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The Robin Corbett Awards 2018
Claudia Vince, about 6 years ago
This award was created because of this sentence: 'All men die but some men live on.' I wanted Robin Corbett's legacy to live on and through this Award it does, which makes me both proud and happy.- Lady Corbett
The Robin Corbett award for prisoner re-integration was established by members of Lord Corbett's family and is administered by the Prison Reform Trust. The award recognises the innovative work that is being done by organisations to support the rehabilitation of prisoners and help them move on with their lives. It aims to highlight that whilst the prison system is subject to much criticism and debate, excellence can be found in the work of numerous charitable organisations that are working against adversity to provide much-needed support, guidance, training and employment for ex-offenders. This year, the award was subject to a name change:
Instead of the Robin Corbett Award for Prisoner Rehabilitation, it's re-integration because you can't have reintegration – the holy grail – without rehabilitation. – Lady Corbett
Prison isn't full of bad people. It's full of people who've done bad things and most need a second chance to change their lives. - Robin Corbett
This year's award ceremony took place on the 6th of March and recognised four commendable organisations. The winner of the award was Khulisa, a charity that works to improve the well-being of the most socially excluded people in society. Khulisa supports over 600 people every year in London and Greater Manchester, and facilitates workshops in schools, Pupil Referral Units, prisons and the local community.
We are honoured to be receive this year's Robin Corbett Award for Prisoner Rehabilitation. It is the most wonderful recognition of our work delivering intensive mentoring and behaviour-change programmes in prisons and communities across the UK, alongside our early intervention and resettlement work. We believe powerfully in every person's capacity to live healthy, crime free lives if they are given the support, supervision and rehabilitation they need. – Dominique Airey, CEO of Khulisa
Tempus Novo was also highly commended for its work supporting prisoners into sustainable, long-term employment upon release from prisons in Yorkshire.
To have received “highly commended" in the House of Lords and from Lady Val Corbett herself, is a real honour for a small charity from Yorkshire. The money is invaluable as it will enable us to help some of our female offenders, as they are released from prison. All ex-offenders struggle with basic essentials on release, this prize money will purchase things like kettles, bedding and the likes and is part of their vital starter kit to help them settle back in to the community – Steve Freer, CEO Tempus Novo
Spark Inside received a 'commended' prize for its coaching programme for prisoners at HMP Belmarsh, which helps prisoners gain clarity about what their goals are and how best they can achieve them.
This valuable recognition of Spark Inside's programmes, allows us to raise awareness of coaching as an effective approach in our prisons and, most importantly, it helps us to reach more people in prison, changing their lives and deepening our impact. The prize money will go towards funding our programme delivery and their independent, external evaluations, which so far have shown the power of coaching. – Baillie Aaron, CEO Spark Inside
Anawim was the fourth organisation to be recognised, and received a 'commended' prize for the in-reach and through-the-gate support it provides to women at HMP/YOI Foston Hall. Through their tailored case management support, Anawim helps to address complex needs, develop an action plan and prepare women for release, all of which is structured towards the notion of living independently.
We were honoured to receive this award as we work in an area often overlooked. There is now a real energy to start social enterprises, so we have opened our residential unit which is staffed 24/7. This will enable us to rent out unused rooms at weekends. More importantly, the women are becoming involved, taking bookings, setting up the rooms and hosting with catering and refreshments. This is really helping them gain entrepreneurial and social skills. – Joy Doal, CEO Anawim
All four of these organisations deliver person-centred support to vulnerable groups that have experienced the criminal justice system. By recognising the difficulties that this group often contends with when re-entering the community, the charities are able to ease the process, demonstrating that they are not alone and help is available should they need it. Receiving the accolade of the Robin Corbett award and winning the prize money will provide each organisation with the opportunity to develop their work further, allowing them to help more people than ever before and share their vision with a wider audience.
Many congratulations to the award winners.