A local charity and Bedfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) are collaborating on a pilot training programme to help ex-offenders find work – the first of its kind in the county.
PCC John Tizard (Labour) has funded the new six-week training programme in partnership with YouTurn Futures to help rehabilitate ex-offenders into work, rebuild their lives, and break the cycle of reoffending.
The course will support up to eight participants and focus on CV writing, job search skills, job applications, and practical preparation for employment.
Each of the participants will receive accredited AQA modules and tailored guidance on how to lawfully disclose their history to future employers – the first accredited offer of its kind in Bedfordshire.
And the PCC has said that if the pilot is successful, it could “become core to criminal justice services in Bedfordshire and across the country”.
Breaking down the basics
Employment remains one of the strongest predictors of whether someone will reoffend after leaving prison.
National figures show that only 19.3% of people leaving custody are in work six weeks after release, increasing to 31.1% after six months, meaning the majority struggle to secure employment during the most critical resettlement period.
With most people struggling to secure a job in the first critical months after release, targeted resettlement support is essential.
In addition, many participants will have never been employed before. The training breaks down the basics, what work looks like, employer expectations, and how to prepare for an interview.
At the end of the course, participants receive a follow-up phone call with continued support alongside Bedfordshire Police and Probation to help take positive next steps.
PCC John Tizard said: “I am very pleased to be working with and funding YouTurn Futures to pilot a ground-breaking project to support prisoners and ex-prisoners to be better equipped to apply for jobs.
“All too often, ex-offenders leave custodial time in prisons without access to accommodation or employment. This project is designed to prepare ex-offenders to be ready to apply for jobs.
“This must be more than writing CVs; it must include confidence-building and emotional support, as well as advice on how to seek employment.
“YouTurn Futures is a great organisation with which we work on several other programmes. It is well placed to lead this new project and will work closely with the prison and probation services.
Meaningful outcomes
Neill Waring of YouTurn Futures said: “Integrated Offender Management (IOM) in Bedfordshire has a long history of innovation of supporting these entrenched offenders breaking away from crime.
“I am really proud of each of these individuals who have agreed with our Police and Probation colleagues to take part in this course.
“Throughout their lives, they have struggled to achieve meaningful outcomes, and this course is designed to support them intensively and create the opportunity for them to succeed.
“I would like to take the opportunity to thank our PCC, who has helped fund this course and look forward to sharing with him the progress and success these ex-offenders achieve.”
