Press information

Editor’s notes

Blue Sky DevelopmentBlue Sky Development and Regeneration is a social enterprise established by regeneration charity Groundwork Thames Valley. It employs only ex-offenders and offers them a real job with work-based training.

Blue Sky offers employment in grounds maintenance and provides the social and employment skills necessary for its employees to (re-)enter the workplace. The recruitment process and training start before release from prison.

Blue Sky is a registered company and registered charity. It works in partnership with grounds maintenance contractors in Slough, Hillingdon, Ealing and Gloucester. The company works directly with HM Prison Service, Bullingdon Community Prison, the National Probation Service, Slough and Gloucester Enterprise, the London Borough of Hillingdon, Veolia Environmental Services and Clancy Docwra.

The initiative is funded by the Henry Smith Charity, the KPMG Foundation, the Rank Foundation, the Rayne Foundation, the Tudor LankellyChase Foundation, the Drapers’ Company and the Mercers’ Company.

“Blue Sky trainees are better than agency staff, they are more focused on the task. This comes through in the quality of their work. I am very pleased with the way Blue Sky has worked.”

“Blue Sky is a worthwhile project. It is a win-win situation. A win for the company contracting Blue Sky, a win for the Local Authority, and a win for the Blue Sky employees.”

Key statistics

  • Re-offending costs the UK £11 billion each year.*
  • England and Wales release 90,000 prisoners per annum. 60% re-offend within two years.*
  • Statistics show that employment reduces the probability of re-offending by 33-50%.*
  • 75% of ex-offenders have no job on release.*
  • The estimated cost for every single re-offender is believed to approximately £200,000.*
  • 25% of all prisoners leave prison to homelessness.*
  • Employment and accommodation are the two most effective interventions in reducing re-offending.*

*Source: “Reducing re-offending by ex-prisoners”, produced by the Social Exclusion Unit 2002

Contacts

For more information about Blue Sky, please contact Malika Hamid on 01895 839840 or email at malika.hamid@groundwork.org.uk
England and Wales release 90,000 prisoners each year; 60% of prisoners re-offend within 2 years.            Re-offending costs England and Wales £12 billion each year.            Employment reduces re-offending by 33-50% but 75% of ex-offenders have no job on release.

Source: “Reducing Re-Offending by Ex-Prisoners” produced by the Social Exclusion Unit in 2002.