Judith Donovan CBE has been appointed as chair of the joint Employment Advisory Board for Yorkshire’s two women's prisons.

Ms Donovan’s role covers HMP Askham Grange and HMP New Hall, and aims to help prison leavers get the skills they need to find work.

Speaking of her appointment, Ms Donovan said: “It is a massive honour to be asked to chair the Employment Advisory Board for Yorkshire two women's prisons, New Hall and Askham Grange.

“I am a firm believer that everyone deserves a second chance, and those employers with a long history of hiring prison leavers, such as Timpson, speak very highly of the calibre of that workforce.

Judith Donovan CBE, new chair of the joint Employment Advisory Board for Yorkshire’s two women's prisons.

“It is my hope, and that of my colleagues, that we can add value to the resettlement process by opening up more employment opportunities and advising on the most relevant in-prison education to ensure prison leavers have access to suitable employment and training.”

Ms Donovan was appointed by New Futures Network, which is working with businesses to launch Employment Advisory Boards in 92 prisons across England and Wales.

The Boards are part of a range of initiatives launched by New Futures Network and partners, to support prisons in delivering on their employment strategies.

New Futures Network is the specialist part of HM Prison and Probation Service, which brokers partnerships between prisons and employers in England and Wales.

The partnerships aim to help businesses fill skills gaps and support prison leavers to find employment.

Duncan O’Leary, CEO of New Futures Network, added: “Employment Advisory Boards are a game-changer for prisons. The expertise Board members will share with prisons on the skills, training, and qualifications needed by businesses in the areas prisoners will be released to. The aim is for this intelligence to inform the education and training offer in prisons, and work opportunities that prisoners take up.”

Acting as a link between prisons and employers, the Boards encourage prisons to better equip serving prisoners to use their time in prison to gain the skills and links to job opportunities they need to head straight into stable work upon release.

Research from the Ministry of Justice shows that nine out of ten businesses that hire ex-offenders agree that they are motivated, good attenders and trustworthy.

Yorkshire’s two women's prisons appoint new chair of Employment Advisory Board