A new initiative to get offenders into employment

Tuesday, 27 August 2019

Springhill prison introduced a speed recruitment day for inmates close to leaving the facilities.

Andrea Andrew thinks life should offer second chances.

That's why she's in a one of the country's largest jails talking to prisoners about a job at her automotive company when they get out.

Andrew owns and operates Hamilton business Pro Bars and is part of a new Department of Corrections initiative to help get inmates into employment before they leave prison.

At a speed recruitment day at Spring Hill Corrections facility recently she spoke about her philosophy between five-minute interviews with prisoners nearing release and thinking about life on the outside.

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The recent job expo inside Spring Hill prison was for those prisoners on work to release and nearing the end of their sentence.

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'Everyone has a history so just because some people are caught some aren't. Everybody has something in their history, don't they? So second chances I don't mind,' Andrew said.

Andrea Andrew from Pro Bars believes everyone deserves a second chance.

She thought having a the speed recruitment event and job expo inside the prison helped those involved.

'It is helpful more to them [inmates] so they can get the experience as to what we are looking for as employers and give them basic ideas of what they need to come into our industry.'

In the last 12 months nationwide there have been 1416 people placed into employment by Corrections - with 93.2 per cent of those into a full-time job.

The Waikato District was the top placement district with 120 people placed into employment.

Minister of Corrections Kelvin Davis hopes the use of speed recruitment will help inmates find jobs with business.

The top six industry groups for all placements were construction, construction services, meat and meat production, heavy and civil engineering.

Māori made up 47 per cent of those placed in jobs, 35 per cent were European and 12 per cent Pacific peoples.

Most prisoners placed into jobs were 20 to 29-year-olds.

One offender looking to do better once he's out of Spring Hill is a 26-year-old who can't be named.

Corrections regional Commissioner Terry Buffery wants employers to consider hiring those people leaving prison.

He's been in prison seven years and nearing the end of this sentence he was encouraged by the feedback from potential employers during the speed recruiting.

He entered Spring Hill at 19-years-old with a background in the automotive sector, He's open to what direction he heads in due to the training opportunities he's had inside the wire.

'It's something I have been waiting for a long time to gain a sense of belonging in employment.

'I think that it's good to know people are willing to give us a chance, especially a lot of us have a criminal back history and some of us have been in for long periods of time and it's just good to know people will employ us.'

Working stimulates the mind and helps keep you on the straight and narrow, he says.

'It gives you less room to think about negative thoughts and those old behavioural patterns so something to focus on.'

Corrections Regional Commissioner Terry Buffery said the recruitment event is for men that approaching the end of their sentence and looking for rehabilitation. Employment is a big part of that.

'Leaving Spring Hill or any prison the biggest thing we can do is give these guys some hope and some focus. Often when they go outside the hardest thing to remove is the label of being an offender or an ex-prisoner. This opportunity means they can meet face-to-face with employers who see them as real people for who they are and that means hopefully they will get employment and never come back here.

He said removing the label is important.

'You find there will be a job advert, a whole lot of CV's go in, they see there is a gap in the employment history or mention of prison, and they often get cast aside. So putting them in front of employers is better for them and their whānau.'

Minister of Corrections Kelvin Davis said that it was the first time they've had a speed recruitment event and Corrections would be watching the results carefully.

'It allows the prisoners to have one-on-one conversations so the employers have more of an opportunity to get to know the person and if they see potential. Hopefully there is the next step for them.

'The big thing is these men have got an opportunity now to sell themselves to a potential employer. That in itself can take a bit of confidence and can be quite daunting.'