This page is here for archive purposes, to showcase CFO and European Social Fund (ESF) achievements between 2009 - 2015. For information on the latest ESF funded National Offender Management Service (NOMS) programme, please click here

About the NOMS Co-financing Organisation

Projects aimed at improving employability are seen as key to changing offender's lives and reducing reoffending. Since January 2010, the NOMS European Social Fund (ESF) Co-financing programme has been working with participants who would benefit from additional employment and skills provision.

The NOMS ESF Programme aims to complement existing provision, particulary the Offender Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) in prisons as well as other existing employment and skills services.

Case Studies in the Community

In most parts of the country at least 70% of the work of CFO will be focused on community activity linking to the mainstream offer for Employment and skills. The aim is to get participants ready to access learning and skills development as well as access to jobs. Recognising the added disadvantage some of the groups we deal with face within the labour market.

Here are a couple of case studies that will give you some insight into how a few of the Trusts involved in the delivery want to engage with participants.

In Yorkshire and the Humberside, Probation Trusts (The Step Change Project) which is part of the Round 2 delivery is working with and investing in Social Enterprise to create Employment, Training and Education (ETE) opportunities for offenders.

Examples of this are working alongside- Abel project to develop a fish farm and visitor centre at a disused sewage works that will produce Sturgeon, Tilapia and Common Carp.

Busters Coffee to develop cafes and coffee shops that can be used for release on temporary license and resettlement arrangements.

Roots to success to develop growing opportunities both in the community and custody to grow and sell a variety of products.

The aim is to create sustainable jobs and training  in diverse areas and particularly in growth markets that can offer opportunities for difficult to place offenders as well as generate income that can  be reinvested into further ETE activities and opportunities  that help offenders desist from offending.

The Step Change project will work closely with the Prisons in the region looking at ways that their industries can be marketed, expanded and again generate income to provide further jobs and training.

Other projects in the region include:

A consortium of the 5 North West Probation Trusts, headed by Merseyside Probation Trust the project which has been named “Achieve North West” runs in the 5 Probation Trusts and 15 prisons across the region.  Achieve NW has more than 40 case managers working with offenders across the North West and Merseyside region.

Additionally work with 23 different subcontractors. These include voluntary and private sector organisations, as well as social enterprises. These providers deliver a range of interventions, all designed to assist participants on their journey towards employment.  Examples include Back on Track and Salford Foundation delivering mentoring provision and volunteering opportunities, and Recycling Lives who offer employment, work experience and training opportunities in the recycling industry.  Achieve NW also work with mainstream providers to optimise employment and learning opportunities for offenders.

More case studies can be seen here:

www.esf-works.com/projects/projects/401123
www.esf-works.com/projects/projects/402231
www.esf-works.com/projects/projects/400875
www.esf-works.com/projects/projects/400848

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