The Ministry of Justice calls upon social enterprise

The man in the film is an ex-junkie, an ex-inmate and a multiple offender. He is also the subject of a production by a brilliant social enterprise. The film begins with an ex-con talking about his drug habit. We hear that he's been a drug user since the age of fifteen and in and out of prison for twelve years. As he speaks, stunning animations bring his story to life: from junkie, to inmate, to re-offender and finally to recovery with the help of the prison service. This moving and visually arresting film was done as a way to deliver health messages around drug treatment in prison to offenders. The film, a product of Inside Job Productions, is informative and practical, but stands out for it's beauty and clever storytelling: far from what you might expect from a drugs information film for those being held at Her Majesty's pleasure. This, however, is exactly why the Ministry of Justice wants to encourage more social enterprise within the prison service.

Last month the UK's Ministry of Justice announced two funding opportunities for social enterprises with the potential to help ex-offenders back into employment. The first category for funding is titled: Skills, Employment and Community Payback (CP). In this entrants are asked to propose 'enterprise based supervision models' for ex-offenders 'that can also deliver skills and employability training in a realistic work environment '. The second category is titled: Sustainable Development and asks for proposals that explore the potential of renewable energy, recycling and other related sectors to offer training and employment opportunities for ex-offenders. Both categories would receive funding of 200,000 ($313,460), no mean sum by today's funding standards.

Social enterprise is increasingly being called upon to meet the challenges of the current social climate. The 'Big Society' talked about by the new coalition government has put social enterprise at the heart of it's ideas (although at the end of July the government announced an 11million cut in the budget for Office for Civil Society (OCS), the government's department responsible for social enterprise). Crispin Blunt, Conservative MP, said of social enterprise in the prison system:

As part of the 'Big Society' we want to encourage charities and social enterprise groups as well as the private sector to apply their enthusiasm and expertise to turning around more and more lives and preventing future victims.'

Already a number of social enterprises in the UK are doing pioneering work with people who have spent time in jail. Inside Job Productions (IJP), the makers of the film described earlier, is the income-generating arm of Media For Development (MFD). MFD is a not-for-profit organisation that uses different media to reach, engage, and empower isolated communities in the United Kingdom and internationally. They have worked extensively in prisons to help develop the skills, education and employability of offenders. Another social enterprise helping UK offenders is the Chrysalis Foundation, a social enterprise that aims to improve offender development and rehabilitation. Along with a young offenders institute in Reading, they are piloting a new scheme, which aims to reduce reoffending by changing behavior, building confidence and improving communication skills.

The call for proposals comes from National Offender Management Service (NOMS). NOMS is an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice, bringing together the headquarters of the Probation Service and HM Prison Service. Time is short though for those interested in applying. The deadline for the submission of proposals is 24 September 2010 and it is anticipated that implementation of pilot activity will commence as early as the end of October. The application process uses the Ministry of Justice's e-sourcing portal. If you are already a registered on the e-sourcing portal, you can contact Ame Dada at ame.dada@noms.gsi.gov.uk expressing your interest in this sourcing event.If you are not a registered user, you are asked to send an email to the eSourcing Portal helpdesk at esourcing@noms.gsi.gov.uk stating your Company Name; Your Name and contact email and quote Sourcing Reference Number: 0428-1-Reducing Reoffending-SE-RFP for Skills, Employment and Community Payback or 0449-1- Reducing Reoffending-SE-RFP for Sustainable Development or both. Watch this space for news on the outcome of this exciting funding initiative.

Photo Credit: Roger Price