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Following the success of three Clink Kitchens pilot sites set up in February 2018 at HMP Bristol, HMP Risley and HMP Styal, The Clink Charity and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service are delighted to announce the adoption of the scheme across more UK prisons.
The Clink Kitchens is the latest programme developed by The Clink Charity as part of their Clink Integrated Rehabilitation Program (CIRP). For the first time in custodial services, the sector is driving the training and shaping the work experience for the individuals looking to enter the hospitality industry. The Clink Charity has been working in partnership with HMPPS for the past 11 years delivering the unique integrated training programme to prisoners on the inside and on release. The Clink Charity continues to work and support Clink Graduates upon release, helping them reintegrate back into society and fulltime employment.
The Clink Kitchens project is being fully funded by The Clink Charity due to the generosity and support of grant maintaining trusts and philanthropists including Julia and Hans Rausing, Porticus and Sandy and Sue Arbuthnot over a 3-year commitment.
Prisons Minister Lucy Frazer MP, said: ‘This expansion of the catering programme is testament to the thousands of training and job opportunities it has provided for offenders over the years. Cutting reoffending and its vast cost to society is a priority for this government. Training within prison leads to employment on release, which we know has such a positive impact on ex-offenders, their families and communities, and ultimately reduces crime’.
Finlay T K Scott, Chairman of The Clink Charity said: ‘Reducing crime and improving all of our lives is at the heart of what The Clink does. This latest initiative in partnership with HMPPS underlines the tremendous impact The Clink programme has had over the last ten years. We will build upon the success of our innovative integrated programme and roll out CIRP across the prison estate. This platform will dramatically increase the number of students we are able to rehabilitate with the subsequent impact upon reoffending figures’.
All Clink training projects replicate a real-life working environment on the inside whilst the students work towards gaining their City and Guilds National Vocational Qualifications Levels 1, 2 and 3. Students gain soft skills such as learning to work as part of a team, growing in confidence and improving their communication skills. The students train up to 35 hours per week, preparing them to be ‘work ready’ upon release. Supported by NFN and HMPPS, The Clink will deliver training in up to 70 prisons over the next 3 years. This will enable up to 2,000 men and women in prisons to achieve qualifications in hospitality and gain employment upon release, proven to dramatically reduce reoffending.
This new programme will be delivered in the main prison kitchens by Clink Kitchens trainers and assessors who are all hospitality industry professionals. Headed up by Gregg Brown, Director of Training and working alongside Jane Sanderson, Operations Director, the course will be available for prisoners to volunteer for training whilst working in the prison kitchens preparing and cooking over 80k hot meals a day for their fellow prisoners. The Clink Integrated Rehabilitation Programme (CIRP) is a unique programme which remains with the student at every stage of their training. From working with students on the inside to meeting graduates at the gate upon release, The Clink Charity ensures each Clink Graduate is supported in the community for a minimum of 12 months. The hugely successful collaboration between The Clink Charity and HMPPS is now able to replicate and scale up the learnings of CIRP over the past 11 years. The Clink will be able to increase the number of students daily from 220 to 800 a day.
For interviews, images or media enquiries please contact: mediaenquiries@theclinkcharity.org
