A rehabilitation scheme aimed at ensuring prisoners secure vocational qualifications before being released back into society has proven a major success thanks to the support of fire and security specialist HESIS.
Offering both financial backing and mentorship, the company – part of the HE Simm Group – recently played a key role in helping an inmate at HMP Standford Hill in Kent to secure full-time employment upon his release.
With HESIS already providing fire, security and maintenance services to 48 prisons across the UK, the support programme offers specialist training and allows participants to shadow their on-site experts.
The Purposeful Prisoner Working Programme is an innovative scheme set up by the Ministry of Justice’s Government Facility Services Limited (GFSL) in partnership with the HM Prison & Probation Service.
Designed to engage prisoners with skilled trade teams in roles such as electrical or painting and decorating, it provides hands-on experience of skills that, as well as the qualifications, gives them a sense of purpose and supports their rehabilitation.
HESIS was quick to throw its support behind the scheme, and having seen one success, is now looking forward to helping more prisoners with their rehabilitation through education.
“It was our pleasure to work in partnership with the GFSL team to create an opportunity for this individual to reintegrate into society with a new sense of purpose,” said Scott Fisher, Business Unit Director at HESIS.
“It is extremely rewarding to play a part in training and mentoring prison residents in this way and seeing them gain in confidence and capability.”
While working on the programme, the prisoner completed a series of Fire Industry Association (FIA) qualifications, leading him to secure all advanced qualifications for Fire Detection and Alarm Maintenance.
The prisoner, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “Working on GFSL’s Purposeful Prisoner Working Programme is a great opportunity. My head was in a bad place previously but working alongside GFSL gave me an opportunity to be proud of something.
“It’s a big deal to be trusted in this environment and I’ve had the chance to learn such different and varied skills. My confidence has been rebuilt and I feel like I’m ready to go back into work.
“I’m grateful to the GFSL team for supporting me with the exams and to HESIS and FIA.”
Helena Butler, GFSL Justice Solutions Manager, confirmed the prisoner has recently become eligible for ROTL (Release on Temporary Licence) and has secured full-time employment.
“A special thank you to our on-site teams for supporting the rehabilitative journey, allowing the individual to work as part of our team and for personally taking the time to moderate the exams where there was no one else available to do so,” she said.
“I am excited that the success of this collaboration means not only a better outcome for one person but potentially something we can replicate with our other suppliers in the future.
“GFSL was able to offer experience, support, facilitate study and exams while HESIS were able to fund and offer shadowing. The prisoner received real tangible outcomes with industry-recognised qualifications, becoming job ready and recently securing employment.
“Both companies would like to continue to offer this successful programme in the future. This successful collaboration is significant and demonstrates a collaborative approach to rehabilitation.”