Engaging more learners in employment opportunities across Cumbria and Lancashire

At Novus, we aim to provide new and innovative ways to engage as many prisoners as possible in our education provision, including employment support. Recently, our Novus Works team at HMP Wymott and HMP Kirkham have been working collaboratively with other teams prison-wide, to host employment events providing more route ways into employment for prisoners.  

HMP Wymott Employment Event

Recently, Novus and HMP Wymott hosted an employer event called ‘Wymott Ways into Work’. The Novus Employer Account Manager worked closely with the Prison Employment Lead to put together a 2-day event for prisoners to access links into employment.

Day one concentrated on self-employment, David Morgan from Entrepreneurs Unlocked held drop-in sessions throughout the day along with two prison leavers, who had lived experience of moving on after a custodial sentence. This proved to be a very popular event and all sessions were filled. 

Day two was employment based, in attendance were HM Pasties, Blind Tiger Inns, Fawkes and Reece (construction) and Fulcrum Scaffolding. Every prisoner had the opportunity to attend education to talk with employers about opportunities on release. The Novus Employer Account Manager also invited along the Mayor and Mayoress of Chorley to showcase the hard work of all the partners and the employers that support prison leavers. The Mayor and Mayoress were impressed with the level of education, employment support and the prisoners and how we all work together to provide employment support to prisoners with the aim of reducing reoffending. 
 

HMP Kirkham Employment Event 

In May, HMP Kirkham hosted an employer event which spanned over two days, due to the phenomenal employer interest that they received. The event was organised by the Prison Employment Lead however, Novus Works worked collaboratively with the PEL and invited several employer partners to the event and attended the second event to support. 

Across the 2 days, over 40 employers attended, with the second event concentrating on the construction industry with visits from Cara Construction, We are Footprint, Morgan Sindall, West Lancashire Group, PHX Training, Fulcrum Scaffolding, Wise Group and Dalkia, amongst others. 

All prisoners across the prison had the opportunity to attend the event, speak with the employers and register their interest with them to follow up on release from custody. The turnout of men attending was incredible, with some of them commenting that this was a fantastic opportunity for them to have something they can pursue on their release. The Novus EAM and PEL are now following up on all enrolments to ensure employment opportunities are seized. 

Employment events like these are a fantastic opportunity for all prisoners to engage in employment support as well as interact with employer partners, creating professional connections and finding employment opportunities before they are released. Collaborative working across teams in both prisons have enabled them to host employment events and engage more prisoners in the employment support that is offered, helping more individuals into employment upon release. The events have been a huge success, bringing together colleagues from across the prison estates to provide more routeways into employment for all prisoners. 

To find out more about how we help learners into employment upon release, take a look at our news section or if you are interested in working with us to provide more employment opportunities to learners, contact us today!