NEW DIRECTIONSOUR QUARTERLY NOVUS NEWSPAPER FOR PARTNERS, COLLEAGUES, VISITORS AND LEARNERS AUTUMN 2018 In this issue: NOVUS WORKS BUILDS ON THE foundations to change lives his year has seen the launch of construction giant Willmott Dixon. We have a well- TNovus Works, building on the work Working together they have developed ON THE PATHWAY Novus does, creating employment the Prisoner Apprenticeship Pathway documented skills gap opportunities for learners on release and programme in the North West. Speaking in the construction TO EMPLOYMENT developing partnerships with employers. about the partnership, Sarah Fraser, Head Novus and Willmott Dixon launch of the Willmott Dixon Foundation, said: industry and by working their Prisoner Apprenticeship Pathway The Novus Works team work with 66,000 “At Willmott Dixon we believe firmly in with partners such as Programme. adults and young people in 60 prisons the value of supporting ex-offenders across England and Wales, providing back into work. We have been working Novus we hope to offer Page 6 them with training and support to ensure with several prisons to build long term they are equipped with the right skills, relationships for a number of years and opportunities to develop qualifications and attitude to progress are keen to further our partnerships in rewarding careers into work. this area. We have a well-documented Sarah Fraser skills gap in the construction industry and Head of the Willmott Dixon Foundation Novus continues to build on their by working with partners such as Novus foundations to change lives, and in we hope to offer opportunities to develop the last year alone trained and placed rewarding careers in construction.” 300 offenders into employment in a broader support needed to range of industries, including skilled The innovative and unique approach reflect their personal circumstances. environments such as construction, offered by Novus Works is highlighted in catering and hospitality, engineering the ongoing support offered to Barbara McDonough, Chief Operating and manufacturing, and transport and ex-offenders, and their employers, from Officer, Novus, said: “We know that logistics. the recruitment process, as they transition offenders are much less likely to commit DOE AWARD FOR into work and as they progress along further crimes if they are able to enter Through Novus Works the ambition is their employment journey. the world of work when they leave HMYOI WETHERBY to significantly increase the number prison. With Novus Works we have a real of prison leavers that find and keep Making the transition from prison into opportunity to develop new partnerships LEARNERS meaningful employment. This can only be employment marks a significant change with organisations, supporting them in Learners at YOI Wetherby completed achieved by working in partnership with for ex-offenders and can be a challenging fulfilling their skills needs while providing a landmark Bronze Duke of Edinburgh employers. Novus Works is developing time. Support at this time significantly employment opportunities for our award expedition. new partnerships with businesses who reduces the likelihood of new employees learners.. By working together we can see the value of employing ex-offenders - falling out of work. The Novus Works transform the lives of people in custody Page 12 to themselves and society as a whole. team is committed to ensuring and equip them with the knowledge, ex-offenders can access any support they experience and skills they need to Through the Novus Works Employer may need during this transitional time, succeed in the world of work on release.” Charter, Novus partnered with whether that’s about their new role or FOR ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT e email: [email protected] 03333 222 888 facebook: facebook.com/Novuschange or visit twitter: @Novuschange www.novus.ac.uk/contact linkedin: search Novus - Foundations For Change PAGE 2. www.novus.ac.uk Plans to improve PRISON EDUCATION AND REHABILITATION Peter Cox, Managing Director of Novus, responds to the new Education and Employment Strategy launched by Justice Secretary David Gauke. WELCOME TO NEW DIRECTIONS Welcome to our latest edition of New Directions. It has been a busy few months since the last edition was produced, including the unveiling of the Ministry of Justice’s Education and Employment Strategy, the launch of Novus Works and our first Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award. The best place to start, however, is the activity around National Employability Day. The annual event, led by ERSA, gave us the opportunity to celebrate what our teams do around the country to support our learners to gain employment on release. Coming hot on the heels of the new Education and Employment Strategy, the day was a chance to start discussions with like-minded he Education and Employment There is very little to separate these organisations and to look in more detail at what we can do. Our North TStrategy is intended to transform issues, but their importance is a key West Employability Conference kicked off our activity around the country ex-offender rehabilitation by focusing element of delivering this strategy. and I’d like to thank everyone who attended. We had a great response on creating a sustainable pathway for One of the key focuses for Novus is and look forward to carrying on the discussions. them to break the cycle of crime and the pathways and eventual destination integrate with their communities. The We’ve seen the beginning of some great partnerships with major of ex-offenders. This strategy is an strategy itself highlights the challenge employers this year. Willmott Dixon and Amey are just two of the opportunity to develop our approach we face - ex-offenders find it difficult employers who we are working with, creating opportunities for our and really drive the development of to gain access to sustainable work, learners while adding vital skills to their organisations. sustainable solutions in partnership with which can lead to prosperous lives prisoners, prison governors and the Elsewhere in this edition, we hear about a fantastic initiative at HMP and careers. wider support which prisoners and ex- New Hall, which has seen a number of inspirational women visit the We welcome the Education and offenders need. establishment to talk to the women. I was also delighted to read about Employment Strategy as a signal that The Big Draw project at HMP Lewes, this innovative project has been In our view, one key element is that the government is committed to deliver recognised with a national commendation, and shows the creativity and this strategy will require a new level transformation for prisoners and ex- passion our tutors have in supporting their learners. of partnership working at a local level. offenders to reduce re-offending and To truly support offenders we need to There are so many success stories across all our regions of men, women tackle the problems that can lead to crime. create links to enable them to access and young people who have studied with Novus. For example, ‘Clare’ who We agree wholeheartedly with the the workplace and also build their achieved her Level 2 in Beauty Therapy and Hairdressing with Novus, is commitment to bring technology into confidence in the education system. now starting a career in the hairdressing industry. the justice sector as a learning tool and With the fast pace of change in the Finally, my last word must go to colleagues across the organisation. The that prisoners need to be supported to workplace - with the coming ‘waves’ of success stories you read in this edition couldn’t be achieved without access high quality learning. automation - there is an opportunity to the hard work of all the team at Novus and I’ve been delighted to see For Novus, our role in supporting build a wider structure that supports colleagues rewarded for their work by external organisations. offender education and development an ongoing alignment of education in I hope you enjoy New Directions. If you have any news that you is a critical part of a much wider set of prisons with the opportunities outside would like to share, please send information to our editorial team at solutions which support rehabilitation. It of prison. [email protected] is our view that, to succeed in reducing Overall, this strategy should be re-offending, we need to create links welcomed because it demonstrates a between employers and ex-offenders; Barbara McDonough, Chief Operating Officer clear level of ambition which support home and family connections; we applaud. and provide for the person’s needs - from health to housing. www.novus.ac.uk PAGE 3. Jayne Salford, Novus Digital Project Manager, reflects on what we mean by digital skills. ast year, Lloyds Bank reported that 11.5m people (21 per cent of the As a provider of prison education, this distinction is also useful for exploring Lpopulation) lack basic digital skills. Around 84 per cent of men and 74 per the ways of aligning digital provision within the realistic confines of the prison cent of women have such basic skills, and the age profile is broadly as you would establishment. We have to see technology as a means of ensuring that prisoners expect, younger people have higher digital skills and those that are older do not, can maintain contact with their families, but also to build a network of support although the Nominet Trust have also highlighted that there are around 300,000 as part of their ongoing rehabilitation. Creating support for prisoners to develop 15-24 year olds who have no basic skills. digital skills means giving them the opportunity to use their skills to arrange Yet what do we mean by ‘digital skills’? The Basic Digital Skills framework housing, welfare, and enabling them to access support networks and engage with (2015) has suggested that such skills are based around managing information, potential workplaces.