Education, Training and Employment  

Area Objective: 

“The rehabilitation of offenders”

Basic Skills

Nationally, it is estimated that the education level of offenders averages at that of an 11 year old.  The inability to read or write or do basic maths is a major barrier for anyone to be able to play a positive and active part in society.  Where an offender is assessed as having such a skills need, Probation can propose assistance to the court as part of that offenders Community Sentence package.  We work with colleges to provide Basic Skills learning in literacy and numeracy and offenders can achieve level 1 certicifation or higher.

Training

As part of their Community Sentence, offenders may be offered training in one of a number of subjects in order for them to gain employability skills.  Subjects such as Painting and Decorating or Landscape Gardening.   We also enable offenders to gain certicicates in Basic Health & Safety in the Workplace as part of their prescribed Unpaid Work hours requirement.

In conjunction with Broomfield Hall, Derby College, in 2007 we won the national Butler Trust Award for Skills and Training for our joint project offering City & Guilds in Horticulture to offenders on Unpaid Work requirements.  This course is now countywide and some offenders have gone on to gain permanent employment.

Along with specific courses, all our Unpaid Work projects incorporate learning skills such as problem solving, teamworking, social skills and commitment to a job.

Employment

As well as seeking to get offenders into individual placements for their Unpaid Work requirement, we seek to assist them in gaining permanent employment.  We are able to assist in CV writing and with interview skills.

Gaining certificates of any kind may be the first time in their lives for some offenders. The sense of achievement and self esteem gained gives many a needed boost to look to leave their old lives behind them.  Education, Training and Employment are all known elements that help reduce re-offending. Reduced re-offending means fewer potential future victims of crime.

 National Probation Service - Derbyshire