders – all with one shared goal, to reduce reoffending. Our partners in this space includes St Giles, Groundwork, Bounce Back, No Going Back and HMP Hull – as well as colleagues...

read more
No Going Back: City & Guilds Foundation supports The Livery Company initiative

No Going Back: City & Guilds Foundation supports The Livery Company initiative

by | 2 Mar 2022 | , , ,

There are few occasions since setting up City & Guilds some 144 years ago when the Livery Companies have worked together towards a single objective. And that’s why we’re delighted that through the City & Guilds Foundation we’re able to support the new and exciting Livery ‘No Going Back’ initiative supporting offender rehabilitation. At the City & Guilds Foundation supporting the rehabilitation of offenders and former offenders has been a priority for some time. We recognise that...

read more
[Podcast] Inclusion & Diversity Series: Marginalised Groups – Prison Leavers

[Podcast] Inclusion & Diversity Series: Marginalised Groups – Prison Leavers

by | 21 Oct 2021 | , , , ,

As part of the City & Guilds Foundation Inclusion and diversity events series, offering thought-provoking conversations and actionable steps to promote equal opportunities and improve inclusion and diversity in your organisation. In this episode we explored excluded groups and giving fair chances for people with lived experience of prison to gain employment. Most prison leavers want the opportunity to turn their life around. Having a job helps them stay out of prison and getting back on...

read more