Half Of Businesses Won't Employ Ex-Offenders

Stephen Simpson

One construction firm has shared its positive experience of working to rehabilitate ex-offenders when half of employers wouldn’t employ someone who has been in prison.

Seetec Justice is committed to working with employers to break down barriers when it comes to hiring ex-offenders. There are ex-offenders who often have the right skill-set required for their trade but often struggle to access new work opportunities once they are released.

Since March, 695,000 jobs were cut by employers as the unemployment rate increases and 4,000 prisoners were identified for early release due to Covid-19 in April. The likelihood of ex-offenders getting work is now lower than ever. According to the Ministry of Justice, only 17% of prisoners leave with a job and half of employers say they cannot see the value in employing someone who has been in prison.

 

Cidon

Construction specialist Cidon is bucking this trend, having taken on 12 ex-offenders with the support of  Seetec Justice. The successful partnership started back in 2018 after Cidon Director Stephen Simpson heard a radio discussion about helping ex-offenders to rehabilitate, find work, access housing and break the cycle of crime.

 

 “At Cidon we take our corporate social responsibility initiatives seriously. When the opportunity arose to look at employing ex-offenders, we felt it would be the right thing to do as, when we’re in the position to do so, we want to be able to give people from all backgrounds a chance.”

– Stephen Simpson 

Director, Cidon

 

Benefits of employing ex-offenders

“More businesses like us need to get involved, we’re only a very small cog in a huge wheel. If we can take 12 ex-offenders in the space of 18 months, then a lot can be done. It’s important to educate other business leaders about the benefits of employing ex-offenders,” continues Cidon's Simpson.  

 

Seetec Justice

Ministry of Justice figures show the re-offending rate for those who do not enter employment is almost two and a half times higher than for those who have employment (43 per cent, compared with 18 per cent).

Seetec Justice is part of a group that also delivers skills and employability services, so it can draw on a wider level of experience to understand what employers are looking for. Seetec believes that no one should be left behind.  Ex-offenders are one group in our society that can sometimes feel they are forgotten during challenging social and economic times. Only by challenging existing perceptions about ex-offenders and stressing that many have valuable skills, either acquired before entering prison or gained whilst in prison, will more progress be made in eliminating barriers to work.

Seetec Justice is part of an employee-owned business that puts the ex-offender at the heart of their own rehabilitation journey, combining tailored rehabilitation methods, skills training, employability services and practitioner expertise, helping to move individuals into a crime-free life.

In an 18-month period, Seetec Justice supported 200 prisoners in preparation for their release, arranging day release opportunities and engaging with local employers. This resulted in nearly half of them securing offers of employment for when they were released, nearly three times the usual employment figure for male prisoners.

 

Criminal Record Reform

New legislation, in the shape of the Criminal Record Reform, was proposed in September 2020 which, if enacted, will reduce the time it takes for certain convictions to become ‘spent’ so they are no longer automatically disclosed on employment checks. This will only happen after successful completion of a period of rehabilitation.

 

To find out more about Criminal Record Reform and the proposed new rehabilitation periods (time it might take for a conviction to be spent)  - Click Here

 

 

James

One of the ex-offenders taken on by Cidon was concerned about his chances of finding employment after release. James heard about the rehabilitation programme in prison and, as he had acquired labouring skills whilst serving time, felt it was a great opportunity, matching his desire to find manual work.

James joined Cidon on release and has gone on to gain an NVQ in joinery. He says: “When you have to disclose your past, you face preconceptions. It was a relief that Cidon were willing to engage with people like me. It’s good to know my employer has faith in me, I’m trying to repay them as I see myself here for the future, not just the short-term.”

James appealed to companies which aren’t part of rehabilitation programmes, saying: “Everyone deserves a second chance, Cidon have invested in me and that has boosted my confidence. I think other employers should follow their example.”

 

Rehabilitation journey

Louise Atherton, Director of Prison Employment at Seetec Justice, says: ”Ex-offenders are often wrongly overlooked by employers, those who have completed a successful rehabilitation journey, backed by the right support to make the transition from prison, are just as employable as anyone else with a similar skill-set. The stumbling block is the pre-existing social barriers that need to be eliminated. If we want to help offenders to reintegrate back into the community, working with accommodation, family and community support, employment is critical to a person leading a crime-free life.

“At Seetec our employer-led initiatives are designed to get people into sustainable work following their release. We urge others to follow the lead of businesses like Cidon, who have had great success in helping ex-offenders back into work. Cidon have given ex-offenders a chance to use their valuable skills and feel they are contributing to their society again.”

 

For more information on Seetec and ex-offender opportunities - Click Here

 

Picture: Stephen Simpson a director at Cidon, a construction firm that has committed to employing ex-offenders.

 

Article written by Cathryn Ellis
19th October 2020

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