Greater Manchester Probation Trust

Prolific Offenders Helped into Employment

15 Apr 2010

FIVE former prolific offenders have been helped into full time employment through a scheme which is achieving excellent results.

Andy, who first went before the courts aged 18 in 1988, has a string of offences ranging from car theft through to burglaries and robberies. However, since release from prison in November 2008, he has fully complied with probation and has been in employment for almost a year.
Such is his progress that now Andy, who works doing maintenance for a housing association in Wythenshawe, is himself supervising offenders on the same scheme.
He said: “I love the job. I’ve not found it difficult getting back into the rhythm of doing a nine to five, and it feels great that they have got so much trust in me that I now manage other people.
“I’d always been prepared to work but I got into the frame of mind where I’ve been in that much trouble over the years I thought I’d come up against a brick wall.
“I didn’t want to do time again, but the job has proven to be a real turning point for me. I’ve also found probation to be a lot different to when I last experienced it, and the support I’ve been given has really helped.”
Greater Manchester Probation Trust (GMPT), police, Greater Manchester Employment Coalition (GMEC), Parkway Green and the Forest Group are among the organisations that run the scheme. GMEC funds it, and Prolific and Priority Offenders – traditionally one of the offending groups hardest to rehabilitate – are identified by probation and police to take part in it.
Andy said: “I was interviewed for the job and worked three weeks unpaid to demonstrate commitment, and I’ve been kept on by Parkway Green now for eight months.
“Has it helped keep me out of trouble? Definitely.”
Karl, who is 24, has served a 30 month jail sentence for four burglaries, and had never previously been on probation.
He said: “To be honest I thought I’d get out, then do the same thing again and end up back in jail.
“Being away from my family was hard, I didn’t want to go back inside, so when my probation officer told me there was a chance of a job I was buzzing.
“The employer has seen through my criminal record, the job’s been really important to me. It also helps being supervised by Andy, someone who’s been through what I have done.”
Karl has a six month contract, after that GMEC will be responsible for securing him employment or an apprenticeship elsewhere, as will Jordan, another PPO on the scheme, which has already been rolled out in Trafford. The final PPO is Bradley, aged 23, who was part of the first intake and completed six months with Parkway, before starting an apprenticeship in painting and decorating with the Forest Group.
Michelle Nield, probation service officer, praised the offenders for how they’ve progressed.
She added: “GMEC ask us to recommend suitable candidates, people who are very motivated, and so far everyone we have put forward and who have been taken on have excelled.
“Andy has exceeded expectations, we never envisaged he’d become a supervisor, and the boost it’s given him has been incredible.
“Being in employment helps with everything, it gives discipline, a sense of belonging, it boosts morale, self-esteem and confidence. The five who are now in work via this scheme have not re-offended, and considering they were all prolific offenders that is a considerable achievement.”