‘Yorkshire Model’ success provides blueprint for supporting offenders from prison into jobs

The number of prisoners moving into work or training upon completing their sentence has increased by 65 per cent across Yorkshire and Humber over the last three years following a new approach bringing together education and careers support.
Lizzie Murphy
By Lizzie Murphy
Published 11th May 2023, 16:45 BST

Novus provides education as well as employment support to make engagement between prisons and businesses easier while providing prisoners with a consistent team working with them from course delivery through to securing a job after their release.

According to Novus’s data submitted to the Ministry of Justice, the employment outcomes of prisons using this joined-up approach are up to three times higher than those where these services are delivered by a range of different organisations.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The ‘Yorkshire Model’ has been praised in Unlocking Aspiration, a new report by the Centre for Social Justice thinktank which outlines a series of measures needed to support more prisoners into work upon release.

HMP Buckley Hall. Novus provides education as well as employment support to make engagement between prisons and businesses easier. Picture: Paul HeyesHMP Buckley Hall. Novus provides education as well as employment support to make engagement between prisons and businesses easier. Picture: Paul Heyes
HMP Buckley Hall. Novus provides education as well as employment support to make engagement between prisons and businesses easier. Picture: Paul Heyes

Peter Cox, managing director of Novus, said: “It was clear to us that…there needed to be stronger connections between the education that prisoners receive and the employment opportunities that exist in the labour market upon their release.

“By strengthening these links through greater collaboration and enhanced support for offenders upon their release in the Yorkshire region, we have been able to significantly increase the number of offenders who move into stable employment at the end of their sentence.”

Related topics:YorkshireHumber