Ministry of Justice Transforming lives through rehabilitation and skills development

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Amey’s Clean, Rehabilitative, Enabling, Decent (CRED) programme, launched in 2018, with His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), aims to rehabilitate prisoners through work experience in painting and decorating, stores, groundworks and general maintenance.

At a glance

  • The Clean, Rehabilitative, Enabling and Decent (CRED) programme is an initiative to support prisoners.
  • CRED is a during sentence work experience programme that sees Amey employees work with prisoners to gain hands-on employability skills while improving their living conditions.
  • CRED is delivered alongside other Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and HMPPS initiatives to support rehabilitation and reintegration through improved employability skills.
  • The CRED programme has helped ex-offenders gain full-time employment outcomes within Amey’s supply chain.
  • The programme has been running since 2018 across 45 of the prisons Amey operates in and continues to grow year-on-year.

Key metrics

  • 101m

    total derived social value

  • 1,885,669

    hours of activity completed 

  • 10,700

    prisoners involved

Recognised with prestigious awards for corporate social responsibility and overall excellence, the CRED programme not only enhances prison living conditions but also significantly improves employability prospects for prisoners.

CRED not only supports with employability and skills development, but also seeks to enhance the prison environments.

Addressing Rehabilitation Through Practical Skills

The CRED programme has expanded over the past six years and is now delivered in 70% of the prisons we work across. The programme has been the building block for valuable partnerships with social enterprise companies like Paint 360 and charities like the Duke of Edinburgh International Award Foundation.

The CRED programme demonstrates our commitment to supporting prisoner rehabilitation through practical work experience. As a provider of facilities and estate management for over 61 prisons, we saw an opportunity to improve prisoners’ employability and living conditions.

The programme was designed in collaboration with clients MOJ, HMPPS, prison governors and other stakeholders and takes a proactive approach to rehabilitation by engaging prisoners through meaningful work experience and employment support. Alongside CRED, all prisoners have access to an Employment Lead and other support to help them prepare for release in the final part of their sentence.

Image of two men painting
Working with each local prison, the work experience is closely linked to an education qualification where possible, to help prisoners develop a career path to pursue upon release.

CRED’s aim is to provide prisoners with industry-standard painting and decorating and maintenance skills and health and safety training, equipping them with the necessary skills to secure employment upon release either through Amey, our supply chain or in the wider community. Working with each local prison, the work experience is closely linked to an education qualification where possible, to help prisoners develop a career path to pursue upon release. Amey is also partnering with the Duke of Edinburgh Award to help anyone on the CRED Programme to gain a Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award alongside their work-experience.

The overall approach of CRED not only supports with employability and skills development, but also seeks to enhance the prison environments, making them safer and more secure, and to foster a sense of pride and achievement among participants.

The initiative has led to improvements in prisoner behaviour, mental health, and prison standards.

Enhancing Sustainable Outcomes

Our team’s approach to delivering the CRED programme involves structured work experience within prison facilities, working alongside our employees.

Participants receive comprehensive training, including health and safety protocols and CV writing workshops, supporting them to have employability skills and be work-ready upon release. The programme's integration with Paint 360, a social enterprise company, sees the CRED programme implement the use of eco-friendly, recycled paints, aligning with our sustainability goals.

Outcomes of the CRED programme have been significant, including the refurbishment of over 8,700 cells and 1,886,669 hours of prisoner activity having taken place over the past seven years. The initiative has led to improvements in prisoner behaviour, mental health, and prison standards, as well as facilitating employment opportunities for ex-prisoners within Amey and our supply chain.

Across the lifetime of the project, our Justice team have developed partnerships with social enterprises, charities, and educators to further support rehabilitation and reintegration. Our continued commitment to social value has created a programme that is focussed on creating better solutions, delivering vital services, and putting people first. By working with various partners, CRED aims to promote sustainable employment and lower carbon footprints while supporting social enterprises and SMEs.

The CRED Programme's approach to rehabilitation benefits individuals and society.

Positive outcomes with broad societal benefits

The CRED Programme delivers significant positive outcomes for prisoners, prisons, and the wider community:

  • Regular maintenance and refurbishment projects improve prison conditions, making them safer and more decent.
  • Positive activities and a sense of achievement foster better behaviour and mental health among prisoners.
  • Training and work experience provided through CRED, supported by the Employment Lead and Employment Advisory Boards, significantly boost prisoners' employability upon release, reducing the likelihood of reoffending.
  • The programme not only aids in prisoner rehabilitation but also contributes to societal benefits by lowering reoffending rates and promoting sustainable practices within the facilities management industry.

The CRED Programme's approach to rehabilitation benefits individuals and society, creating safer prison environments, improving mental health, and fostering sustainable, long-term reintegration into the community.

The impact we made:

  • 45 Prison sites involved
  • 69,000 Hours of activity delivered per month
  • 8,700 cells refurbished to date
  • 389 prisoners involved per month
  • £101m worth of derived value delivered over the course of the scheme using THRIVE metrics
  • Won CSR award and named Best Overall Scheme in the 2020 PFM awards
  • Shortlisted IWFM & PFM awards-Social Value 2024
Image of prison cell hall way
The CRED Programme delivers significant positive outcomes for prisoners, prisons, and the wider community.

Testimonials

Peter Baker, Regional Property Operations Manager, West Midlands Prisons

“CRED has not only allowed us to maintain the estate but more importantly it has improved the spaces in which our residents and staff live and work. It has benefitted them all socially and emotionally and instilled a sense of self-worth in those doing the work and pride in the place they must live and has enthused others to adopt the same ethos. CRED has most importantly improved the mental health and wellbeing of many as they feel part of something bigger and that what they have done does make a lasting difference for all.”

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