Guest Blog 73

My Journey to Breaking the Cycle

Along my seven-year sentence I had several probation officers come and go, each with their own ideas on what I should and should not do sentence plan wise. To my horror a few months before my release date I was given a young inexperienced new school of thinking rookie who decided I would be put on MAPPA high risk and placed in an Approved Premises or Bail Hostel as we old timers call them. Despite my exemplary prison record and D category status for my last 12 weeks, having day release with no issues, this was the stance they thought was best for the publics protection.

The day of release came, and I walked myself down to reception one last time carrying a bag of letters and cards, received my £46 pounds discharge grant and that was it. I went straight down to Xxxxxx library to see a lady called Xxxxxx who worked for a council initiative to get people into work. We met in the prison library one day when I attended a jobs fayre for prisoners soon to be released. I had been doing a lot of construction related courses on day release with a charity, so it only made sense to approach Xxxxxxx for a construction job. After all, who else would employ an ex lag like me I thought?

Xxxxxx was shocked I had walked in with my prison bags before going to my approved premises, but I was determined to work so they were my first point of call. They told me to go to the hostel, unpack my few belongings and come see them the following day to look at different options for employment. I also had to attend probation, so I left, dropped my bags off at the bail hostel and headed to probation to meet my officer.

Again, my officer had been changed but this was not a bad thing as my latest officer was a veteran of probation managing high risk releases and lifers for years. They were not from this new breed of risk assessing 'can’t see the wood for the trees' new breed of probation officer, they was old school. I eyeballed the officer up and down, they had white hair and looked near retirement. They told me had never recalled anyone of their own doing and said could see I should not be classed as a high risk MAPPA based on the conversations of outlooks and attitudes we both had about my willingness to better myself.

I left that first meeting somewhat alleviated of the massive anxieties I had around getting recalled for next to nothing as had happened in the past. Some would send you back for being five minutes late to an appointment. This officer was different, and I liked them, gave me the breathing space I needed and the reassurance I was not treading on egg shells regarding a recall.

A few days after release Xxxxxxx directed me to a job screening for a Demolition specialist apprenticeship. I attended and was shortlisted to the final 5 from about 20 applicants by Xxxxxxx project as part of a Council initiative to get residents into work. I attended final interview in an ill-fitting suit from pre-prison days and got the job there and then due to my affiliation with the project who had close ties to the Developer. Probation were flexible, and I attended weekly sessions with my officer who step by step slowly took all the MAPPA risk markers off me rendering me low risk.

I made sure even though essentially a demolition labourer disguised as an apprentice, I worked hard and long hours, including Saturdays to keep me away from the awful Approved Premises where danger lurked behind every corner. I’ll give you an example, one day a plumber came to fix the loo at the AP, a resident walked into the bathroom and beat him to a pulp for no reason whatsoever. The poor guy left his van for weeks in the drive traumatised to return to work.

Living in this ill run hostel made me save and save until 10 months later I had enough to rent my own double room. My officer, upon seeing I was working and abiding to the rules allowed me to move and I was thrilled to have my own space albeit in a rough estate tower block on an infamous estate and in a flat share.

A year in to my apprenticeship my employer broke health and safety protocol damaging my wrist permanently. After mentoring gangs for them, going on video shoots about reformed characters and meeting MP’s, I was dropped like a stone and left unable to pay my rent. With a heavy heart I packed my belongings in a bag and dumped what I couldn’t carry as I was heading to Xxxxxx on a mega bus to stay on a friend’s sofa for a while to get back on my feet. I transferred probation and had a lovely lady, again old school.

Desperate for work, I applied for everything and anything including giving out leaflets. Unbeknownst to me my brother had called a new start up construction recruitment agency pretending to be me and arranged an interview. My brother is a good talker like me and I went along to the interview having never set foot in an office in my life. The employer hired me as a resourcer on £18k pa with 10p per hour bonus for every person I placed into a construction vacancy. I very quickly discovered a talent for sales and working 7.30am to 7pm at night I doubled my £18k with all my commission and 4 months later was offered a £5k pay rise and promotion to recruitment consultant, another promotion followed 3 months after that.

Probation saw me monthly at 6pm and I carried on for 18months making a name for myself in the business and building a busy desk and growing our brand and staff numbers from two of us to a team of six. I began to get headhunted and offers to jump ship and agreed to take a new job with a competitor with better pay and less hours as my fiancée and I had just had a little girl. I handed in my notice and kept quiet about where I was going and worked out my notice period, before it was leaked where I was going. So my once loving MD’s after trying to persuade me sacked me for being 10min late one morning due to train problems on my two-hour commute.

That was their way of getting out of paying my commissions earned and I went straight into my new job with our biggest competitor. Although verbally disclosing I had a record, my manager informed me I am a good chap and good at my job so keep it between me and him. One month in to my new job and fatherhood my old company blanket emailed that I was an ex prisoner to everyone in my company as well as our local competitors. I was immediately dismissed because nobody wanted me tied to their brand.

It was at this moment the Council had a Business Engagement Officer vacancy in their Work Match team which I attended the interview and got the job as a temp. My now wife and baby moved to a small dingy bedroom and I set to work in my new role. The general manager of my team was the very person who got me the demolition labourer/ apprentice job when I was released from prison. This time nobody could stitch me up and get me the sack because my employer knew my past and knew I had proved myself over the last two and a half years.

I quickly saved enough to rent a lovely place in leafy Xxxxxx and have now been taken on fixed term on a contract by the council. I often go into prisons to inspire the inmates that I have a gov.uk email after two and a half years with no formal education and that employers are willing to help ex-offenders especially in my locality.

I help residents acquire employment, apprentice opportunities and work experience on major developments by working with developers under the section 106 clause in their contracts. Looking back two and a half years ago or a little bit longer I am amazed hard work, resilience and not giving up has got me this far. I have met some great people and made many good contacts.

Seven years in prisons was enough to wake me up and decide to choose life. It was not easy getting here but I got here by persistence and hunger, with a little bit of help from my beloved wife. If I can do 11 sentences and rack up 60 convictions spending half my life in prison and come out working in a business role for a major Borough, anyone can do it. My advice is never give up and when one door closes a better one will open.

Believe in yourself - you are capable of anything.

Anon.