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Prisoners and ex-offenders

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

Big Idea Fund: Five new projects awarded funding to unlock potential and support rehabilitation

Big Idea Fund: Five new projects awarded funding to unlock potential and support rehabilitation

by | 8 Nov 2023 | , , ,

Back in June we announced that we were inviting expressions of interest for the second round of our Big Idea Fund. The £1m Big Idea Fund was established in 2019 as the first major initiative of our Foundation, to support prisoners with upskilling to aid their rehabilitation on release. Following an initial shortlist, 11 projects out of 37 applications were invited to submit a full application which was scored by our Commissioner Panel which includes City & Guilds Chief Executive, Kirstie...

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Big Idea Fund: more funding available to unlock the potential of the UK Prison population, and reduce reoffending

Big Idea Fund: more funding available to unlock the potential of the UK Prison population, and reduce reoffending

by | 7 Jun 2023 | , , ,

The City & Guilds Foundation is pleased to announce that we are inviting expressions of interest for the second round of The Big Idea Fund until 22 June 2023. The Big Idea Fund was the first major initiative of the Foundation’s ambitious Future Skills Commission for Prisons. And since its launch in 2020, we have funded nine pioneering programmes, which are supporting individuals in prison to develop the skills they need to find employment upon release, helping to reduce the risk of...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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