Projects

New Skills New Lives

Cutting crime in Kent & Medway communities through support for employers and ex-offenders

New Skills New Lives is a unique project to Kent which gives ex-offenders the opportunity to train with local employers with the possibility of employment in the future and therefore reducing the risk of them reoffending.

A partnership of West Kent College, Kent County Council, Learning and Skills Council with district councils and voluntary support organisations, makes this scheme the first of its kind in the country and has been running for adults (those over 19 years old) since September 2008. Some of those who joined the scheme have now gone on to re-train as tutors and are using their own experiences to encourage others to turn their lives around.

It has now been extended to include young ex-offenders.

The project helps employers train possible new employees in a 'try before you buy' way with the opportunity to offer them a job at the end of the training, though there is no obligation to do so. After their time with New Skills New Lives, the ex-offenders are more likely to gain employment, as their training also includes academic studies with a focus on improving numeracy and literacy, making them ready to apply for work and become part of Kent's workforce and therefore breaking the cycle of reoffending after leaving prison.