Impact Newsletter - July 2023

Issue No.22 / July 2023

NCS activities have started

What’s inside...

Partnership unlocks potential for under-represented careers in London courts

NCS (National Citizen Service) is back this year with experiences away from home. All experiences take young people on a five-day, four-night trip of a lifetime to meet new people, take on new challenges, and get skills for work and life, but this year there are three themes available to allow young people to focus on what interests them the most.

We’ve been busy working with our partners getting everything ready and were excited to be taking the first groups to some of England’s best venues this month.

All the away from home experiences give young people the chance to take part in exciting adventures including outdoor challenges from raft building to zip wires and this year young people also get to choose a further focus depending on what interests them the most. Whether its career development, life skills, or a greater social purpose –there’s something for everyone!

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My digital career hit the buffers, now it’s back on track

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The team from Ingeus’ Justice division hosted an event at Voluntary Action Leicester

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CFO Veterans in Custody Support Officer (ViCSO) Awards

Do you see yourself as having the potential to make it in the world of business? Then this five-day adventure away from home is the one for you. You’ll take part in a business masterclass and action-packed challenges designed to get your creativity flowing, build your confidence, and grow your skills.

Discover life hacks you didn’t know you needed. On this five-day adventure away from home, you’ll learn survival skills, grow your confidence, and test your limits by getting stuck into adrenaline-filled activities.

Are you passionate about making a positive difference in the world? On this five-day adventure away from home, you’ll explore the important issues facing society, get inspired, and learn new skills. If you want to share your ideas for a social action project, then you’ll have the opportunity to do that too!

After months of hard work across all our teams and partners, it’s now the best time of the year for NCS with thousands of young people starting their amazing experience at over 20 locations across England!

out

about meeting our amazing young people and hearing some of the great things they get up to!

We asked young people in Somerset, Staffordshire and Aylesbury what their favourite bit about NCS was and here’s what they had to say...

The challenges and opportunities with businesslife all with fun outdoor activities!

I was sceptical at first to try things, but it has really grown my confidence to get out there and just do it!

It’s a great chance to get out the house and have new experiences.

I’ve learned more about the breaking down of business and what makes a business work.

I learned how to be courageous, also to trust myself more and push my limits.

If you want to learn more about yourself and have a really fun experience with people you don’t know then this is it, get out there and try it!

We’ve been

and

LCS Impact Awards

We are proud to receive two more LCS Impact Awards for our Continuous Improvement (CI) strategy and team impact.

In 2021, we embarked on a journey to create and embed a culture of CI, launching a three year strategy which included an Accredited internal CI Academy. The strategy was designed to enable us to deliver excellent customer service and achieve high quality performance outcomes.

One of several projects undertaken as part of an ambitious three-year plan, the Academy was launched in May 2022 to support the implementation of our strategy to increase CI awareness and capability.

Offering a flexible and blended Lean Six Sigma accredited training programme, the first programmes were delivered in 2022 and we now have 141 Change Agents across all areas of the business.

By implementing a continuous improvement methodology across the entire UK business, Ingeus has successfully and significantly increased service efficiency and effectiveness. Establishing a talented team, able to effect real change – at scale and at speed – was paramount. Change is positive when it’s owned and driven by the people at its heart – not imposed on them but developed by them. Our CI Team is expertly making that happen and the excitement around the business is palpable.

Key achievements include:

• Increased Lean & Six Sigma accredited Change Agents from 7 employees to 141 to support and deliver our strategy

• Increased CI awareness from 32 to 85%

• More than 1,700 people completed White Belt training creating significant awareness around standardisation, CI, and Lean Six Sigma

• More than 300 hours of Academy training delivered

From the Executive and senior management teams to our talented front-line staff and new starters, our CI strategy has guided and supported new ways of thinking and working. We deliver multiple services with differing demands, yet our uniting purpose to enable better lives can only be strengthened by fresh thinking, embracing change, and minimising waste, exactly what our CI strategy is now achieving.

Ingeus supports new professional development event

Ingeus is the headline sponsor for the Institute of Employability Professionals’ (IEP) inaugural Basecamp for the sector’s frontline professionals taking place on Wednesday 5th October – destined to be an unmissable event this autumn. Aptly set at the Thinktank in Birmingham it will encourage new ideas and fresh thinking in our quest to help disadvantaged jobseekers find and succeed in sustainable employment.

As an employer of more than 2,300 dedicated professionals committed to Enabling Better Lives, we

know that it’s our people that make a difference, and this event will support people to develop their knowledge and skills in key topics from their own wellbeing to complex needs, including peer to peer discussion and networking.

We hope that sponsoring the event will enable many frontline staff from across the sector to attend. We look forward to listening, learning, collaborating, and celebrating on the day as we jointly develop our professional and practical skills to be more effective and help more people.

Adam Hart, Chief Operating Officer, Ingeus UK said:

Fiona Monahan, Chief Executive, Ingeus UK said:

Holly’s Able Futures story

she was 21 years old, work became her “life and family”, but that balance proved unsustainable – particularly after the pandemic.

Seeking help last year, Holly discovered that Able Futures could provide nine months free mental health support. Funded by the Department for Work and Pensions, Able Futures delivers the Access To Work Mental Health Support Service and gives regular appointments with a mental health specialist called a Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant (VRC).

Support from Able Futures Access To Work Mental Health Support Service allowed Holly to transform her life inside and outside of work.

Twelve months ago, Holly’s mental health was deteriorating. Her work-life balance was very much unbalanced and taking its toll on her anxiety, depression and confidence.

Holly, from Chelmsford, had worked as a manager in the hospitality industry for 17 years. When her father died when

“I didn’t realise the trauma the job was creating,” recalls Holly. “People’s mentality changed after covid and, as the bar manager, I was having to deal with those issues as well as my team’s anxieties. My own anxiety rose so much and my work-life balance was terrible. I felt totally drained.”

After contacting Able Futures, Holly was soon introduced to VRC Lisa, who instantly put her at ease. “Lisa was wonderful,” says Holly. “It was so nice to speak to someone outside of work and to not be judged.

“Lisa encouraged me to talk about work and the impact it was having on my personal life. She brought to the forefront how important self-care is and gave me the tools to do it.”

Tailoring her advice to meet Holly’s needs, Lisa encouraged Holly with activities such as keeping a diary,

opening up to friends and family, and using a wish jar to make the most of days off – something that has seen Holly and her partner try rock climbing, among other experiences.

Lisa says, “Able Futures is a very practical programme. People are given the power to make a difference to their lives through the techniques they learn, and I’m here as a guide. With Holly, that difference was life-changing. It’s heartwarming to know that she’s reached the end of the programme and is where she wants to be.”

During her nine-months with Able Futures, Holly decided to leave the hospitality industry and step down from management roles. She’s now working full time in a health shop and enjoying a much-improved work-life balance.

Holly, who has since publicly thanked Lisa in a Facebook post, says, “I cried my eyes out at the end of my last session! But they were all good tears when I realised how far I’d come. Taking part in the programme gave me the confidence to look into myself deeper and accept my feelings. It also gave me the confidence to step back in my career. I’ve been given tools I will probably carry on using for the rest of my life. I’ve learned it’s ok to not be ok, and I’ve come through the other side.”

My digital career hit the buffers, now it’s back on track

When his dream of an IT job failed to materialise, Alfie ended up bartending for several years. Delighted to then land a junior web developer role, the company folded less than a year into his fledgling career.

Referred to the Government’s Restart Scheme for support, his advisor pressed all the right buttons by suggesting a place on a four-week coding bootcamp. The online course was delivered by CodeVerse, which specialises in technology training for under-represented groups including those from low socio-economic backgrounds and people with neurodiverse conditions.

With London’s chronic digital skills shortage currently running at around 29,000 vacancies, the bootcamp was designed to prepare jobseekers for roles with companies looking for workready candidates. It also supported the Ingeus and CodeVerse commitment to boost social mobility and support businesses to increase the diversity of their workforces.

“I’ve always had a love for computers and anything technical,” says Alfie, who studied games programming at university, “so the bootcamp was a great opportunity.

“I was looking to learn another computer language such as Python but found the course taught me something more insightful – understanding the basic concepts and principles of coding, not just restricting myself to one language.

“Being dyslexic I’ve always been a bit slower to learn things, so I found it useful to be able to speak to the CodeVerse tutor Gautham when I needed further explanation.

“Even when I was at uni it was hard to speak to the tutors because they had 200 other students demanding their attention, so being able to get a quick response from Gautham was helpful. I was allowed extra time to complete tasks as well.

“He told me to focus first on what each language does, rather than concentrating on just one, because the industry changes constantly.

“In the past I’ve always felt I had to cling on to one subject, but now I want to learn whatever I can to give me the best chance of making a success of any role. Ideally I want to get a job where I am learning while working and go on to build a worthwhile career.”

That aim has been given a boost by Alfie being judged as one of the bootcamp’s top performers. It saw him awarded a certificate listing his new skills, offering extra credibility to his CV.

He adds: “Through the bootcamp I feel like I’ve found a network of people who can help me and I’m much more hopeful about the future.”

Partnership unlocks potential for under-represented careers in London courts

Stephen Kerr, Senior Regional Manager, OCS, said the partnership had been instrumental in supporting the company’s drive to attract women and others currently under-represented in the security industry.

Working with Ingeus on our social value recruitment process, we have been able to recruit talented people into our workforce who have unique experiences and abilities,” he said. “In our role at HM Courts and Tribunals Service, showing our customers genuine empathy in difficult circumstances is a key skill and our Ingeus recruits have that in abundance.

An innovative partnership between Ingeus and OCS, one of the world’s leading international facilities service providers, is changing the face of London’s courts, challenging stereotypes, and offering new careers to previously unemployed jobseekers.

In a collaboration which has already seen a number of people from underrepresented groups employed as court security officers, the initiative is actively supporting the adage that workplace inclusion is not simply the right thing to do; it’s the smart thing to do.

OCS approached us to support the recruitment of court and tribunal security officers (CTSOs) in the Capital.

A large part of our work delivering the Restart Scheme in Central and West London involves helping jobseekers

harness their transferable skills, build confidence, and access roles they might never have previously considered – or have been considered for.

We worked in partnership with OCS to develop an inclusive recruitment pathway, opening up security opportunities specifically to those who had no previous knowledge of the sector. We created a three-day Routeway Course for jobseekers which included learning details of the role from existing OCS staff and a visit to a London court.

All successful candidates were offered an interview at the end of the course at Ingeus West Kensington branch. We also offered a fee-free, end-to-end recruitment service to employers and funded Security Industry Authority (SIA) licences for all the candidates; a requirement for anyone working in the private security industry. Three men and four women were offered jobs, in what it is hoped will become a model for filling further vacancies.

The newly employed security officers will be working in crown, magistrates’, and family courts, close to their homes in London.

Ann-Marie Conlon-Taylor, OCS Social Value Manager, HMCTS contract added: “Working with Ingeus helps us access people who have faced barriers to work, but who are being properly supported in a professional manner into employment. We were very impressed with the calibre of applicants put forward.”

Ingeus National Employer Account Manager Jenny La Rocque worked in collaboration with Tracy HixsonWilliams, Social Value Manager for the pioneering People into Work Programme at OCS, and praised them for taking the time to invest in the development of the partnership and their willingness to support diverse participants.

She said: “OCS’s work ethic and values align with those of Ingeus. They want to support people who need a helping hand back into employment and make a social impact. Its People into Work programme specifically targets socially and economically disadvantaged people, helping them to gain and sustain good work.”

Ingeus Lived Experience Event

The team from Ingeus’ Justice division hosted an event at Voluntary Action Leicester to celebrate the value of lived experience and the ongoing success of the Ingeus Academy for Peer Mentors. The event was held to acknowledge the excellent contribution made by Ingeus Peer Mentors, who all have lived experience of the criminal justice system.

Ben Humphris, Ingeus Service User Involvement Lead, opened the event, talking passionately about the Ingeus Academy and the commitment to harnessing the experiences, enthusiasm, and most of all, wisdom that lived experience employees and volunteers bring to the organisation and criminal justice sector.

There were over 50 guests who attended the event, with representation from His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), Police, Public Health, and the Violence Reduction Network. The agenda consisted of several Ingeus staff talking bravely through their own personal journeys, including details of early years, personal tragedies, significant trauma, and the impact of decision making and accountability. The stories shared were both sad and poignant, but had powerful endings to inspire others.

Some spoke about how they had turned their lives around and were grateful to be working for an organisation that provides opportunity

for them to use their own previous experiences to support others. They spoke about the Ingeus Academy and how it had helped several of them break a cycle that had been present in their own families for many years, and the sense of belonging they’ve found in their employment with Ingeus. One individual talked about how he had been able to transfer his skills from selling cars and mobile phones to now selling confidence, belief, and a positive future to the people on probation that he was supporting.

James Foreman Regional Manager for the Justice services in the East Midlands commented,

“The event was fantastic! It provided an insight into the amazing work that staff

are undertaking, the impact it has on reducing reoffending and how crucial lived experience is to the delivery of our justice services. There were statements of feedback and videos from people on probation who had benefitted from the passion and support from the individuals we were hearing from and how important it was that people had support from someone they could relate to. The event left everyone feeling inspired”.

We will continue to develop the Academy and provide a route for our lived experience Peer Mentors and volunteers to keep progressing and gain experience in other areas of the business.

A clean slate for Dayle

Dayle took his first step towards a better future – and a new job – when he was referred to Commissioned Rehabilitative Services (CRS), delivered by Ingeus.

He’d never been in trouble before, but after falling foul of the law and spending 11 weeks in custody, Dayle was feeling hopeless. How could he piece his life back together and reintegrate back into society?

Under the programme, people on probation are given tailored support to change their lives for the better and reduce their risk of reoffending. Advice is offered on everything from accommodation, personal wellbeing and finances, to managing substance addiction and improving access to employment or training opportunities.

Dayle was referred to the Education, Training and Employment team in Derbyshire and was given support to improve his employability skills. “They started giving me some hope, some belief,” says Dayle. “I thought, actually, there is a way I can get back to feeling like a valued member of society.”

After building his confidence, Dayle attended our peer mentor training academy and began working as a volunteer, giving advice and support

to other service users. When a job vacancy arose for a personal wellbeing mentor, Dayle grabbed it with both hands. We recognise the value of lived experience, and how people who have been through the justice system are best equipped to empathise with and support others. Now, as a personal wellbeing mentor, Dayle is helping other people on probation to turn their lives around.

Personal wellbeing advisor Parm Rai says: “If there’s any intervention, in the community itself, then we’ll assign that client to Dayle and he can actually attend appointments with people.” He adds that peer mentors like Dayle can build a rapport with service users more quickly. “It’s almost like it’s giving people hope that there is a positive future, to someone that’s had a negative background.”

Dayle, who previously worked in retail management, is now enjoying making a positive difference to people’s lives. “It feels good that I get the opportunity to help people,” he says. “I’ve been through something similar, like when you first get to prison, the initial [being frightened] and when you first come out you’ve got no one beside yourself.”

Knowing how valuable the help from us has been for him personally, Dayle is keen to ensure others reap the benefits from CRS too. He adds: “I promote it, I’m an advocate for it, and I try to steer them in the right direction.”

Charity bike ride for Compton Care

Setting off on a charity bike ride from Wolverhampton to Aberdovey, Will Allcott, Information Security Officer, embarked on a journey filled with highs and lows to raise money for Compton Care,

a

charity that helps provide palliative care.

The ride was a fantastic opportunity to meet different groups of cyclists along the way and experience cycling through various terrains and seeing different sights. Keen cyclist Will travelled en route through the scenic landscapes of Snowdonia, cycling uphill to the top of Dina’s Pass through torrential rain and hail along the way.

Despite the challenges faced, Will never gave up and seeing a sign which read ‘It’s not too late’ gave him the determination to continue and reach the end point in Aberdovey, Wales.

Will successfully completed the route and said, “It’s great to know by doing this ride that it makes a real difference to Compton Care and their ability to care for their patients.”

Well done Will!

Disability Confident: Dispelling the myths

In July, we spoke to local government authorities on the simple steps to being a Disability Confident Employer for Disability Pride Month.

One easy step is to spread the word of being a Disability Confident registered employer and actively

sharing inclusion processes and tools. Another step we take is giving a helping hand towards jobseekers experiencing barriers to work and offering our employment support activity free of charge.

Check out the blog by Grant Neems, Stakeholder Engagement Director at Ingeus on the Local Government Association site.

CFO Veterans in Custody Support Officer (ViCSO) Awards

Ingeus’ Head of Delivery for CFO3, Gary Smith, and Katie Jones attended the inaugural Custody Support Officer (ViCSO) Awards, which took place in Birmingham on Tuesday 11th July to

celebrate the achievements and ongoing efforts of ViCSOs.

As former Royal Navy veterans, Gary and Katie were proud to be at the ceremony which gave recognition to Prison Officers supporting Veterans in Custody around the country, that operate in prisons supported by CFO.

Gary said, “Having a ViCSO in a prison is a real saviour to many, as they are able to express how they feel and gain realistic support specific to veterans and their families. They can then work on getting through their sentences, accessing help and peer support, and prepare for a positive release with connections waiting for them in the community.”

New investment in evidence-based programme to reduce serious violence in Leicestershire

We’re proud to be a part of the new intervention Phoenix Programme launching in Leicester City and surrounding areas. It’s designed to reduce the violence and crime in the area by addressing the issues experienced of the young people and adults that are

involved in the offences and support them on a better path.

The new intervention has been designed by the partnership behind the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Violence Reduction Network and is co-funded by the Home Office and the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF). Delivery of the Phoenix Programme started late June 2023 and will continue until August 2025.

Getting to know you...

Helen Buddrige, Marketing Manager Business Partner

As the Marketing Manager Business Partner my role touches on all aspects of marketing. Day-to-day activities can involve anything from strategy, reporting and budget management, to coordinating filming and photography, designing new assets, managing events, issuing media releases, compiling e-shots, and much more.

We asked Helen to answer life’s essential ‘this or that’ questions:

Summer or Winter? Summer sun but not too hot.

Chocolate or sweets? Can’t I have both?

Night or morning?

I’m an early riser but not by choice. My kids get me up before 6am most days.

City or countryside?

I’m very much a city girl.

Cats or dogs? Cats.

Dressed up or casual? Casual 95% of the time but it’s nice to dress up occasionally.

Phone calls or emails? Phone calls are far more personal.

Books or films?

I used to be a bookworm but just don’t have the time anymore, so films.

“I

One highlight that stands out so far from my time in the role was filming with The Body Shop at their new store in Battersea Powerstation. It is an impressive location and hearing participant’s share their stories firsthand really touched me.”

Night out or night in? Night in - trash TV and a take-away!

Holidays or home comforts?

There’s no place like home.

This month we stopped to take a minute to find out more about Helen, Marketing Manager Business Partner, in the spotlight.

would describe myself as a jack-of-all-trades, which has led me to a career in marketing and communications. I love variety, problem solving and working on multiple consecutive projects at any given time. There’s no time to get bored in marketing - no two days are ever the same!