A free webinar for recruiters ready to innovate to find new blood

National Inclusive Employers Week runs from 26 September to 2 October 2022, Offploy CIC will be delivering a free 1 hour webinar for employers and recruiters to consider ‘How hiring ex-offenders could solve your recruitment headaches’.  Register for the webinar on 27 September, 10am to receive joining instructions, details below.

It’s never been more challenging to hire the right people. There are more vacancies in the UK than people to fill them, but the economic crisis means you can’t fix that simply by offering higher pay. Businesses across the country are looking for alternative ways of sourcing top-flight talent.

Offploy is a social enterprise that helps organisations develop HR and recruitment policies for hiring people with criminal records. They’re on a mission to help UK businesses tap into an overlooked talent pool that contains half a million working-age people struggling to get noticed. It includes future builders, logistics managers, drivers, restaurant staff and many other skills.

On Tuesday 27 September 2022 Offploy will be hosting a free webinar about how hiring ex-offenders can solve recruitment headaches. It’s the first in a series that will help businesses understand the benefits of recruiting from this diverse group as well as the how-to. The series will look at everything from the basics to evidencing the social impact for ESG policies and PR.

If you are looking to recruit a more diverse workforce or know businesses who are you can register for the webinar here. 

Further information:

Free webinar from Offploy: How hiring ex-offenders could solve your recruitment headaches

Date, time: 27 September, 10-11am

Register for joining link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-hiring-ex-offenders-could-solve-your-recruitment-headaches-tickets-387972876317

Celebrating National Inclusion Week
26 September – 2 October

The countdown is on to National Inclusion Week – a golden opportunity for ERSA members to celebrate and promote their efforts to create inclusive workplaces.

Founded by Inclusive Employers, the event is now in its 10th year, and the theme for 2022 is Time to Act: The Power of Now. This theme acknowledges the fact that real change cannot take place without a proactive approach towards inclusion.

So, what sort of action can be taken to create an inclusive workplace? Flexibility is key – whether it’s the introduction of flexible work patterns, or the willingness to make special adjustments to accommodate the individual needs of staff. By creating an inclusive workplace, organisations can attract and retain a diverse range of talent.

Inclusive Employers want to hear about any activities that organisations are doing to promote inclusion. Tag @InclusiveEmployers on LinkedIn and @IncEmp on Twitter and use the hashtag #ThePowerOfNow. For toolkits and to register for webinars, visit National Inclusion Week 2022 | Inclusive Employers

#NationalInclusionWeek2022 #NIW2022 #ThePowerOfNow

SUGGESTED SOCIAL POSTS:

LinkedIn/Facebook

It’s National Inclusion Week – the chance to celebrate all those organisations who have committed to creating an inclusive workplace. It’s so important for employers to ensure that all staff, no matter their age, ability, sexuality, gender, ethnicity or religion, feel supported and valued at work.

Organised by Inclusive Employers, the theme for this year’s event, now in its 10th year, is Time to Act: The Power of Now. Talking about inclusion is one thing – but if we’re to bring about real, positive change, we need a proactive approach!

#NationalInclusionWeek2022 #NIW2022 #ThePowerOfNow

Twitter

We’re so proud to support #NationalInclusionWeek this week. Organised by #InclusiveEmployers, the week celebrates all the positive action being taken to create inclusive workplaces. Everyone should feel valued and supported at work – no exceptions!

#NationalInclusionWeek2022 #NIW2022 #ThePowerOfNow

In case you missed it…

National Inclusion Week 2021:
Nurturing talent and supporting employers through employability programmes
As part of National Inclusion Week (27 September – 3 October 2021), ERSA delivered an online session to showcase the work of the Employability Sector with a particular focus on the offer for employers! Featuring Social Enterprise Kent talking about their pre employment programmes, Public Health England to showcase the IPS model for employers and Genius Within CIC discussing how they support people with hidden disabilities into work and in work support for them and their employers.

Watch on demand
via ERSA’s YouTube Channel, well worth 1 hour 14 minutes of your time

Making a difference: Forward’s Social Impact Report 2020-21

The Forward Trust today is launching its annual Impact Report covering 2020/21, showcasing their work to help people break the cycles of crime and addiction.

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns of the past 18 months have had a significant impact on the ability to support clients in person, especially those in prison. This report highlights both the achievements of and challenges faced by Forward and those they support, as well as the new and innovative ways that staff and volunteers have found to deliver vital support.

Read the report

Forward are proud to have reached:

  • 7333 people in 17 prisons with drug and alcohol support
  • 3000 people with addiction support in the community
  • 382 people across 5 prisons with mental health support
  • 238 housing clients towards secure and stable housing, supporting 79 clients into a Vision Housing tenancy
  • 1548 clients in 11 prisons with employment support
  • 250 people with support to develop their own enterprise
  • Families with support across 11 prisons
  • 2,382 people through our Reach Out online chat service
  • 177 women with a specialist violence reduction support

At Forward, as with many organisations, we have been severely restricted in what we have been able to deliver over the last year. The vast majority of our clients (both in prison and the community) have not been able to access ‘in-person’ one-to-one support from our staff, nor our intensive ‘Develop’ programmes that support people to achieve transformational change. This lack of access has been acutely felt, in particular by people who are in recovery from drug, alcohol or gambling addiction, comprising approximately 90% of our service users.

However, these challenges brought by the pandemic have also resulted in innovation and new ways of working that we will apply in the post-pandemic world

Mike Trace, Chief Executive, The Forward Trust

The past year has also been one of exciting growth and diversification for Forward. In May 2021, they merged with Action on Addiction, creating a unique force for recovery from addiction, and the potential for service growth and increased reach as well as a stronger voice for people to speak out and seek the help they need to overcome addiction.

Forward has continued to influence through More Than My Past, a campaign that challenges stigma around addiction and people with offending histories and promotes the message that recovery and transformational change is possible. The launch of the Taking Action on Addiction campaign during Addiction Awareness Week in October affirms Forward’s commitment to reframe existing perceptions of addiction and build awareness of the causes and nature of it that improves understanding, reduces prejudice and enables more people to ask for and receive help.

The Forward Trust are taking questions about the report at communications@forwardtrust.org.uk

Lessons from the Work Programme in the reform of rehabilitation services

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In a response to the Ministry of Justice’s consultation paper, ‘Transforming Rehabilitation: A revolution in the way we manage offenders’, ERSA has highlighted the lessons that should be learned from the experience of providers of welfare to work services under payment by results contracts and examined the areas where integration with employment related services should be extended.

ERSA’s response suggested that the new service should be assessed based on an emphasis of quality over cost and highlighted the importance of allowing significant time for procurement in order to allow potential prime contractors and subcontractors to progress dialogue, access finance and form joint venture or consortia where necessary.

ERSA fully supports the government’s commitment to encouraging the involvement fn the voluntary sector. ERSA recommendations to facilitate this include ensuring that paperwork is minimised with a standard Expression of Interest (EOI) form and the adoption of the Merlin Standard to ensure fairness in supply chain relationships.

Response from ERSA to the Ministry of Justice Consultation ‘Transforming Rehabilitation: A revolution in the way we manage offenders’