Dark Horse 2

To provide intermediate labour market opportunities, including community-based job tasters (within/organised by the YMCA), leading to a formal work placement period with local employers and complemented throughout by basic, key and vocational skills training, counselling, careers advice and guidance to facilitate the transition of thirty ex prisoners ( ten each year ) over a three year period into unsubsidised employment.

This project meets the gaps currently identified in the 75% of released offenders without employment.

By creating an intermediate labour market project to create real jobs for those people, we have begun the process of re-integration into society.

The project addresses the reality of the lack of training that the client group face by delivering vocational based qualifications such as fork lift qualifications, health & safety and manual handling certificates, all are essential requirements for the job market of our clients.

The project also addresses some of the social needs of the clients by addressing issues such as debt, family matters and alcohol and substance misuse as well as health and mental health issues.

We work with partner organisations to ensure these areas are addressed.

The YMCA not only focuses on the physical needs of a person, through employment or indeed physical activity, but also looking at the whole person focussing on their emotional and mental health needs, as well as their relationships with family and friends.

On entry to the programme, each client undergoes an individual needs assessment with the Project Manager / Assistant, in order to identify their prior learning and/or work experiences, personal goals and aspirations, as well as any barriers that have previously, or may in the future, impact upon their progress.

We identify any support measures that need to be provided including the need for literacy / numeracy support, and assistance to overcome problems associated with physical disability, mental health, a history of substance misuse and any additional counselling/guidance required.

This needs assessment results in the development of an individual action plan, to be agreed and signed by the client and the Manager / Assistant.

It will programme a detailed timetable, from induction to exit, of actions to be undertaken by the individual, including training needs, job search activities and will establish key goals and milestones to be achieved.

We provide a ‘pathway’ approach, which can be reviewed regularly so that the client is not initially overwhelmed by the distance they need to travel to achieve their goals; and can recognise achievements along the way, gain confidence and motivation and set themselves more challenging goals that they never would have conceived at the outset.

Progress against milestones are acknowledged and variances from the action plan are investigated and where necessary, additional action planning are undertaken to address difficulties.

Clients are able to revise their plan and their personal targets, as appropriate.

Throughout the programme, there is an emphasis upon counselling and guidance, to ensure that psychological, as well as structural barriers to employment and learning are addressed.

Each client are offered a ‘mentor’ at the outset of the project who offer pastoral care throughout.

On completion, each client completes an Exit Review that is used to demonstrate their progress and an informal interview takes place with the tutor to evaluate their achievements.

Substance / alcohol misuse as well as mental heath issues can play a major part in this target groups lives and we offer support in this key area to individuals within both the employment as well as supporting their home life using our staff both on the project as well as support staff within the larger organisation.

We use our current infrastructure to access the services and organisation needed to support the individual.

We offer support to 10 individuals who have had a custodial sentence and face barriers to employment because of this each year over a three year period.

This Project started on 20th October 2008 and will finish October 2011. SUPPORTED BY THE LLOYDS TSB FOUNDATION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES