Shield Services Group Offers A Second Chance At A Career

Shield Is Operating A Scheme To Help Provide Offenders With The Opportunity To Reintegrate Into Society

Over the past 12 months, Shield Services Group has founded and begun operating its Second Chance Scheme, aimed at providing offenders, finishing the remainder of their prison sentences, with the opportunity to reintegrate into society by contributing to the working world.

The brainchild of Shield Services group Chairman, Luke House, and implemented by Shield Scaffolding Services Managing Director, Jamie Angell, the scheme was developed in conjunction with the Work Experience team at HMP Leyhill. The scheme is open to category C/D offenders who are entering the final phases of their sentence and are deemed to have reformed sufficiently and have earned the trust and the opportunity to reintegrate into society ahead of their potential release.

Click Here to view of Second Chance Video.

Luke House reflected, “Shield values positive attitude and application from our colleagues and appreciates those who demonstrate a determination to succeed. That said, I am only too well aware of the pressures of modern life and the challenges presented. It’s these challenges that can cause people to make poor choices, which negatively impact the lives of others and their own, sometimes leading to a custodial sentence. These decisions don’t make a person inherently bad, and once they have finished serving time, why shouldn’t they be given a second chance?  Alongside our other social value initiatives, Second Chance has the opportunity to improve peoples’ lives.”

Jamie Angell commented, “Once we had established a relationship with the WEX team, the process for an inmate to join Shield is practically the same as any other employee within the company. We receive an application and CV and assess their suitability. We are made aware of the offence that the individual is serving time for committing to ensure that there is no conflict and risk whilst working with Shield. That information is only discussed between Luke and Myself. Once that has been agreed upon and the WEX team have carried out their relevant risk assessment, we meet with each candidate and take it from there. To date, we have provided the guys with the opportunity to train as any of our team members would and have seen them progressing onto site, completing further training and gaining qualifications.”

A representative from HMP Leyhill’s WEX team commented, “Shield has been amazing, giving a chance to those ‘Work Out’ and providing them with great training opportunities and demonstrating that there is hope for the future when they come to the end of their custodial sentences. Working as a part of a business like Shield provides the guys with the opportunity to grow, mature and earn a different level of trust, freedom and independence.”

To date, all of the Second Chance Initiative participants have expressed a desire to take a permanent role with Shield upon completion of their respective sentences. As a result of restrictions around naming those currently serving prison sentences, the participants cannot be identified.

Click Here to view of Second Chance Video.