Partner Article

Working towards a brighter future

AN EMPLOYMENT initiative in the North of England is celebrating after helping more than 160 ex-offenders transform their lives and find work**.**

Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG) has been working in partnership with the Prison and Probation Services since January this year to deliver the National Offender Management Service (NOMS).

The programme aims to tackle the root causes of re-offending, with employment seen as key to the rehabilitation process and in reducing re-offending.

Between January and October, PPDG successfully placed more than double it’s original target of 80 in to employment across the North East with almost 100 more progressing in to further learning or work-based education.

PPDG operations manager, Mark Harrison, said: “The crucial aim of this contract is to help people into employment.

“Ex-offenders often have to deal with some of the hardest barriers to employment to deal with and we’re absolutely delighted with the results. “

PPDG is working direct with seven North East prisons – Kirklevington, Holme House, Durham, Low Newton, Castington, Acklington and Deerbolt - and with Northumbria, Durham and Teesside probation services.

The programme is aimed at people serving the last months of a custodial sentence or under supervision of probation services within the community.

It will run for an initial two year period and is co-financed by the European Social Fund.

Dale Francis, a father-of-three from Middlesbrough, was a first time offender serving a community sentence.

He said: “My life was turned around when I was referred, the NOMS programme is brilliant as it is specifically designed for people like me.

“I knew I had a lot to offer an employer; I am diligent, professional and I work hard – all people like me need is a chance.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .