EQUAL - Women Into Work

Women Into Work

Partnership information

Description

Cherie Blair showing support to the Women Into Work DP

Aim

The Women into Work DP aimed to combat discrimination and inequality by identifying barriers to employment for disadvantaged women. This was achieved through peer research and by piloting innovatory means of empowering women to access and sustain appropriate training, education and employment.

The DP comprised local and national voluntary organisations working with vulnerable women (including offenders, homeless, substance mis-users, refugees, prostitutes), the Prison Service, National Probation Service and Job Centre Plus.

Objectives

The objectives of the project were to:

Involve disadvantaged women in identifying barriers and promoting innovative solutions to unemployment (or low paid employment) using peer research.
Identify good practice and propose models for implementation.
Test multi agency ‘holistic’ approaches and new methods of resettling female offenders.
Mainstream good practice and developing effective strategies for increasing employment of disadvantaged women. The project was delivered nationally.

Round

Lead partner

SOVA Head Office London
www.sova.org.uk

Core partners

Addaction, Creative and Supportive Trust (CAST), Department for Education and Skills - Prisoners Learning and Skills Unit, Job Centre Plus (Sheffield), London Probation Area, NACRO London, National Probation Directorate, Prince's Trust (London, City Road), Prince's Trust (London, Park Square East), Prison Service ( Womens Policy Group ), Sheffield Hallam University, Stonham - North Regional Office

Transnational partnerships

Information for Transnational partnerships

Contact

Joanne Tate, SOVA Sheffield Office,

End-dates

Action 2: 9 July 2005
Action 3: 15 November 2005

Equal theme

Facilitating access

Beneficiaries

Drug and alcohol misusers, Ex-offenders, Other, People from disadvantaged areas (top 10% most deprived wards)

Achievements

Peer research was used to interview the women involved in the Women into Work study. Peer research has a ‘bottom up” approach where those who will be directly affected by the outcome of the research play an active role in the research process; i.e. in our case women ex-offenders were trained to carry out the research.
The research findings were launched at WIW’s national conference in October 2003 in a report entitiled 'Moving Mountains'. Moving Mountains has been cited in Home Office Offending Reduction Programme, Prison Service Women’s Team Business Plan, Prison Service Plus bidding guidance and Fawcett Society Gender and Justice Commission on Women.
A Good Practice toolkit is available for organisations wishing to initiate change in their practices.
A collaborative venture with 3 other Equal funded DPs has produced an interactive CD-Rom entitled ‘Apply Within’ to help local authorities develop robust policies that allow them to confidently recruit people with criminal records.
The peer research methodology was developed into a training course accredited by the Open College Network and delivered nationally to 33 organisations.

Final report

Download final report (2.6 MB)

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Connections

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Activities and products

Apply Within A group of EQUAL DP’s (IMPACT, NewLIFE, PRISE and Women into Work) joined forces after a discussion at a Thematic Networking Group to share an Action 3 objective focused on promoting the employment of ex-offenders. Expand/collapse

Products (2)

Creative Business Pilot - London College of Communication/HMP East Sutton ParkThis was a business start up course which provided a basis for people to initiate self-employment upon release, particularly in the creative industries. Expand/collapse

Products (1)

Going Straight to Work Pilot - NACROThis project worked with individual women prisoners to enhance their skills, knowledge and self-confidence, thus increasing their employability. Expand/collapse

Products (1)

Norfolk Women into Employment and Training - WEETUWEETU aimed to provide mentoring support for female offenders. Expand/collapse

Products (2)

Peer Support and Resettlement Pilot - SOVAThe project addressed the limitations of ETE support services through the prison gate and aimed to train women ex-0ffenders as Peer Support Workers to deliver a Peer Support Service. Expand/collapse

Products (1)

The Network Club - CASTThe Network Club used group work to deliver personal development and ETE services to women ex-offenders. Expand/collapse

Products (1)

Good Practice ToolkitGood Practice Guide.

Moving MountainsPeer Research Report; Identifying and addressing barriers to Employment, training and Education from the voices of women (ex) offenders.

National Women’s Centre DirectoryA directory of Women's Centres commissioned by Women into Work and compiled by Keighley Women's Centre.

Report on Women Seving Life SentencesReport illustrating the relevancy of the Moving Mountains findings for women serving life sentences.

Research at Low Newton prisonWomen into non traditional work as requested by Low Newton.

Tackling Barriers to Employment for Women Leaving PrisonerThis manual has been produced for those individuals and organisations working with women leaving prison.