A North Wales project that helps get ex-offenders into work has won a major learning award.
North Wales Police and North Wales Probation initiative 8Ways to Change Your Life took the project award at the Inspire! Awards as part of Adult Learners’ Week 2015.
Through the project, ex-offenders are offered individual work experience with Thorncliffe Building Supplies’ waste management team, with the potential of full-time employment at the end of a trial period or an Apprenticeship with Cambrian Training.
Adult Learners’ Week runs from June 13 to 19 and celebrates lifelong learning, whether work-based, as part of a community education course, at college, university or online.
Now in its 24th year, it aims to promote the range of courses available to adult learners, from languages to computing and childcare to finance.
The Inspire! Awards are hosted each year ahead of Adult Learners’ Week to celebrate the achievements of outstanding learners in Wales who have shown exceptional passion, commitment and drive for learning, often in the face of difficult circumstances.
Thorncliffe Building Supplies in Abergele has been working with 8Ways, a project designed to break the cycle of re-offending, for two years.
The term “8Ways” refers to the eight categories where help can be provided – drugs and alcohol support, accommodation, children and families, finance benefit and debt, mental and physical health, attitudes, thinking and behaviour, and education training and employment.
Thorncliffe currently works with nine ex-offenders on their sites across Wales, including Sean Williams, who is employed full-time at the company’s recycling site in Abergele.
Sean, 27, from St Asaph was referred to 8 Ways by the probation service two years ago after serving a series of prison sentences for violence.
“I went through the care system, left school at 14 and started drinking and taking drugs,” he said. “I was fighting in pubs every weekend and first went to prison when I was 17.
“I served four years for a section 18 assault and was back and fore to prison after that, always for drinking and fighting.”
In 2013, Sean left prison for the last time and was referred to 8 Ways by the probation service.
Now he’s working as a supervisor responsible for a team of 10, and is father to a 15-month-old daughter, Maizie-Jay, with partner Leanne.
“I started as a volunteer for a month, working two days a week, then I was offered a job and within three months, I’d been promoted to supervisor,” he said.
“It gave me the chance to change, gave me my first job and put me around employers who believed in me and wanted me to do well.”
Sean has now completed his level two Apprenticeship in Sustainable Resource Management, including a level one Essential Skills, and is working towards his level three Apprenticeship and hopes to one day become a Site Manager.
“I left school with no qualifications and watched people who’d gone to my school have a nice life, have a car and a home, things I wanted,” he said.
“I may have done it later than others, but learning has changed my life and I’m proof it’s never too late. The more you learn, the better your chances.”
Steve Harper, Site Manager, said: “The project has improved confidence and self-esteem, and motivated the learners, both to stay on the right side of the law but also academically to improve their literacy skills and gain qualifications.
“There’s a stigma attached to ex-offenders, which means that not many people are prepared to take them on, which obviously means the cycle continues as somebody who has just left prison finds it difficult to get a job.
“We’re happy to give somebody who has been to prison the opportunity of work experience and training, and many of them stay on as employees. It’s a system that benefits them as individuals and us as a company as they’ve been fantastic workers who are grateful for a chance.”
Adult Learners’ Week is organised by NIACE Cymru with the support of the Welsh Government and European Social Fund.
Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology, Julie James, said: “Adult Learners’ Week gives everybody the opportunity to learn something new, whether you learn from home, in the workplace or in your local community.
“The Inspire! Awards recognise the people who have taken that step, and their examples should encourage anybody who thinks it’s either too late or too difficult to learn a new skill.
“We hope Adult Learners’ Week will encourage adults across Wales to find out more about their skills and career options by going along to events in their area.
“Adults can also access the Skills Gateway to get careers advice and guidance, whether they want to improve their skills and employability or get back into work.”
Cerys Furlong, Director of NIACE Cymru, said: “The Inspire! Awards remind us of the power of learning and every story is a testament to the hard work of the learners and the tutors.
“Each winner has come such a long way and shown real determination and passion for learning and we wish each one every success for the future.
“Everyone can get involved with Adult Learners’ Week by joining a free learners’ event in their area on anything from first aid to digital photography.”
For more information on Adult Learners’ Week, go to www.careerswales.com/skillsgateway , call 0800 028 4844 or follow @skillsgatewaycw
Ends
Media enquiries to Claire Rees or Amanda Bunn at Golley Slater on 02920 786048 or crees@golleyslater.co.uk/abunn@golleyslater.co.uk
