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Steve’s Blog – Cycling for Charity

Posted by bluesky, 31 May 2013 |
in Blog, News.

Earlier this year I approached Mick May asking whether Blue Sky could help out with a charity bike ride from Lands End to John O’Groats. Without batting an eyelid he said it was the right thing to do because charities in a position to support other 3rd sector organisations should do so if possible.

In May Blue Sky donated my time (5 Days), a Blue Sky crew-cab tipper and fuel to help Robbie Lynch, Tom O`Riordan and Brian McKeown in their bid to reach John O Groats from Lands End on their bicycles. Their chosen charities are O.S.C.A.R, Medecins Sans Frontiers and Autism NI and this is my blog detailing the beginning of their journey.

Day 1 Slough – St Just

I am going to be the support driver carrying the lads’ gear from A to B… no cycling for me! We get to the village of St. Just for our first night and get chatting to the locals in the pub about the adventure. A hat was promptly passed around and £22 was raised in an instant. Not bad for our first night.

Early to bed and then I was woken up at 1am by Robbie’s impression of The Hogwarts Express. By 1.30am I found myself in the back of the Blue Sky van in my sleeping bag… much quieter!

Day 2 Lands End – Fowey

After a hearty breakfast we drove the 5 miles to Lands End and with the rain lashing down and the 70mph wind behind them they set off. I stocked up on tea, pasta and crisps to offer the lads when they got half way through the stage. I couldn’t believe how wet it was but the boys eventually arrived at the hostel soaked to the bones.

This time I bagged a single room – no steam train ruining my sleep tonight!

Day 3 Fowey – Mortonhampstead

A much better day weather wise – dry with a light breeze. My first port of call was the fairy shop in Polperro to write a letter to the fairies on behalf of my daughter Lauren – mission accomplished.

I met the boys in the picturesque fishing port of Looe. After a cuppa the lads headed off to the halfway mark of Stage 2 at Torpoint and then to Mortonhampstead.

I’ll be honest, my thoughts were on the Europa League cup final in Amsterdam where my team Chelsea were playing Benfica. I dumped the bags and went across the road to the Union Pub where I met John (an Arsenal fan) and Tom (a Spurs fan). CHELSEA WON and there was a group hug between us 3 Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea fans (never to be repeated).

Day 4 Mortonhampstead – Glastonbury

Last night Brian managed to sleep through the Hogwarts Express… apparently his wife is terrible snorer and he’s used to it!

It was a beautiful sunny day today. I managed to get a bit of training in for my 10k charity run I had coming up and even got in a cheeky snooze in the van. I then drove through Taunton which was a rather scary descent but with some wonderful views. The lads did so well on their bikes and weren’t dripping wet for once when they stopped for the night.

Day 5 Back home (for me anyway)

 

We all shook hands and I wished the fellas the best of luck as this was my last day with the gang. On the way home I stopped off to fill the van with diesel but I didn’t notice a large sign saying STOP LOW CANOPY until it was too late and… CRUNCH. All sorted now and the owner said it happens a few times a year!

This was a remarkable adventure and I was very proud to be part of it at the beginning. What they are doing is remarkable. But, as I sit at my desk writing this they are still sat on their bicycle seats in the wind and rain – I’m sure you’ll all join me in wishing them good luck. If you would like to donate to their worthy causes then please use the links below.

Many thanks

Steve, Teams Director

http://www.justgiving.com/Robert-Lynch1

http://www.justgiving.com/Tom-O-Riordan

http://www.justgiving.com/Brian-Mckeown

Mick’s Blog – Chris Graying MP visits Blue Sky’s VICTOR team

Posted by bluesky, 21 March 2013 |
in Blog, News.

Chris Grayling MP with Jonjo (a former Victor employee of Blue Sky)

Earlier this month we had the pleasure of hosting a visit by Chris Grayling to our “Victor” team in Chatham, in conjunction with our partners in this initiative, Royal British Legion Industries and Medway Council, without whom…

It has long been a conviction of mine that whilst the UK is involved in a hot conflict, as a society we need to confront both the issue and the number of ex-service personnel who end up in prison. Here they are termed “ViC’s” – Veterans in Custody. The data suggest that at any time there are between 2-3,000 such individuals. Our belief is that these people, who have served their country and often at great risk to themselves are owed the very best opportunities upon release. This is a good area for Blue Sky, not least because we take our name from the Ballad of Reading Gaol and, to paraphrase Michael Caine, not a lot of people know that the poor individual hanged at the poem’s conclusion was a former soldier in the Blues and Royals.

Our solution is the Victor programme – note (again) the name. Within this we only employ ex-offenders with a service record. The first such team is contracted to Medway Council. Establishing this has been amongst the most challenging and rewarding work that we have ever done. One of the reasons for this is that finding these people is strangely difficult; there is a tendency to avoid disclosure of either the criminal record or the service one. Whatever the reason, usually when we advertise vacancies, filling them does not represent a challenge; in this case what normally takes an afternoon required three months. But once operational, the value of our collective efforts became clear. As you might expect the work ethic and quality of delivery were very high. Soon the council asked the team to maintain the common areas in front of their beautifully-situated offices – an example of social value delivery at its best, surely.

With a job providing them a secure basis for rebuilding their lives we and RBLI were able to work on other issues such as getting the homeless into better accommodation (through our housing loan scheme) and identifying the ideal training to ensure that their time with us leads onto a job for life. Along the way families have been re-united.

This may be only a small part of our overall work, but Chris Grayling’s visit reminded me of its disproportionate value. It is something we plan to grow much bigger, along with our friends at RBLI.

Mick’s Blog – The Rehabilitation Revolution

Posted by bluesky, 27 February 2013 |
in Blog, News.

The more avid viewers of the BBC News Channel may have spotted me being interviewed by Huw Edwards along with my friend and colleague Steve Finn. Those who know me well will know that I’m actually quite reserved, so the prospect of appearing live on a national broadcaster was completely nerve wracking. It all passed off pretty well though, principally because Huw is a charming and warm personality. As you do, we discussed football beforehand; he supports Swansea, Steve is an avid Chelsea fan, and despite the imminent clash between the teams in the FA Cup it created a rapport.

Why did I start with this? Well, the reason we were there was that Chris Grayling, the Justice Secretary, had that day announced his “Rehabilitation Revolution”. The procurement exercise that will accompany this is going to be the biggest exercise in contracting out Government services this side of the next election. Not surprisingly, therefore, it has created considerable activity within the justice sector.

For much of the past 7 years my metaphorical position has been that of a wallflower at a dance. Or, as Keats would have put it, “alone and palely loitering”. Recently that would appear to have changed, and since the New Year Blue Sky has been receiving proposals from some interesting suitors. What has happened to change this?

I think it’s this. Everyone who is going to be bidding in the forthcoming tenders (of which the aggregate contract values are put at £500m – £1bn pa) recognises the impact that employment has on re-offending. There is a growing realisation that the likely winners all have huge workforces.  How much better are their bids going to look if they are able to point to hundreds of jobs being created for ex-offenders by them? So suddenly a social enterprise that knows how to win contracts in the nation’s supply chains and is already employing close on 150 ex-prisoners every year appears no longer the Ugly Duckling. To mix my metaphors.

I’m sure this is a theme to which I will be returning in the coming months……

Mick’s Blog – A Student Again…

Posted by bluesky, 29 January 2013 |
in Blog, News.

“Plans are nothing, planning is everything”

As Ike Eisenhower remarked. And let’s be honest he knew a thing or two about it.

This is the time of year when we have always done our business planning. This year it has taken on a whole new aspect for me as a result of Goldman Sachs’s 10,000 Small Businesses programme (“10ksb”) which I attended from last September to December. Delivered in partnership with a bunch of academics from University College London, it involved ten weekly modules, each 8 hours in length. And of course then there was the homework. In its own way, therefore, a real boot camp for 30 small and growing enterprises, from ethical building to biotech and travel wraps to training.

Goldman’s aim in establishing the programme is to stimulate growth and jobs in each of the participants, with a structured Business Growth Plan as the route map. In consequence the abbreviated initials “BGP” have become etched in my brain, and it is an enormous relief to me that in the last fortnight (uncharacteristically in advance of the deadline) I finished it and sent it off to my tutor.

Notwithstanding the slog, 10ksb has been a bit of a revelation. Whilst it was taking place I found the academic content and disciplines challenging and invigorating – frequently I wondered how I could have missed something so obvious or been so stupid. As the plan took shape, though, a clearer picture of where Blue Sky is positioned and where it might go emerged.

The timing was highly fortunate as it is clear that the Ministry of Justice is undergoing a major rethink of the way it commissions services to reduce re-offending. Having a clear picture of Plans A, B and even C for Blue Sky at such a juncture is thus a godsend.

And then there were my fellow students. A varied and rather wonderful group of people.  After I had made a presentation at one point the course leader asked them who would now take an ex-offender into their business; approx. 50% raised their hands. A moment that moved me greatly.

So we now have a plan and it’s pretty ambitious. Fortunately we have 2 other things – the team to put it into effect and belief. And having started with the thoughts of one US president let me close with those of another:

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there”

- Theodore Roosevelt

Mick’s Blog – Private sector supply chains

Posted by bluesky, 11 January 2013 |
in Blog, News.

The New Year should begin with happiness and hope. Being a soul who believes that any glass I see is half full, if not on occasion brimming over, it will be easy to comply. Quoting the one and only Ian Dury, therefore, there are reasons to be cheerful, part one, two and three. This may counter the prevailing wisdom somewhat, but hey!

In the past 6 months I have been wearing out the leather of my shoes discussing with financial institutions how they might engage in addressing the seemingly intractable problem of recidivism. The Blue Sky solution to this is always simple and direct – through employment. To begin with I expected to be met with justified scepticism, if not howls of derision. I mean, the proposition of bank-robbers working in banks is one to savour. But no, something rather wonderful is happening. Rather than being shown the door after tea and biscuits, I’m invited back to further meetings. Security is inevitably something of a hurdle; however it would appear to me more in the spirit of the 110 metres than the Horse of the Year Show’s puissance.

So what’s different? Two things, I think.

First, with all the professionals I meet there is the opposite of a recoil from the challenges that seem to bedevil our society; instead there appears to be a positive rush to understand root causes, and to take a lead.

Secondly and most signally for my focus of interest, there is an increased recognition of the power of their supply chains. This has been accompanied by an understanding of the numbers involved and the types of jobs they do. In short the larger City firms spend significant sums on their suppliers who employ dozens of low-skilled workers. Now these jobs are not sought after by most (creating a labour problem for the contractors) but they are a perfect entry point to many many people normally excluded from the labour market. Such as those with literacy issues, or ex-prisoners, or both. Add to this an understanding of the impact a single job can make to someone and the gratitude that comes with it and the scene is set.

As if to amplify this message, in the days before Christmas we heard that criteria for a Blue sky team had cleared the security department of one such global financial brand. More than this, once the model has been tested we will co-market the initiative. Of course, being the type of organisation we are we are going to ensure success before telling a soul. But these are undoubtedly the first steps in what I predict will be an exciting journey. And if it doesn’t ruin the image somewhat – I’m not sure there will be that many bank-robbers in our teams, or fraudsters come to that. But there will be plenty of ex-offenders from local communities, working, paying tax and getting their lives back onto the rails. Now that is an image to start the year with.

Mick’s Blog – our Work Programme performance

Posted by bluesky, 12 December 2012 |
in Blog, News.

The Christmas period is traditionally one of good tidings. It would be churlish of me to buck this trend, therefore, and I have no intention of doing so.

Two reasons.

1. We have recently released only the second version of our website in 7 years. Blue Sky is an organisation which prides itself on practicality and simplicity. Our old website had an earthy feel in line with the functional way in which we approach our mission. I rather liked it in consequence, and was delighted when the communications pros at 10 Downing Street endorsed it this during our year as their Social Action Partner. However, increasingly all and sundry (as well as my children) have told me it’s time for an overhaul. We now have an infinitely more flexible platform which will ensure that we can use it to keep people up to date better, and I hope you’ll agree it’s more accessible. We designed it for you, though, and not us – so we would welcome any suggestions as to how we can make it better still.
2. The Government’s flagship employment initiative, the Work Programme, has been much in the news recently. Last month official figures showed that only 3.53% of participants had stayed in work for 6 months or greater. Here at Blue Sky we have taken on 48 Work Programme referrals, of whom 16 have stayed with us for a similar or greater period. And that proportion will, in all likelihood, rise. A happy and hopeful message, therefore, with which to end the year. A performance that is 10x better than the national average! And 100% comprised of ex-offenders.