SectionA:Theorganisationsandgroupswithinthepartnership

Leadapplicant

NameofOrganisation:

EmmausStAlbans

TypeofOrganisation: RegisteredCharity

Contactdetails: Contact- JenniferHewson

Email- Jennifer.hewson@emmausstalbans.eu

Phone- 01727817294Address- EmmausStAlbans,HillEndLane,StAlbans,Hertfordshire,AL40FE

Summaryoforganisation:

Emmausprovidesformerlyhomelessindividualswithastablehomeandmeaningfulworkinourresidentialcommunityandfivesocialenterprisestores.WiththepartnershipwithHACRO,weprovidetheirLeavingPrisonBehindvolunteerswithweeklygardening,maintenanceandbuildingprojects.Wealsohelptoprovidetraining,solidaritypackagesoffood,furniture,workclothingandelectricalitemstotheserviceusers,andwealsoprovidemeetingspacesfortheHACROcharitymeetings.

Partner1NameofOrganisation:

HACRO,LeavingPrisonBehind

TypeofOrganisation: Registeredcharity

Contactdetails: Contact- TonyFranklinEmail- hacro.office@zen.co.uk

Phone- 01727854727Address- 62-72VictoriaStreet,StAlbans,Herts,AL13XH

Summaryoforganisation:

HACRO’saimistosupportthecare,rehabilitationandresettlementofHertfordshireoffenders.TheirLeavingPrisonBehindinitiative,whichdealswiththehardesttoreachcasesofprolificoffendersinHertfordshire,seesoffendersbeingbroughttogetheringroups.ThisworkallowstheProjectManager(TonyFranklin)tomentortheteammembers.HACROhashelpedofferadvicetoEmmauswhenworkingwithex-offendersandprovidedafantasticmaintenanceandgardeningsupport.

SectionB:Partnerships&StoriesWhatthepartnershipisachievingandlearning

1. Yourpartnership’sprojectorinitiative.Toprovideex-offendersandtheresidentsofEmmausStAlbanswithknowledgeandskillsaroundhorticultureandlandscaping.Providingthemwithtrainingandevidenceofworkthatwillsupporttheirfutureapplicationstoemployment,viaaCity&Guildsqualification.Theprojectisestimatedtocostbetween£5,000-£10,000dependingonproviderusedandqualificationlevel.Theprojectwillrunforoneyear,withsessionsrunonceaweek.Thisschemealsoaimstoprovideserviceuserswiththeplatformtocontinueintofurthereducationandqualificationswithinhorticultureandgardening,improvetheirdietandhealth,andimproveteambuildingskills.AnorganisationsuchasGroundworkwillbeprovidingtheskilledstaffandknowledgeofhorticulture,Emmauswillbeprovidingserviceusers,thegrounds,tools,equipmentandmaterials,HACROwillbeprovidingtheotherserviceusers,skillsinwoodworkandbuilding,andgoodpracticeinworkingwithex-offenders.

2. Howdidyourpartnershipcomeaboutanddevelop?

EmmausandHACROhavebeenworkinginpartnershipforover2yearsnow,afterHACROapproachedEmmausandofferedtheirhelpingroundsmaintenance.Sincethen,bothcharitieshaveswappedstaffandtrusteeskillsandknowledge,providedtools,equipment,meetingspaceandintroducedeachothertootherpartnershipopportunities.HACROprovidedEmmauswithaninvaluableweeklyworkforce,guidedandmentoredbyanexcellentcoordinator,whichenablesthecharitytomaintaintheextensivegrounds,listedbuildingsandretailpremisesaroundthecounty.Emmausinreturnhasprovidedtrainingopportunities,activitiesandevents,parttimework,equipment,foodparcels,andfurniturepackagesfortheserviceusers.

3. Impact.Pleasedescribewhatoutcomesyouareachieving,yourimpactorhowyouaremakingadifference.

Reducingre-offendingratesbyprovidingex-offendersandformerlyhomelessindividualswithmeaningfulvolunteerworkinagroupenvironment,educationandtraininginanareatheyareinterestedin,supportedaccommodationifnecessary,one-to-onementoring,informationandadviceonkeyissuessuchasaddictions,relationships,debt,andmentalhealth.Itcostsaround£40,000tokeepanindividualinprison,peryear,andanalysisshowsthatLeavingPrisonBehindreducesre-offendingratesamongstprolificoffendersof28%.Inadditiontothis,forthecostofkeepingsomeoneinprison,HACRO’sprojectscontributetopreventing6peoplefromre-enteringprison.�Increaseemploymentopportunitiestoex-offendersandformerlyhomelessindividuals,byprovidingtrainingandworkexperienceingardening,landscapingandhorticulture.Thiscanbeevidencedbytheirportfolioofworkwhichwillbecollectedduringtheproject,andthereferencesprovidedforfuturejobapplications,andinconclusion,theCity&Guildsqualificationawardedbytheproject.Providingthisroutetoformerlyhomelesspeople,formovingonbackintoemployment,supportsEmmaus’workinreducinghomelessness.ASROIstudyin2002foundthatforevery£1investedintoacommunitysuchasEmmausStAlbans,£11isgeneratedinsocial,environmentalandeconomicreturns.Improvinghealth,wellbeinganddietofex-offendersandformerlyhomelessindividuals,byteachingdietaryadvice,demonstratinghowtogrowvegetablesandfruit,providingweeklyexerciseoutdoorsthroughgardeninganddemonstratinghowtoutiliseurbanspacetogrowproduce.

4. Howpartnershipworkingishelpingyoutoachievemore.

SinceworkingwithHACRO,Emmaushasincreaseditsnumberofreferralsforaccommodationstraightfromprisonby15%overtwoyears.TheincreasehasonlybeenabletooccurasHACROhasincreasedtheexpertiseneededtoworkwithex-offendersandofferedadditionalsupportandsignpostingtorelevantagenciesfordifficultcases.WorkingwithHACROhasledtoanincreaseinpartnershipworkingwithHertfordshirepolice,resultinginmorejoinedupcaseworkonindividualsandabetterunderstandingforpoliceandprobationontheaccommodationcriteriaandsupportEmmausprovides.ThishasfacilitatedinanincreaseinthenumberofhighriskreferralsbeingacceptedintoEmmausStAlbans.ThevolunteersthatHACROprovideEmmaushavebeenpivotalintheachievementofseveralbuilding,gardeningandmaintenanceprojectsandtheprovisionofaidtomigrantsinCalais.Thevolunteershavealsoallowedlabourcostsavingsontheseprojectsofaround£10,000,resultinginmoremoneyavailabletospendonthesupport,trainingandeducationoftheformerlyhomelessserviceusers.

5. Howyouaremakingsurethatthepartnershipisworkingeffectively.

StafffromeachcharityhaveattendedTrusteemeetingsandAnnualGeneralMeetingsofbothcharitiestoincreasetheawarenessandunderstandingofeachother’s’aims,objectivesandcurrentinitiatives.Thishasresultedintheopportunityformoresupport,differentprojectsandfurtherskillsharing.Eachweek,theSupportManagerfromEmmaus,andtheMentorforLeavingPrisonbehindmeettodiscusscurrentandfutureprojects,anyspecificneedsofHACROvolunteersforthatday,andanyissuesorconcernseachcharityhasforitsserviceusers,wheretheothercharitymaybeabletohelporsignpost.HACROvolunteershavebeeninvitedandfundedonEmmausresidentteambuildingtripsandactivitiessuchassurvivalweekends,footballtournamentsandcharityobstaclecourses.Theaimistobuildsupportnetworksbetweenserviceusers,andfostermentoringrelationshipsbetweenindividualswhohaveexperienceddifficulttimesbutareworkingtoimprovetheirfutures.

6. Whatyouarelearningfromeachother.

Theincreasedknowledgeandexperienceinworkingwithprolificoffendersandoffendersstraightfromprisongate,providedtoEmmausfromHACRO,hasimprovedthesupportprovisiontoEmmausresidentswithahistoryofoffending.HACROhasalsobeenabletohighlightandintroducethemanyorganisationsthatprovidetailoredsupporttooffendersinHertfordshire.Thishashelpedinanincreaseinriskidentificationandmanagementofresidents,andtheabilitytotakehigherriskreferralswhichEmmaushasbeenunabletodointhepast.TheexperienceofrecoveryfromdrugsbytheHACROmentorTonyFranklinhasalsobeenvaluabletothesupportteamatEmmausinprovidingempathicandknowledgeablesupportandguidancetorecoveringEmmausresidents.TonyhasalsovoluntarilyofferedtobeamentortoseveralEmmausresidentsstrugglingwithaddiction,offeringadvice,encouragingtorecoverymeetingsandexplainingthedifferentsupportoptionsavailableinHertfordshire.HACROhavelearntskillsintheriskassessmentofclients,throughformalisedriskassessmentproceduresandthedifferenthomelessnessprovisionswithinHertfordshire.Thishashelpedinthesignpostingofclientstorelevanthousingagenciesandcharities.