Could you offer work experience for prisoners?

Bishop Rachel is hosting a Zoom seminar to help worshipping communities learn more about the process of giving prisoners work experience.

On Friday 17 September, from 9.30am to 11am, Duncan O’Leary who is the Chief Executive of the New Futures Programme in HM Prison and Probation service (HMPPS) will join us on Zoom to explain how it works.

Men and women in Category D prisons can now work in the community in the last two years of their sentence, once the prison has decided that they are eligible for ROTL (Release on Temporary Licence). The hope is that people can progress to paid work on ROTL as a platform for life after release, but often a voluntary placement can be invaluable for people before they progress to paid work, in helping them gain experience and confidence.

As Anglican Bishop for Prisons, Bishop Rachel is passionate about giving prisoners hope and giving them the tools they need to flourish once they are released from prison.

Duncan and his team are keen to explore possibilities with cathedrals and other worshipping communities who potentially might be able to offer people voluntary/paid work in shops, cafes and other suitable projects. They will talk us through the whole administrative process, the risk assessments and safeguards they put in place, as well as the huge benefits to both employers and those on the placements themselves.

We will also hear from people with lived experience, and there will be time for raising questions and concerns.

People can then decide whether or not they would like to explore further.

Any clergy and lay leaders interested in joining this session should register with Jason Taylor who will then send the Zoom link: ku.gr1728078053o.coi1728078053dsolg1728078053@roly1728078053atj1728078053