1. OLWEN LYNER, CEO, NIACRO
NI European Social Fund Conference 2008

3. Context Northern Ireland – 35 years of conflict
Signing of Good Friday Agreement 1998
Society in Transition
Profile of Prison Population changes as consequence of Prisoner Early Release Programme
Movement from Containment to
Resettlement
Criminal Justice Review (2000)
Resettlement Strategy

4. Employment Social Status
Long term unemployed (unemployed > 1 year) approximately 12,000
PPS targeted beneficiaries pool approximately 2,000
Current national employment programmes not connecting to PPS target group therefore EU funding
Importance of mainstreaming

5. Establishing DP (National)
Lead in time of approximately 2 years
History of bilateral working on other issues
Innovative – first time formal relationship between organisations
DP members shared resettlement agenda – time was right
Small DP – very focused

6. Relevant Size AGENCY BUDGET STAFFING NI Prison Service 112.5 m 2,100
Probation Board for NI
14 m
300
NIACRO
3.3 m 75

7. Some of the Issues
Consistency of staff personnel in statutory agencies
Development needs in terms of data capture
Differing cultures/structure
Differing priorities (disturbance/allocation)
Location of decision making
The value of the transnational
experience i.e. forming relationships and visioning change

8. Example
Fed into the Resettlement Strategy 2004 and resulted in the recommendation that “The Prison Service takes on board the learning from the NIACRO led Equal
Programme in terms of services
and approaches” Resettlement
Strategy 2004

9. By the end of Equal I
Had in place a system for employability assessments which is now carried out by NIPS or other staff (we are not involved)
Establishments have integrated employability assessment into a
holistic process

10. COLLABORATIVE AND COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE
Strategic Level: Collaborative Advantage
Assist delivery of Agency Mission
Builds inter agency social capital
Contributes to shifting mainstream policy
Catalyst for change
PPS Delivery
Operational Level: Comparative Advantage
Exploits a specific expertise
Cooperation leads to customised resettlement plan
Continuity of service delivery within and beyond prison

11. VOLUNTARY & COMMUNITY (NGO) CONTRIBUTION
Specialist knowledge, experience and/or skills
Involving the, “hard to reach” people
Independence from existing and past structures/models of service
Access to communities particularly in contested/hostile arenas
Lateral response required coordinated,
multi strand, multi sector approach
understood

12. Cont\d… Informed re issues of social exclusion
Empowerment of beneficiaries key to successful design and implementation of programmes

13. Strategic Model of Intervention:
(a) effective legislation with respect to employers and beneficiaries
(b) incentives that encourage both employers and beneficiaries to engage with employment opportunities
(c) providing support and education to employers and beneficiaries that ensure sustainability and duration within the
labour market

14. EVIDENCE FROM PPS/ REACHOUT
3 Prison establishments integrated employability assessment into holistic process (PPS)
Approx. 60% of beneficiaries completing programme secure employment (Reachout)
Reconviction rate for completers 17%, non-completers 20% compared to 45% -
general reconviction rate