Prison Impact
The power of skills innovation in prisons
We believe that skills development in prisons not only helps address major societal and economic challenges but is our responsibility to deliver as a Royal Charter body powered by charitable purpose.
Explore the Royal event at HMP Pentonville
See the ‘Life Beyond Bars’ short film
Read our new Prison Impact Report
Make a pledge or get in touch now
How skills development supports rehabilitation
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.
To help prisoners reach their potential and to capatalise on the potential of skills, City & Guilds’ work in prisons
spans everything from quality training and recognition services, to collaborating with employers seeking to
access new talent, to funding innovative deploying new technology that help prisoners secure skills for future
employment.
“We know that the golden thread for those leaving prison and not returning is made up of acquiring skills relevant to a job, being supported through the gate and into accommodation and an employer offering real opportunities.”
Celebrating innovative training in Prison, and through the gate
We held an event on 11 May at HMP Pentonville with our president HRH The Princess Royal, showcasing the transformative role of innovative, quality training in prison. At the event, some of our partners who were previously funded through our Future Skills Commission for Prisons showcased the innovative training they have been delivering.
Bounce Back
Bounce Back presented their virtual reality headset programme alongside Keltbray. The programme is being delivered in Prisons and the community.
HMP Hull and HMP Humber
HMP Hull and HMP Humber showcased their simulator technology which is boosting the confidence of their learners with construction skills.
Groundwork
Groundwork discussed how their construction and carbon literacy training is being used in HMP Forest Bank to support the economy towards a greener future.
HMP Highpoint
HMP Highpoint, alongside Intertrain, showed off their rail track programme, which is allowing learners to complete flexible rail courses.
“It is a privilege to have hosted the event at Pentonville. In recent times we have worked hard to boost those skills which help prisoners find employment on release, and it is fitting that City & Guilds and HMPPS can show this partnership together. This has come at a time when we’re looking to expand the work that we do together, taking advantage of progress in technology. This investment in to skills development will allow us to offer more to the men in our care, and be less constrained by the prison environment. Our ambition is to get more prisoners into employment on release, and I look forward to seeing what we’re able to do together in the future.”
Prison Impact Report
This new report profiles some of the programmes we fund in prisons and spotlights some innovations in training such as virtual reality that can help equip prison leavers for the world of work and lead to qualifications.
Be an advocate
Make a pledge and receive a digital credential
We are no longer issuing digital credentials for this event, but please see our upcoming events, our Neurodiversity Index and our ReSET: Recognise Strengths Engagement Tool for other opportunities to pledge your support and earn a digital credential.
Want to get in touch?
Let us know if you are working in this area or have a project you think we’d be interested in hearing about.
Other prison news from the City & Guilds Foundation
From prison to lockdown: how to make peer-mentoring work in the crisis
The best ideas are born out of necessity, and for St Giles that was finding a way to deliver the Peer Advisor programme during Covid-19. The programme trains people with lived experience of social exclusion, including many prisoners and prison-leavers, to become Level...
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...
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...
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...
The City & Guilds Foundation supporting communities throughout Covid-19
No one is untouched by Covid-19, and we are humbled by seeing so many of our communities and partners responding with such energy and grace to what is a difficult time for people and societies all over the world. We know that people need support now, to help them get...
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,...
