Award winning offenders project reaches completion
15 July 2008
Representatives from an award-winning project to help offenders get back on track met to celebrate the initiative’s successful completion on 9 July.
Offenders in the Community focuses on getting offenders – both in custody and in the community – into learning, training and employment. Spearheaded by Lancaster and Morecambe College, the project combined the resources of CXL and other partners from the National Probation Service, Jobcentre plus and FE providers, to offer one-to-one support for offenders, something not widely available elsewhere in the UK.
The celebration event, held at Lancaster and Morecambe College, marked the culmination of the 17 month-long project during which over 850 offenders received information, advice and guidance and 160 went on to enter learning and work.
CXL also offered key work support to offenders at HMP Kirkham to provide a ‘through-the-gate’ service prior to their release.
“This has been an outstanding partnership project that has made a real impact on the lives not only of offenders themselves but their families and the local community” said Mark Willett, Strategic Manager (Adult Services) at CXL.
Project Co-ordinator Joanna Maloney said: "A key factor in the project’s success has been the integrated one stop referral arrangement from the National Probation Employment and Learning Offices direct to the Key Workers with a tracking and follow up system which keeps the National Probation Service informed on a weekly basis of the progress the offenders are making".
The Offenders in the Community project won a Highly Commended in the Opening Doors to Adult Learners’ category in this year’s NIACE Adult Learners’ Week awards.

