Business leaders to take lead on helping prison leavers into work

New Employment Advisory Boards at resettlement prisons in England and Wales will be see business leaders given a role in supporting prison leavers into employment.

The boards will be chaired by business leaders, and act as a link between offenders and employers, helping to guide skills training available in prisons and provide job opportunities on release. It is hoped the scheme will help to both reduce reoffending rates, as well as help businesses deal with current skills and recruitment challenges.

The boards have already been established in 20 UK prisons, and will be rolled out in all 91 resettlement prisons (such as HMP Styal in Cheshire, pictured) in England and Wales by April 2023.

Deputy Prime Minister, Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor Dominic Raab MP, said:

“Getting prison leavers into work is a formula that works. It reduces the chance of reoffending – cutting crime and making the public safer.

“It’s a true win-win, allowing us to boost public protection and save the taxpayer money, while providing the reliable staff businesses need to drive the British economy.”

The idea behind the scheme comes from Chief Executive of Greater Manchester-based Timspon Group, James Timpson, a long-standing advocate of offering work opportunities to prison leavers. Business leaders from brands including Lotus Motors, Sodexo, COOK and LendLease have already been announced to chair or advise Employment Advisory Boards in prisons.

HMP Wandsworth’s employment board launched last May, chaired by COOK co-CEO, Rosie Brown. Since its launch, 98 prisoners have worked with the service with 76 receiving job offers and 33 are successfully in a job. Rosie Brown said:

“I am proud to work for a company that has a long track record of supporting prison leavers into employment and I know from personnel experience that some of our best and most loyal employees have criminal records – that’s not an obstacle to succeeding in life.

“Bringing our expertise to HMP Wandsworth has been an excellent experience and I am delighted that Employment Advisory Boards are being rolled out to 91 prisons across the country.”