Prison Leaver Support

Here at Aspire we’re not fussed about your past – we just want to work with you in the present to help you build yourself a better future. We've been working with people who are in custody or have recently left prison for years, and we can give you the specialist support needed to find employment, training, work experience or education. Our support projects include:

Restart Thames Valley

Aspire are a partner in the Restart Thames Valley pilot project, which aims to work with over 350 prison leavers as they move on from Bullingdon and Bronzefield prisons from June 2022, improving access to stable accommodation, mentoring, training, job readiness and employment opportunities, support networks and place-based community interest groups, with 'meet at the gate' support.

Partners of the initial phase running to April 2023 included the Probation Service, the Local Criminal Justice Board and a variety of voluntary and community organisations, with delivery led by Aspire, Browns Community Services, Connection Support and Thames Valley Partnership, with funding from the Ministry of Justice Local Leadership and Integration Fund (LLIF).

The programme is now funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner and South Central Probation, supporting men leaving prison who are resettling into the Thames Valley region, with the ultimate aim of reducing reoffending. RESTART works on a consent-based model, offering support to those who don’t currently receive multi-agency support (Integrated Offender Management (IOM) and Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA)), and consent can be withdrawn at any stage.

NHS Liaison & Diversion Peer Support and Reconnect project

We are providing Peer Support to prison leavers to sustain their rehabilitation through the Reconnect Programme, in partnership with the NHS Liaison & Diversion Service.

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Suhail started his placement with Aspire’s enterprise team in December 2019 whilst in custody. With no housing support in place for SU when he was due to leave HMP Spring Hill, Aspire worked to acquire and cover the cost of temporary accommodation for SU while more secure housing plans and financial support could be arranged, preventing him from facing homelessness on his release from prison. SU is now living in supported housing in Oxford and has worked with Aspire to find part-time work with a local company.

"Whilst in custody, Aspire helped me to gain work experience with their landscaping and gardening team and I really enjoyed this work. Aspire have gone out of their way to help me, securing longer-term accommodation in Oxford and finding furniture for my room, following my custody release. They have helped me to find a part-time job, so I am now settled and appreciate everything done for me."

Get in touch

To talk to our team about these projects, please contact Tracy Harrison on 07395 791494 or at [email protected]