abandofbrothers supports young men through mentoring and peer support to change their offending behaviour. To ensure its long term sustainability abandofbrothers has implemented a franchise structure which allows local groups to fundraise their own income whilst the charity provides central funding for core costs.
Our grant is helping abandofbrothers develop this sustainability model so that it can expand into new communities and reach more young men and support them to stay out of prison.
Circles UK is a small national charity established to quality control the delivery of “circles” by the local providers. Circles are a method of supporting sex offenders following their release from prison to not reoffend. Our funding will pump prime the creation circles in North Wales, which will then be funded by local agencies in the future.
The grant is also allowing Circles UK to pilot a new “circle” model to support low risk sex offenders. It is anticipated the new low risk circle will give local circle providers more opportunity to support their communities and secure additional statutory funding.
Freedom Unlimited Enterprises
Award Date: March 2018
Amount Awarded: £70,000
Freedom Unlimited Enterprises (FUE) is a social enterprise with charitable status providing employment and employability skills opportunities for young people with convictions. Currently FUE runs sewing and carpentry workshops in prisons but has recently refurbished premises outside of the prison to offer sewing and carpentry training and work experience opportunities to prisoners upon release.
The charity sells the items produced by trainees at local craft fayres and through their website. They are using our grant towards their core funding to increase the number of young people undertaking employment training, as well as researching potential markets and developing more craft products to drive up sales revenue and reduce their dependency on grant funding.
Quest has grown from a small project running printing workshops for young offenders in HMP Hydebank (Belfast) to an independent social enterprise printing bespoke designs on items such as mugs and sportswear whilst offering training, work experience and employment support to prisoners.
Restrictions on the use of IT equipment in the prison have limited productivity and sales which has stalled the growth of the organisation.
Quest has therefore recently developed a printing workshop outside the prison where prisoners on release can continue to work and gain accredited training and work experience whilst delivering increased sales.
Our funding will enable Quest to employ a Business Development Manager to commercialise the printing workshop and raise its income to contribute to the long term sustainability of the organisation.