Social Enterprise in Prisons - a model for real work and reducing re-offending

The Big Idea

To build upon the experience of:-

-        HMP Askham Grange - Conferencing and Hospitality

-        HMP Coldingley – ‘Barbed’ design studio

-        Enterprise awareness courses delivered in prisons by InCredit Limited

To establish three new social enterprise pilots¹ in prisons, the first being at HMP Askham Grange

To research the feasibility of a credit union to reduce the financial exclusion of ex-offenders and their families

To create a parent body (working name - The Prison Enterprise Trust) to promote the potential benefits of social enterprise within prison and to monitor its impact in the medium term

To commission an external evaluation of the above programmes to capture and disseminate learning.

The estimated programme cost of all of the above will be £650,000 over three years

Policy Background

Reducing re-offending is a primary imperative for the Prison Service and the new National Offender Management Service.

A report, commissioned by the Phoenix Development Fund from The Ideas Mine in 2005,² concluded that developing the existing conferencing and hospitality facilities at HMP Askham Grange in York as a social enterprise had the potential to contribute significantly to this objective. A second report considers the lessons learned from the research and presents a replicable model. Copies of both studies are downloadable from The Ideas Mine website – www.ideasmine.co.uk.

Following these studies, a business plan for a first enterprise pilot at Askham Grange has been completed. This pilot is ready to launch in early 2007.

The Howard League for Penal Reform has established a social enterprise pilot (‘Barbed’) at HMP Cordingley training and employing six in-mates in graphic design studio - www.howardleague.org

In September 2006 Professor David Wilson (UCE, Birmingham) published research³ noting the limitations of the present work regime in prisons, and the potential benefits of a social enterprise approach.

The Project Team

• The Ideas Mine – a social enterprise research consultancy which has already spearheaded the development of the Askham Grange Business Model and will deliver research, development and business support for the pilots under contract to AnyBodyCan / The Prison Enterprise Trust. Lead Manager – John Sargent - www.ideasmine.co.uk

• Incredit Limited – a training and business development agency based in Stevenage with extensive experience of programme delivery in the custodial system. Incredit is also a delivery partner at Askham Grange and will be lead partner in the investigation of the credit union project. Lead Manager – Eileen Lennon. www.incredit.org.uk

• AnyBodyCan – an established Newcastle-based social enterprise which has hosted a variety of social inclusion projects, and which will act as accountable body for project funding, and incubate the establishment of The Prison Enterprise Trust. Lead Manager – Philip Angier

What has already been achieved?

The overall project concept, and the specific proposals for a social enterprise at HMP Askham Grange and for a credit union, derive from research already undertaken by The Ideas Mine (funded by the SBS via the Phoenix Fund) and feedback given to Incredit Limited.

The senior management team at Askham Grange have approved the proposed social enterprise structure. AnyBodyCan has received Business Link funding to support a study of the operational and governance implications.

The Ideas Mine continues to lead a team gathering field data about the need for and potential benefits of social enterprises within the prison system. This has include a visit to Barbed at HMP Coldingley.

What is in the pipeline?

InCredit Limited has applied for core funding from NOMS under its Voluntary and Community Sector Grants programme to sustain InCredit’s work with women offenders and its contribution of action research towards the credit union project.

AnyBodyCan has applied to the RBS Innovation fund for £25,000 to fund the initial research into the credit union proposal.

The Regional Offender Manager for Yorkshire has given positive feedback about the Askham Pilot and will be seeking to support it through ROMS future spending plans in Yorkshire.

AnyBodyCan has submitted an outline funding proposal for discussion with Esmee Fairbairn Foundation.

AnyBodyCan is preparing an application to Futurebuilders for second year funding of the Askham Grange pilot.

The project team are exploring a range of possible opportunities to research the second enterprise pilot – hopefully in the North East region

Medium Term Aims

Once we have secured enough funding to proceed with the Askham Grange pilot and the credit union research, the Project Team’s focus will turn to:

• A secure and credible governance structure for The Prison Enterprise Trust

• Funding for a feasibility study for at least one more social enterprise pilot

• Commissioning a robust evaluation framework to capture learning from the pilots

¹ NB – Three new pilots in addition to ‘Barbed’ which already exists

³ ‘Real Work In Prison: Absences, Obstacles & Opportunities – Profess David Wilson and Dr Azrini Wahidin, UCE, Birmingham

Downloadable Documents: 

Project Logical Framework 

Summary Project WorkPlan 

Summary Project Budget

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