President's Charity for the year 2012/13: The Clink
RestaurantThe aim of The Clink Charity is to reduce
re-offending rates of ex-offenders by training and placing graduates upon their
release into the hospitality industry. The charity
represents a genuine opportunity for change, offering prisoners the chance to
gain food preparation, food service and cleaning qualifications as well as
experience within an exciting, operational business and in-depth guidance to
find full-time employment within the hospitality industry upon release. The
Clink Charity operates the Clink Restaurant in collaboration with HMP High
Down, the Prison Service and the Ministry of Justice and is looking to develop
The Clink concept in other prisons throughout the UK, as well as in external
public locations. | The
issue of re-offending has become one of the most pressing challenges facing
society today. 49% of prisoners released in the UK re-offend within the first
year and for those who serve sentences under 12 months this increases to 61%.
It is now recognised that the record levels of inmates in prison is not helping
to reduce crime. The aim of The Clink Charity is to
reduce re-offending rates of ex-offenders by training and placing graduates
upon their release into the hospitality industry. Once released prisoners are
placed into the ex-offender career mentoring scheme supported and run with the
help of hospitality education charity Springboard.As part
of the programme graduates receive dedicated support from their mentor to seek
full-time employment within the hospitality sector as well as help to secure
accommodation, obtain financial help, open a bank account and anything else to
ease their reintegration back into society.85 prisoners
have been or are currently being trained in The Clink Restaurant to date
25 have successfully been released into full time
employment |