The project is the establishment of an adult learning centre purposely situated outside but next to an open prison. The centre, which the Group invested in 5 years ago, provides training to prisoners. Its primary mission is to equip individuals with the skills necessary to secure employment upon their release from prison. The open-prison status allows inmates to participate in courses and, in some cases, engage in paid employment through the Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) scheme. According to stakeholder interviews, our partner prison accounts for approximately half of all ROTL placements in the UK and has the highest number of participants in the Working Out Scheme (WOS) of any prison. By accessing mainstream adult funding, to encourage life-long-learning, the Centre plays a critical role in helping individuals with limited prior educational attainment, often with chaotic backgrounds, acquire valuable skills and qualifications, which progressively enhance their confidence, motivation and employability. Over the past five years, the Centre has offered courses in five key areas: Built Environment, Technology/ICT, Job Club/Employability, Rail Engineering, and Hospitality. Since its inception, the Centre has experienced significant growth in both enrolments and successful outcomes, achieving an overall success rate of 97.2% in 23-24 and now boasting one of the lowest reoffending rates in England.
","author_name":"Rachel Costello"}