“You build on failure. You use it as a stepping sone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it. You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.”
Johnny Cash
Legendary singer song-writer Johnny Cash was a passionate campaigner for prisoner rehabilitation; it is the reason he dressed in black (“I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime, but is there because he’s a victim of the times”). Although there was not a country guitar in sight (sadly!), the songs and lyrics of the ‘Man in Black’ came flowing into my mind during the recent Employers’ Summit on Recruiting Prison leavers hosted by the New Futures Network. The essence of the day’s discussions was encapsulated in the pretty smart ‘double-entendre’ hashtag for the event: #SeeWhatsOnTheInside. Let’s do exactly that, let’s take a look.
But first, some introductions…
The New Futures Network (NFN) is part of Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service; the mission is to build partnerships between prisons and employers. The latest Employers’ Summit was the latest rallying call to the business community.
Are we making progress?
I’d say so.
It was good to hear from a steady stream of employers who had moved beyond positive intentions to making real change happen on the ground. Inspirational stuff, especially with regards to the why? Yes, current staffing shortages were flagged as a driver, BUT this was not the main motivation for hiring prison leavers. The focus was more on values, on doing the right thing and on recruiting for attitude and potential rather than on background. In the words of Annie Gale Head of RAW Talent at the COOK kitchen: “Business is not just about turning a profit. We believe in people; it is part of our culture”. Great to see such positivity on the menu. Doing good things attracts good people.
The event was also a platform for showcasing the support on offer – not only from the New Futures Network, but also organisations like Business in the Community (BITC) who have led the Ban the Box campaign in the UK. It was good to hear Nicola Inge, BITC’s Employment & Skills Campaign Director, showcasing the pivotal role that Ban the Box has played in dismantling latent barriers in the hiring process and in boosting job opportunities for ex-offenders. Nicola also produced a real stand-out stat: 74% of employers who have signed up have also flagged collateral reputational benefits of getting involved. This is hugely significant – in my experience, the best way of galvanising engagement from the wider business community is to create a distinct feeling of FOBLeB (*Fear Of Being Left Behind).
Keep the faith. And if you’re an employer, have some faith. See what’s on the inside.
The other highlight from the NFN event was hearing from former prisoners themselves. I love this from John Daynes who did the RAW Talent Programme at the COOK kitchen after leaving prison: “We all have a good seed inside us. With the right nurturing and environment the seed can grow into a tree. Or many trees. Or maybe a whole orchard.” This is where the Johnny Cash vibes really kicked on, it totally chimed with another famous quote from the Man in Black himself: “No matter how much you’ve stumbled, no matter how much you fall, don’t give up. You can still be redeemed. Keep the faith”.
Talent is spread equally around the country, but opportunities are not. This was a point made by Bhavina Bharkhada, Head of Policy & Campaigns at Make UK, the manufacturers organisation, and echoed by other speakers. Accelerating progress means being prepared to do things differently and shaking-up current recruitment procedure and criteria. Representative employers organisational – national, regional and sectoral – have a huge convening and galvanising role to play going forward. Let’s not underestimate to size of the challenge still ahead. Equally, let’s not underestimate the size of the prize.
Bottom line is that an increasing number of employers and recruiters are up for making change happen and recognise the power (and responsibility) they hold for transforming people’s lives. The question is how best to go about this which is why the recent Employers Summit and other gatherings of peers and experts are so important for building bridges back into society for thousands of prison leavers.
A little less of the Folsom Prison Blues, a little more of the wholesome prison news. Johnny Cash would approve…
