Sep 20th, 2021
4 mins
On 16th September the BFFF attended a Defra led Food Resilience Industry Forum (FRIF) where discussions took place around the current labour shortage issues.
As part of the session, we were joined by a representative from the New Futures Network (NFN) team.
The NFN is a specialist part of Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) who broker partnerships between prisons and employers in England and Wales. These partnerships help businesses fill skills gaps and prison leavers find employment.
There are two main ways in which the NFN works with organisations:
- Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL)
Businesses offer training and work experience to a serving prisoner to see first-hand what individuals can offer. Suitable, risk assessed, men and women leave prison each day to work for employers in the community. This can be full or part-time for up to two years before being released.
- Employment on Release
Businesses work with prisons and probation to find talent and offer employment to people at the end of their prison sentence.
Over 400 businesses already work in partnership with prisons to provide work and employment opportunities. And over 80% of employers positively rated those they employed as reliable and hard-working.
If this is something you would like to find out more about, then please click here: https://newfuturesnetwork.gov.uk/. NFN has specialists based across England and Wales who are ready to work with you through the process.
Also, on 21st October, the MOJ will be hosting a free interactive virtual summit to support businesses who are interested in recruiting people on release from prison. At the summit, delegates will have the opportunity to hear first-hand from employers such as Greggs and Greene King who have significantly benefitted from recruiting prison leavers. Prison leavers will also speak about their own experiences of securing work through a series of informative panel discussions, speeches, and workshops.
Book your place by visiting: https://seewhatsontheinside.com/.
