Offenders and ex-offenders
The European Social Fund (ESF) is at the forefront in tackling one of the most challenging issues in social policy, but one with enormous potential to make a difference.
ESF projects in England work with different types of offenders and at different points, from being in custody or under community sentence through release, being under license, to simply having had a history of offending as one part of their life experience. All projects seek to optimise the support available and ultimately increase progression into sustained employment.
ESF-Works has studied a growing reach of ESF-supported work with offenders, including:
The ESF is used to help offenders and ex-offenders develop skills and secure employment. Barriers to employment faced by this group are often complex and touch on all aspects of life, which means that ESF-funded activity embraces issues that ease the transition to work, including:
- locating, gaining and keeping a job
- basic skills, qualifications and effective learning
- how to work with prospective employers
- finding, keeping and affording a secure and stable place to live
- the role of mentoring and the benefits and challenges of peer involvement
- the health dimension and the challenge of substance abuse
- attitudes, prejudices and misconceptions
- how partners work together to tackle barriers simultaneously and effectively
- working with offenders as a specific target, in prison and the community
- delivering effective provision in a changing and complicated environment of policies, programmes and services.
We are always looking for project and practice examples with compelling, well-evidenced stories to tell and practice to share. Contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you’d like to talk to us about showcasing your work on offenders and ex-offenders.
