News & Media
Back to main news pageReliance Reduces Re-offending
Reliance Reduces Re-offending
A presentation of new business ideas and plans, produced by ex-offenders, was presented to a panel of judges on 20th April in London. Following the judges’ discussions the Reliance Secure Task Management Limited Entrepreneurship Prize was awarded to one of the 11 contenders.
This was a “Dragon’s Den” style competition with Ex-Offenders vying for funds to start their own businesses. The successful applicants receive equipment and advice to start their own business. Past competitions have been held and the results speak for themselves with an almost zero re-offender rate from the winners of funding.
The Reliance prize was in support of Startup, the business enterprise charity that works with prisoners and ex-offenders to help them establish their own means of employment.
Juliet Hope, Chief Executive, Startup, commented: “The quality of proposals at the Entrepreneurship Day at Wandsworth Prison was of a very high order. We saw a variety of business proposals created by ex-offenders, which showed imagination and entrepreneurial flair.”
Brian Kingham, Chairman of Reliance, who was one of the judges and presented the Reliance Prize, said: “I am delighted to present this prize in support of the excellent creative work of Startup. The entrepreneurship and commitment of the ex-offenders we have seen here today is truly remarkable and a great tribute to the people involved. It also highlights the huge success of Startup and the innovative work of the Prison Service Education Department. Reliance is committed to playing its part in helping to reduce the incidence of re-offending and in encouraging ex-offenders in their efforts to successfully re-establish themselves in the community.”
END
Startup representative, Reliance Staff, the Offender shaking hands with Brian Kingham our CEO
Notes for Editors:
The difficulties for ex-offenders and their families in finding jobs following a prison sentence are well known and starting a small business is a constructive response to such difficulties.
Startup, which was established two years ago, provides small amounts of capital and mentoring, to enable ex-offenders to work for themselves. Since its inception it has been involved with 200 prisoners, formally advised 120 of them and helped establish more than 40 businesses.
Only one of the people behind those new ventures has re-offended during the period, a figure strikingly below the national statistics which reveal that two thirds of ex-offenders re-commit offences within two years of leaving prison.