Groundwork | City & Guilds Foundation

Green Start: A transformative programme continuing to empower ex-offenders from Groundwork

by Polly Rowe | 21 Jun 2024 | Case studies, Charity partners, Lived Experience, News, Prisoners and ex-offenders

Last year, we reported on the inspiring work being carried out by Groundwork, a UK-wide alliance of charities that brings communities together to tackle poverty and environmental challenges. Committed to creating opportunities for all, they launched their Green Start programme in 2021 in partnership with the City & Guilds Foundation to equip prison leavers with construction, carbon literacy and green skills. The programme has exceeded expectations, with positive prisoner outcomes, a...

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

by Polly Rowe | 26 May 2023 | Future Skills Commission for Prisons, News, News & events, Prisoners and ex-offenders

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...

Reflecting on our achievements in 2022

by Justine Procter | 14 Dec 2022 | Bursaries, Charity partners, City & Guilds initiatives, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Funding, Lived Experience, News, Our networks, Princess Royal Training Awards, Prisoners and ex-offenders, Refugee support, Resources, Responsible Business, Social Impact, Youth engagement

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...

Support for a green start

by Polly Rowe | 27 Jan 2021 | Funding, Future Skills Commission for Prisons, News, Prisoners and ex-offenders

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...

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

by Laura Mountain | 22 Sep 2020 | Critical transition points, Funding, Future Skills Commission for Prisons, News, Our networks, Prisoners and ex-offenders

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...