The Reasons Why Foundation supports people who have been involved in crime through the difficult transition out of prison. Currently, around half of the people that we release from our prisons will reoffend within a year - a deeply troubling fact that demonstrates the gravity of the challenges facing ex-prisoners, and the inadequacy of the support provided to them by the state.
RWF helps ex-prisoners to tackle some of these challenges - from gaining professional qualifications and securing employment, to finding a place to live, to locating the support they need for mental health and dependency issues, to reconnecting with their communities and building positive social networks.
Over the past six months of volunteering with RWF, I've seen the extraordinary impact that its work has for its clients, their families, and their communities. The support that they provide profoundly changes the courses of a great many lives, and only 4% of ex-prisoners that they have supported have reoffended.
You can find out more about RWF here: http://www.therwf.org/
As part of a group of RWF workers and volunteers, I'm taking part in the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge. The walk is 24 miles, and includes 1585m of ascent.
Please donate what you can to support the amazing work that RWF do!
Some of the issues:
- 40% of prisoners lose their tenancy while inside. At least 11% have nowhere to stay upon release.
- Only a quarter of those leaving prison will find employment upon release.
- Half of those leaving prison have no school qualifications.
- 57% have literacy skills below those expected of a 12 year old. This can make navigating the benefits system and accessing support from councils and GPs extremely difficult.
- The cost of reoffending in the UK is estimated to be £15bn a year.
- One in five prisoners diagnosed with a mental health problem receive no treatment while inside. 20% of prisoners display symptoms indicative of psychosis.
