We believe everyone deserves another chance. 

Many Employment Related Professionals will mentor and support socially excluded people, some of whom will have additional barriers to overcome such as a criminal record. In fact 76% of those who attended our forum personally knew someone with a conviction too. 

Recognising the wealth of knowledge of our members and the wider the community the Employment Related Services association is pleased to relaunch the ‘Justice and Employment Forum’ to share the connections and insights offered by attendees of the quarterly event. 

[Join us virtually at the next event here] 

[Join in-person and get your tickets to the ERSA Conference here] 

The refreshed forum was a resounding success, bringing together 93 professionals with a wealth of expertise and engagement from across the UK all eager to contribute to the discussion on improving employment outcomes for those with criminal convictions.  

On chairing the first forum, Jacob Hill of Offploy stated: 

‘When I was released from prison, my employment advisor saw beyond my offence, they had a heart of gold. However, they didn’t have the technical knowledge on how to ‘handle’ a conviction. 

Just by how many attendees and how engaged they all were, the ERSA Justice and Employment  forum gives me hope that we can upskill employment professionals to best identify, support and advocate for people with convictions through our collective advice, connections, training and advocacy. I am incredibly proud be chairing this forum on behalf of ERSA.’ 

The chat was buzzing with insights, ideas, and collaborations, reflecting the enthusiasm for making real change in this critical area. We saw attendees making connections between their organisations in Cumbria, Leicester and as far north as Glasgow.  

[Access the slides from the event] 

 

Among the many highlights was the valuable input from Tony Hyland at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), who provided an in-depth overview of the prisoner early release scheme and its implications for employment. 

[Download the September Early Release Scheme document here] 

[See the dedicated page for DWP Work Coaches on how to Identity, Support and Advocate for participants with convictions]

 

 

Surini Ranawake from the Ministry of Justice offered a fresh perspective on the intersection of justice and employment initiatives and how employment advisors can partner with their Prison Employment Leads. 


Sam Julius from Clinks underscored the importance of partnerships in supporting individuals with convictions to find sustainable work and how our vast membership can support their advocacy efforts as well as raise our own.
 


Whilst the forum saw an enthusiastic community, its audience also highlighted repeat challenges faced by people with convictions such as access to ID, secure accommodation and employment.
 

A particularly moving contribution came from Lady Val Corbett, who spoke about the Corbett Network and the enduring legacy of her late husband, Lord Robin Corbett. She emphasised the ongoing need for support and collaboration to help those leaving prison reintegrate into society through meaningful employment opportunities. 


With such a diverse and passionate group of contributors and attendees, the forum marks an exciting new chapter in addressing justice and employment issues. 
 

Henry Foulkes, Policy and Public Affairs Lead, ERSA added 

‘ERSA is dedicated to bringing together our members and wider society in the name of continuous professional development and ultimately better supporting their participants. 

We are incredibly grateful to the speakers who gave their time on what turned out to be well attended and highly-engaging forum. Working with Offploy and other partners we look forward to hosting a virtual meeting every quarter bringing together those currently and those interested in further supporting participants with convictions’ 

Looking ahead, the ERSA Conference and Awards, set for 4 December in London, promises to build on this momentum, bringing together leading voices to further explore and celebrate the innovations within the sector. 

[Register for the next forum Virtually] 

[Join in-person and get your tickets to the ERSA Conference here]