3 Pillars Project

South East

Sector: Sport and Fitness

3Pillars Project is a UK-based charity using sports, particularly rugby, to mentor and rehabilitate young men in the criminal justice system, focusing on exercise, education, and ethos.

It aims to support individuals in custody and post-release by providing opportunities to rebuild their lives, reduce reoffending, and integrate into society through structured mentoring programs.

A Band of Brothers

Nationwide

Sector: Personal Development

An award-winning UK charity providing mentoring for young men facing adversity — supporting them through rites of passage into a responsible, fulfilling adulthood.

A Change for Good

London

Sector: Charity and Social Enterprise

CFG is volunteer mentoring charity that supports prisoners (their “members”) before and after release as they resettle in London. CFG is a faith-based charity that works with people of all faiths and none. They are an active member of the Community Chaplaincy Association (CCA), a wider network of organisations that share a similar ethos and aims.

A Fairer Chance

London

Sector: Recruitment

A Fairer Chance helps to break the cycle of reoffending through employment. Skills matching people with convictions and supporting them into sustainable work by using their extensive knowledge of the Criminal Justice System and the Labour Market. Enabling employers to fill the skills and labour gaps in their industries by guiding them through the Criminal Justice System, and supporting them to recruit confidently.

Anawim

Midlands

Sector: Charity

Anwim offers responsive wraparound support to enable women to reach their potential. It works with more than 2000 women a year through advocacy, counselling, crisis intervention, and intensive long-term specialist support both in the community in Birmingham and in prison.

Aspire Oxford

South East

Sector: Recruitment

Founded in 2001. Aspire Oxfordshire is an employment charity and social enterprise, supporting vulnerable and marginalised people to address their unique housing and employment needs.

They provide specialist long-term and person-centred support, guiding their beneficiaries to build upon their skills and self-confidence.

Back on Track

North West

Sector: Education

Offer: Mentoring and Coaching

Back on Track is a leading specialist provider of community learning and holistic support to adults experiencing multiple disadvantage. This could be managing problematic drug/alcohol use, living a crime-free life, improving mental health and wellbeing, or finding a stable home. Their learning centre in central Manchester offers a range of support and learning opportunities including employability, functional skills, creative activities, citizenship, life skills, and health & wellbeing. One to one progression sessions help identify next steps and they have years of experience supporting people with convictions.

Beating Time

Sector: Charity

Offer: Creative Enrichment

Established by Heather Phillips in 2014, it is an award-winning charity that uses group singing to improve mental health in prisons through weekly singing groups. For over a decade, Choirs Beating Time has fostered social inclusion and hope for people in prison.

In 2021, the charity expanded its impact by launching Inside Job, a peer-led employment programme that supports people during their sentences and after release, helping them into paid work and training. Today, both Choirs Beating Time and Inside Job operate continuously across 11 prisons in London, Kent, the Midlands, and the Northeast, in partnership with The Recruitment Junction.


Their programmes help people reconnect with who they are – as artists, workers, parents, and valued members of the community. Choirs restore a sense of belonging and positivity, while Inside Job opens up employment opportunities for individuals who may have previously dismissed them.

Belong

London

Sector: Charity

Founded in 2010, Belong's vision is to ensure hope, rehabilitation and recovery for victims and perpetrators of harm. Their mission is to inspire change by providing long-term, individualised responses to conflict and crime. They work with children, young people and adults in custodial and community settings.

Working nationally across the United Kingdom, mainly within London and the South East of England, Belong uses their frontline knowledge to influence the criminal justice landscape, playing a significant part in developing a more effective, more humane criminal justice system.

Their main services include, mentoring, creative Psychotherapy and Restorative Justice. Their services are delivered through-the-gate, and focus on preparing individuals from release from the criminal justice system and to live crime-free lives.

Beyond Food Foundation

London

Sector: Hospitality

Beyond Food Foundation is a charity that provides food & nutrition training and support to people who have been impacted by homelessness, mental health, addiction, those with a criminal record or those who are at risk of homelessness.

The foundation provides a support programme that creates a pathway for individuals leading to a career, mostly in the catering and hospitality sector.

Beyond Recovery

Nationwide

Sector: Rehabilitation

Beyond Recovery works with people affected by the Criminal Justice System, addiction and gambling related harms. It helps people look beyond mere survival and existence, and move forward, with hope, resilience and purpose in life. Beyond Recovery provides support for Prison residents and their families through their Buddies Scheme, as well as supporting them upon release with their community groups, webinars and also weekly Academy meetings.

Beyond the Gate Publishing

North West

Sector: Charity and Social Enterprise

Beyond the Gate is a not for profit company providing a magazine distributed to those in and leaving custody; a directory of places and organisations that exist to help those within the justice system. Backed-up by real-life stories from people who have turned their lives around, the publication seeks to prove that there is life Beyond the Gate. All printing is done within the HMPrisons helping to train prisoners and keeping printing costs with in the prison services.

Bounce Back

London

Sector: Construction

The Bounce Back Project is a UK-based charity and social enterprise dedicated to training and employing ex-offenders. By offering "Through the Gate" support, it helps individuals transition from prison into sustainable employment, working closely with construction partners and running a dedicated painting and decorating enterprise to reduce reoffending.

Business in the Community

London

Sector: Public sector

Business in the Community is the UK's largest and longest-established responsible business network, championing sustainability, inclusion, and growth that benefits both business and society. It brings companies together to lead responsibly, collaborate for systemic change, and take action locally and nationally to build a fairer, greener, and more resilient future.

Care After Combat

Nationwide

Sector: Rehabilitation

Offer: Recruitment

Care After Combat's mission is to ensure the wellbeing of veterans and their families through a comprehensive and empathetic approach. From their headquarters in Newark, they coordinate operations throughout England and Wales, leveraging a robust network of volunteer mentors to deliver essential assistance.

Catch 22

Nationwide

Sector: Charity

Catch22 designs and delivers services that build resilience and aspiration in people of all ages and within communities across the UK.

Change Grow Live

Nationwide

Sector: Charity

Change Grow Live is a health and social care charity. It provides free and confidential treatment, support and information about drug and alcohol use, smoking, homelessness, justice and probation, and employment.

Changing Tunes

Nationwide

Sector: Charity and Social Enterprise

Offer: Creative Enrichment

Changing Tunes uses the power of music to help people lead crime-free lives that are meaningful and creative

They facilitate music-making programmes in Alternative Provision Schools, Secure Children's Homes, Young Offender Institutions, Prisons and Post-Release. They also run a record label that supports the career development of talented music artists who have been in prison, or who are are the edges of the system.

They help participants to develop 'human and social capital' outcomes that support desistance from crime, like improved self-esteem, resilience, mental health and belonging.

Their participant re-offending rate over the past 3 years is 5%, compared to the national rate at 48%

CIPD Trust

Nationwide

Sector: Education, Training and Employment Services

At the CIPD Trust, they believe that when you put people first, everyone benefits. By tackling barriers to work and building inclusive workplaces, they help individuals unlock their potential and support organisations to thrive. Through their 160,000-strong community of CIPD people professionals, they connect expertise in HR, Learning and Development with those who need it most, driving opportunity, diversity and better work for all.

Clean Sheet

Nationwide

Sector: Charity

Clean Sheet is a charity with one simple purpose – to offer people with convictions the hope of a better future by finding sustainable employment. Their work is about helping people with convictions to find jobs, start to rebuild their lives and as a result, reduce reoffending.

They provide a remote employment support service, supporting men and women for up to three years to find work.

Clean Slate

North East

Sector: Recruitment

Clean Slate is an winning charity empowering new beginnings in Teesside and North Yorkshire, supporting people with a past conviction into paid employment. Its team provides mentored support to candidates who are stable, ready, and committed to finding employment. Their approach is focused on transparency and kindness, ensuring when it advocates on behalf of their candidates, they have the best opportunity of succeeding. Clean Slate believes that providing ex-offenders a pathway into meaningful and sustainable employment is essential to enable them to leave the past behind and become contributing members of society.

Clinks

Nationwide

Sector: Charity

Clinks is the national infrastructure charity dedicated to supporting voluntary organisations working with people in the criminal justice system and their families. They support, promote, and advocate for their members and the wider voluntary sector across England and Wales. Clinks supports, promotes and advocates for the voluntary sector working with people in the criminal justice system and their families. Their vision is of a vibrant, independent and resilient voluntary sector that enables people to transform their lives.

Coaching Inside and Out

Nationwide

Sector: Personal Development

Since 2010 the charity has inspired hope and sustainable change in men, women and children to help them improve their lives and the lives of others by offering coaching inside prison and in communities. They work with individuals, their families and staff who support them, including in schools.

Code 4000

Nationwide

Sector: Education

Code4000 is a free, flexible 12-week course aimed at equipping women facing barriers to work with the core skills for a career in tech.

Coming Home

Nationwide

Sector: Education

Coming Home provides education and tools to support people in custody on their reintegration into society. Created by Francesca Barker-Mills, it provides a safe space, where women can access tailored support, specific to the lived experience and needs of what comes after prison.

Community Led Initiatives

North East

Sector: Education

Through their dedicated support services, peer-led mentoring, and practical and emotional support, Community Led Initiatives helps people who have experienced the criminal justice system, addiction, homelessness, and mental ill-health, recognise their potential as individuals, build their self-worth, their self-esteem and achieve their aspirations.

Coracle Inside

Sector: Education

Coracle is an e-learning business on a mission to ensure no-one is isolated from learning opportunities. The company started providing digital systems that enable those working at sea to study and gain qualifications without internet access.

But Coracle founder, James Tweed, was interested in the role of education in reducing crime, reoffending and inequality. Prisoners have no internet access and limited education opportunities – meaning most are released with few skills and no CV. So, the team adapted the system and created Coracle Inside, an offline virtual learning environment, allowing inmates to use laptops and safely access content offline from organisations such as The Open University and Prison Education Trust.

Coracle has been awarded the prestigious King's Award for Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility.

Corbett Network

Nationwide

Sector: Social Enterprise

The Corbett Network for Prisoner Re-Integration is a coalition of charities, social enterprises, CICs, non-profit organisations and businesses with a social mission who work with those in prison and after release. These decision-makers are dedicated to reducing re-offending by helping people with convictions find and keep a job. Members also offer mentoring, coaching, training, and on-going support.

Doing What Really Matters

North West

Sector: Education, Training and Employment Services

Doing What Really Matters empowers people through Education, Employability and Engagement to create Cultures of Acceptance. It envisions a future where prison experience drives positive change.

Dominic Headley Assoicates

Nationwide

Sector: Recruitment

DHA are workplace innovators that believe safeguarding and inclusion should not be competing interests.

Elite Project Services

London

Sector: Education, Training and Employment Services

Elite Project Services is deeply committed to making a positive impact through its “On the Right Track" (OTRT) program, an initiative that runs accredited rail awareness courses in several HM Prisons across the South-East of England. This program is designed to equip individuals with essential skills and qualifications that can pave the way for careers in the rail and construction sectors upon their release.

Employment 4 All

Nationwide

Sector: Recruitment

Employment 4 ALL is a not-for-profit social purpose organisation founded from humble beginnings in 2021, dedicated to challenging inequality and breaking down barriers to social mobility. They believe that everyone deserves a dignified life and the opportunity for rewarding work.

Entrepreneurs  Unlocked CIC

North West

Sector: Education, Training and Employment Services

Entrepreneurs Unlocked CIC is a Social Enterprise that creates pathways for individuals on society's margins to thrive through entrepreneurship.

They work primarily with those in custody, on probation, and recently released from prison, offering them the tools, support, and resources to develop their talents, build their own businesses, and contribute positively to their communities. Their commitment to social justice and reducing reoffending drives them to make self-employment a viable, first-choice option for those who need it most.

Ex-Seed Recruitment

Midlands

Sector: Recruitment

Offer: Recruitment

Ex-seed™ is an employment agency which places ex-offenders into stable employment and supports them to enjoy crime-free and fulfilling lives.

Freedom Bakery

Scotland

Sector: Bakery

Offer: Training

Its story started back in 2015, with a mission to bake the best bread in the world while supporting prisoners to find a new passion & purpose upon their release.

From these humble beginnings, one of Glasgow's favourite bakeries was born.

HMPasties

North West

Sector: Bakery

Offer: Training

HMPasties was born from a desire to break the cycle of re-offending by offering real work opportunities to ex-offenders.

Its founder, who has worked closely with individuals leaving prison, recognised that meaningful employment is key to successful rehabilitation. With this vision, they set up shop and began baking high-quality products while providing support and skills development to those who needed it most.

Today, they supply pies, pasties, and sausage rolls across the North West of England. Their team is made up of passionate people, many of whom have overcome difficult pasts to build positive futures. They're proud to be proof that businesses can do good while delivering great products.

In2Out

Midlands

Sector: Charity

In2Out is a registered charity that aims to reduce reoffending among young people aged 15-21 through our mentoring and resettlement process. They believe that each young person leaving prison deserves the opportunity to get their life 'back on track' and turn away from offending behaviour.

Working out of HMYOI Wetherby in West Yorkshire most of the young people they work with come from all over the North and Midlands of England. They have helped them to resettle into society after release and move toward independent living. They have brought reconciliation into families, order into chaotic lives and a sense of hope for the future. And they have made this happen by showing them individually that someone cares.

In2Out does not try to replace the role or function of other statutory service providers or other charitable endeavours, put provides post-release support in collaboration with others - primarily with youth offending teams and probation services, along with statutory services and local authorities. They also collaborate with several other charities to ensure that they avoid duplication of work and wasted costs, and share best practice through the sector.

Inside Connections

North West

Sector: Education, Training and Employment Services

Offer: Training, Recruitment

A CIC dedicated to creating opportunities and brighter futures for individuals facing barriers to employment. Their work focuses on supporting those in or exiting custody, care leavers, veterans, and the long-term unemployed through training, mentorship, and meaningful career pathways.

I AM IN ME CIC

South East

Sector: Education, Training and Employment Services

I AM IN ME is a charitable organisation supporting young people to reach their full potential. They are an intervention specialist, bridging the gap between the institutions and those who are at risk, or have already been excluded to prepare them to be re-integrated into mainstream environments through their work

They support each step of a young person's transformation through group workshops and tailored one-to-one support—both short and long-term—focused on personal development and future career guidance.

Key4Life

Sector: Charity

Key4Life is an innovative crime prevention charity which rehabilitates young men in prison or at risk of going to prison, and provides real solutions to help reduce youth offending.

The charity's rehabilitation programmes help the young men to build resilience and release negative behaviours through a powerful blend of music, football, equine therapy, NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming) and emotional release sessions.

The charity partners with a number of high profile companies and organisations, representative of a variety of industries, including construction, media, music, finance, hospitality and IT.

The work of Key4Life is also supported by its partnerships with local government, prison and probation services, community organisations and funders.

Luminary Bakery

London

Sector: Bakery

Luminary Bakery is an award winning social enterprise empowering London's most disadvantaged women to thrive.

It uses baking as a tool to guide women towards employability and independence. Over our two-year programme, women learn to bake, gain a catering qualification and develop transferable skills such as budgeting, interview techniques and resilience. Women gain valuable work experience through Luminary Bakery as well as being paired with a volunteer mentor who helps her develop her career next steps.

However, their programme goes far beyond job skills. They offer access to highly-trained counsellors, providing up to 16 weeks of therapy, and each woman is supported by a dedicated Progression Support Worker to help her navigate the broader challenges she will face including housing and debt.

Nacro

London

Sector: Education, Training and Employment Services

For 60 years, Nacro has been helping people build brighter futures. They've helped hundreds of thousands of people to overcome barriers, rebuild their lives, and take the next step forward.

They provide practical help and personalised support through their education, housing, justice and health and wellbeing services. They work closely with people to help them build independence and to move forward to a better future. They use the insights from our services and the experience of the people they support to campaign together for meaningful changes in society.

Novus

North West

Sector: Education, Training and Employment Services

For over two decades, Novus has been delivering education, training and employment opportunities to adults and young people in UK prisons. They aim to improve lives and economic success, as well as reduce reoffending rates, through learning and skills-training. They provide interventions that reduce reoffending and divert people from criminal behaviour, allowing them to make a positive contribution to society.

Offploy

North West

Sector: Recruitment

Offer: Support for Employers

Offploy strives to improve employment outcomes for people with convictions.



They offer practical tools, training and support for employers.

Only Connect

London

Sector: Charity

Offer: Creative Enrichment

Only Connect is London's creative criminal justice charity, rooted in community. Its vision is a more connected, human and just society, where we all choose a crime free life.

The focus of their work is innovation to reduce re-offending. They work with Londoners aged 16+ with recent experience of the justice system, equipping them with the necessary skills, attributes and positive networks to develop and pursue their life goals without harm.

They work in prisons, across youth justice and through their unique Membership centres to deliver projects that build relationships, grow skills and cut crime. Their Membership model offers one single, seamless relationship from custody to community and into future prospects.

P3

Midlands

Sector: Charity and Social Enterprise

Offer: Personal Support, Personal Support (Addiction, Mental Health, Housing and Debt Advice)

P3 is a charity and social enterprise which aims to improve lives and communities by delivering services for socially excluded and vulnerable people to unlock their potential and open up new possibilities.

Pecan

London

Sector: Charity

Pecan is a charity based in Peckham that tackles poverty in Southwark by restoring dignity, belonging and belief through their connected community services that address food insecurity, unemployment and isolation.

Prison Opticians Trust

South East

Sector: Optics

Offer: Training

The Prison Opticians Trust was co-founded by Tanjit Dosanjh OBE and Dr Amandeep Sappal, who studied Optometry together at City University, London.

Since 2016, The Trust has been dedicated to providing training in optics to prisoners, helping them gain valuable skills and secure employment within the optics industry upon their release.

Initially, they trained both female and male prisoners on day release in Maidstone, Kent. However, in response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, they transitioned their training programs behind prison walls in 2022. This enabled them to train male offenders in both a Category B and Category C prison.

Their course lasts approximately 10 weeks and prepares trainees for work as an Optical Assistant. At the end of the programme, trainees receive an accredited Level 2 Qualification in Supporting Optical Retail. During the 10 weeks of training they observe trainees to determine whether they would make good employees. They only recommend those trainees who they are confident will be an asset to an employer.

Prisoners’ Education Trust

Nationwide

Sector: Charity

Prisoners' Education Trust (PET) works to transform the lives of people in prison through learning. They use their research and expertise to improve prison education and show policymakers and the public the impact it can have.

They offer distance learning courses, advice and guidance to people in prison. They help 1,600 people each year, giving them the skills to build brighter futures. They offer distance learning courses, advice and guidance to people in prison.

Starting in HMP Wandsworth in 1989, they now fund courses in every prison in England and Wales. They have a team of 20 staff members, supported by trustees and PET alumni.

Project REMAKE

London

Sector: Education, Training and Employment Services

Project ReMake is a simple entrepreneurship training programme for formerly incarcerated people. The 12 week programme teaches basic business skills, helping them to build, launch and sustain self-employed businesses.

The project was inspired by a similar programme in the US, operated by Stanford University – Project ReMADE.

The UK programme is following much of the same style and features of the US Stanford Programme, but is independent of it. It works alongside universities to convey their ethos of support, learning, camaraderie, and motivation. Very few of its participants have attended university; this course allows them to become part of the university community and be mentored by students and business mentors.

Raw Workshop

Midlands

Sector: Charity and Social Enterprise

Offer: Training

RAW Workshop are Europe's largest social enterprise designing, manufacturing and sourcing high quality indoor and outdoor commercial furniture. They also operate RAW Harvesting, providing class leading, sustainable, circular economy services maximising furniture re-use.

They believe that business should be a force for good and they employ a remarkable workforce, many of whom have walked life's toughest paths. They also operate their own youth work charity, RAW Potential, supporting over 150 young people a year towards better futures.

Recycling Lives

North West

Sector: Recycling and Waste Management

Offer: Training

Recycling Lives Services secures WEEE from local authorities and other sources which Onward Lives coordinates the recycling of in HMP Academies around the UK. These academies pay prisoners an enhanced wage, engage them in meaningful work and support them to develop skills, confidence and resilience.

Their partnership also helps run their ROTL (Release on Temporary License) programme where participants reaching the end of their sentence can work in recycling operations. This again provides meaningful work, skills and is a critical step to securing full time employment on release.

All their services to men and women are backed up by wrap around support delivered by the charity which helps with mental health problems, maintaining abstinence and working with statutory service

Responsible Business Initiative for Justice

Nationwide

Sector: Recruitment

Offer: Support for Employers, Recruitment

The Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ) is an award-winning international nonprofit that empowers companies to champion policy reforms and hiring solutions that promote public safety, deliver justice, and strengthen communities.

It empowers businesses to use their influence to move critical criminal justice reform initiatives in partnership with local leaders.

They equip employers to create career opportunities that help people rebuild their lives after justice involvement — or prevent it in the first place.

They help companies leverage their platforms to build and entrench the narrative that a fair justice system and inclusive workforce are good for business.

RIFT Social Enterprise

Nationwide

Sector: Social Enterprise

Offer: Employment Preparation, Training

RIFT Social Enterprise is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to building brighter futures. They design and deliver specialist programmes that support people into self-employment, training, and work. Every project they run is shaped in partnership with those they support, ensuring it reflects real needs and makes lasting impact.

With years of experience supporting people into self-employment, they've developed proven tools and guidance that make the journey achievable. Their accredited workbook, digital tools, and one-to-one support build confidence, unlock potential, and provide a real-world route into business.

They are a trusted partner on the DWP Restart Scheme and work closely with prisons, probation services and local authorities to make sure no one is left behind.

RISE Mutual

Nationwide

Sector: Education, Training and Employment Services

Offer: Training

RISE Mutual is a Community Interest Company dedicated to designing and delivering innovative solutions that transform lives.

It delivers behavioural change work with people who cause harm in intimate partner relationships and within families, including specialist services for children and young people, as well as early-intervention justice pathways, such as Out of Court Resolutions. It also provides training and consultancy to help organisations prevent and address unhealthy and harmful behaviours.

Supporting victim-survivors is at the heart of everything it does. Its work is driven by a commitment to safer lives, stronger families, and thriving communities.

RMF Construction 

Midlands

Sector: Construction

Offer: Employment Preparation

RMF Construction Training Academy provides training and employment opportunities to socially underrepresented candidates including, but not limited to: ex-offenders, ex-military, long-term unemployed & the homeless.

RMF have provided training within16 HM Prisons and have achieved employment outcomes for numerous candidates whilst on ROTL and upon release.

Skillcert

Nationwide

Sector: Education, Training and Employment Services

Offer: Training

Skillcert are an approved independent education and training provider delivering government funded apprenticeships across England.

Spark Inside

London

Sector: Rehabilitation

Spark Inside is an award-winning charity that has transformed the lives of over 2,000 people living and working in our prisons.

It has pioneered coaching in prisons, showing the value of coaching to change lives and systems. In the next decade, they set out to make coaching available to anyone who wants it in the justice system.

St Giles Trust

South East

Sector: Rehabilitation

The St Giles Trust helps people impacted by poverty, violence & exploitation and the justice system to build a positive future. They are the right people, in the right place, at the right time to ensure people can build their own pathway to positively progress their lives. They do this because we believe everybody should have the opportunity for a better tomorrow.

StandOut

London

Sector: Charity

StandOut is an award-winning charity that empowers people to make positive change, realise their potential, and rebuild their lives after prison. Their unique programme begins in prison with coaching and practical support and continues after release, for as long as someone needs them.

Switchback

London

Sector: Education, Training and Employment Services

Offer: Training

Switchback is a London based prison rehabilitation charity. It supports young men to find a way out of the justice system and build a stable, rewarding life they can be proud of.

Switchback Trainees are five times less likely to return to custody. Through consistent, motivational relationships with a Switchback Mentor on both sides of the prison gate, they support young Londoners to change their relationship with society.

Switchback's model was established in 2008 on the premise that it is often not the lack of opportunity, but rather a lack of confidence, knowledge and continuity of support that prevents prison-leavers from overcoming challenges and realising their options.

When working with Trainees, Switchback models stability amid the chaos. Through a consistent, long-term relationship and real work training, they enable Switchback Trainees to make a profound change in how they think about and participate in society.

Synergy Theatre Project

South East

Sector: Theatre

Offer: Creative Enrichment

Founded over 20 years ago, Synergy creates ground-breaking work across theatre and the criminal justice system. They believe that theatre can be transformative, change perceptions, and open up new possibilities towards a more positive future.

Their programme of artistic work harnesses the energy and life experiences of those they work with – prisoners, ex-prisoners, young offenders, and young people at risk of offending – gives them a voice and, in doing so, their dignity back. Synergy wants to inspire change by capturing the imagination and affecting the feelings, behaviours and attitudes of participants and public, whilst doing its part to influence the arts and criminal justice sectors towards systemic change.

Tap Social

South East

Sector: Hospitality

Offer: Training

Tap Social is a social enterprise that brews, bakes, and creates inclusive community hospitality venues to help turn lives around for prisoners and prison leavers through direct employment and advocacy.

To date they have created more than 112,000 hours of paid employment for prisoners on day release from prison (Release On Temporary Licence) and prison leavers.

Having a job helps to build self-confidence and resilience, and leaves people better equipped to lead a productive and happy life. This in turn reduces reoffending and prevents victimisation.

Tempus Novo

North West

Sector: Recruitment

Offer: Recruitment, Support for Employers

Tempus Novo has two unique strengths; its understanding and direct links into the British prison system, but most importantly, its people.

Its model relies on the bespoke and personal service offered to all service-users and employment partners by its passionate and dedicated team.

Together, the team provides sustainable employment that helps to change lives and society as a whole.

The Chrysalis Programme

Nationwide

Sector: Personal Development

The Chrysalis Programme aims to stimulate participants' thinking, attitude, social capability and capacity, enabling them to think more positively, creating self-esteem, self-belief, self-confidence, self-motivation and hope. The Programme is applied through interactive modular sessions. These modules are learner focused, and mentors support those on the programme. The aim is to re-ignite thinking by revealing what to do instead of what not to do. It is both innovative and unique.

The Clink Charity

South East

Sector: Hospitality

Offer: Recruitment, Training

The Clink Charity is a national rehabilitation charity, providing training opportunities and rehabilitation support to two groups: people in prison and those who could be at risk of offending. Through their training projects inside and outside of prisons, they create an environment where students can develop new skills, interact with the public and access the support they need to successfully reintegrate into society on release.

They operate restaurants that are open to the public, training kitchens within prisons, horticulture programmes in prison gardens, an events catering social enterprise, a premium catering delivery service and an artisan bakery.

The Forward Trust

London

Sector: Charity

The Forward Trust is a social justice charity that supports people to recover from addiction or leave behind crime, helping them move on in life with family, friends, jobs, homes, and a sense of belonging.

Established in 1991, it provides services across England and Wales in both prison and community settings, supporting thousands of individuals every year.

The Glasshouse

South East

Sector: Charity and Social Enterprise

Offer: Recruitment

The Glasshouse is a social enterprise offering second chances through horticultural training to women based in UK prisons. They harness the power of botanics to make work and living spaces greener, healthier and more inviting.

It is the only not-for-profit plant installation provider in the UK. Their team of ex-offenders grow, propagate and prepare their plants as they work towards a recognised horticulture qualification. Upon release, they aim to provide employment or place them in industry jobs and provide support for housing needs. They have an experienced, talented team working alongside their ex-offender team to ensure the highest quality and consistency of service.

The Longford Trust

Nationwide

Sector: Education, Training and Employment Services

The Longford Trust is about second chances for people who have been in prison.

Since it started in 2005, The Longford Scholarship programme has supported close to 600 young people, most of them in their 20s, to rebuild their lives through education after serving a prison sentence.

85% go to university, graduate and move forward thanks to their employability project to have careers, to settle down, and to start families. In short, they do all the “normal” things that most take for granted and The Longford Trust work with them to make that happen.

The Oswin Project

North East

Sector: Construction

Offer: Training, Recruitment

Since 2014, the Oswin Project has been breaking the cycle of reoffending by providing people with criminal records the skills, support, and opportunities they need to build positive futures in the North East of England.

They transform lives through mentoring, training and meaningful employment.

The Reasons Why Foundation

London

Sector: Personal Development

The RWF is a Community Interest Company that has been providing Life Changing mentoring support, since 2012, to people affected by their involvement with the Criminal Justice System here in the UK.

Their support is both emotional and practical and is available to people in the community and 'through-the-gate' for people leaving custody, throughout the London area. They also run behavioural change programmes, helping people involved in crime to make better decisions and reduce the number of people who re-offend, improving lives, lowering crime rates and reducing the cost to the tax payer.

They know that people will only change if they want to. They listen in order to understand the reasons that people offend in the first place, then provide help to enable them to create new lives, free from the anxieties of their past.

The Right Course

Nationwide

Sector: Hospitality

Offer: Training

The Right Course seeks to transform staff restaurants in prisons into high street-like operations/businesses using existing facilities and equipment. Their training restaurants are run by prisoners, gaining industry-recognised qualifications and experience. Upon release, they work to secure our graduates jobs in the hospitality sector.

Devised by Fred Sirieix and Simon Sheehan, The Right Course started as a pilot at HMP/YOI Isis, a category C prison for male offenders. It brings an industry-led approach to rehabilitation that turns prisoners into hospitality professionals. It is driven by the concept that hospitality is about always giving first and generously. Reaping the rewards will come as a consequence of self-belief, hard work and discipline.

The Skill Mill

Nationwide

Sector: Charity and Social Enterprise

Offer: Training, Recruitment

The Skill Mill is a multi-award-winning social enterprise providing employment for young ex–offenders, aged between sixteen and eighteen, in watercourse and horticulture services.

They employ only ex-offenders, actively reducing reoffending whilst increasing engagement, participation, employability and educational levels of the young people to increase their life chances. They are supported by an Advisory Board of representatives from the public, private and voluntary sectors. It is this partnership which makes the Skill Mill unique and brings significant added value.

The Recruitment Junction

North East

Sector: Recruitment

Offer: Recruitment

The Recruitment Junction opened its doors in autumn 2020 as the first recruitment agency in the north east for people with convictions. There are many initiatives up and down the country offering a range of services to people with convictions, including employability support. There are very few organisations, however, focusing solely on placing people with convictions into paid work, as recruitment agencies. None of these has a national footprint, nor reaches the north east. The Recruitment Junction is the first specialist recruitment business of its kind in the region.

The Recruitment Junction aims to see people with convictions rediscover a sense of purpose through work and become role models who drive positive generational impact across their families. It addresses skills shortages for employers across the north east, combats persistent regional unemployment, and contributes to a national reduction in re-offending.Contact Beverley Brooks, Founder-Director via beverley.brooks@therecruitmentjunction.com

Trailblazers Mentoring

Nationwide

Sector: Charity and Social Enterprise

Trailblazers is a UK charity which provides 1:1 mentorship and practical support to people in prison and post release. Their goals are to prevent reoffending and improve outcomes for those leaving prison. Their work inspires and encourages people to change their future, rebuild their lives and make a positive impact on their community.

Trinity Fencing CIC

South East

Sector: Construction

With over 30 years experience in fencing, decking and landscaping, Trinity Fencing was formed as a Community Interest Company, which exists to serve the interests of the community.

They provide Commercial and Residential, Fencing, Landscaping and Tree-Surgery, to the highest level, whilst also serving the community by supporting young ex-offenders, those at risk of offending, those with learning challenges, long term unemployed, homeless, with poor mental health and those with low skills.

They do this through their Apprenticeship or their 8-week paid Training and Work Placement Program.

Unlock

Nationwide

Sector: Charity

Offer: Support for Employers

Unlock is a national independent advocacy charity that supports, speaks up and campaigns for people facing stigma, prejudice and discrimination because of their criminal record.

Its mission is to advocate for people with criminal records to be able to move on positively in their lives. They support people with criminal records to navigate their way through challenging times; research and raise awareness of the systemic issues that people are facing; and campaign for changes to legislation, policies and practices of government, employers and others.

Unlocked Grads

Nationwide

Sector: Education, Training and Employment Services

Unlocked Graduates exists to break cycles of reoffending.

They recruit, train and challenge outstanding individuals to lead change in prisons and throughout society, with the aim of creating a generation of leaders committed to radically improving outcomes for prisoners.

Willowdene Farm

Midlands

Sector: Rehabilitation

For more than 30 years, Willowdene has been a pioneer of innovative rehabilitative solutions for men and women facing the complex issues that stem from a life filled with factors including offending behaviour, homelessness, poor mental health, substance misuse, and general disconnection from community and society at large.

Through their innovative rehabilitative pathway, targeted training, wrap-around support and social enterprise activities, they provide men and women facing a life filled with hopelessness an opportunity to take control of their future and build a life filled with purpose, intent and confidence.

Working Chance

Nationwide

Sector: Charity

Offer: Recruitment, Support for Employers, Training

Working Chance is the Uk's only employment charity solely for women with criminal convictions.

It helps women with convictions to develop the confidence, skills and self-belief they need to overcome any barriers to their employment, find jobs and build careers. It works with organisations of all sizes across all sectors to find opportunities for women that align with their skills and aspirations.

Since 2009, Working Chance has supported thousands of women into employment and many more on their journeys towards financial independence. To women with convictions, a job is more than an income - it means a future where she and her family can flourish.

​Bthechange

South West

Sector: Education, Training and Employment Services

Offer: Personal Support (Addiction, Mental Health, Housing and Debt Advice)

Bthechange CIC was founded in 2016 after recognising significant and persistent gaps within the criminal justice system that were having long-term negative impacts — particularly for women, first-time entrants, and those who are racially minoritised. At key points of contact with the system, support was often delayed, fragmented, or entirely absent. Early intervention was limited, community-based provision was undervalued, and responses frequently failed to account for trauma, culture, or lived context. As a result, many individuals left the system carrying stigma, instability, and unresolved harm, making it far harder to move forward with their lives. bthechange was established in response to this reality, grounded in the belief that meaningful change requires early, consistent, and community-led support. Without authentic, trauma-informed and culturally informed interventions, the likelihood of long-term exclusion, repeat contact with the system, and entrenched disadvantage remains high. All services and programmes are designed — and in many cases delivered — by expert leaders whose lived realities directly shape the organisation's ethos, culture, and values. This ensures that work is rooted in relevance, credibility, and a deep understanding of how systems operate in practice, not just in policy.