The Big Issue - UK (2020-08-24)

Photos: REUTERS / Alamy Stock Photo

An innovative new programme is

helping break the cycle of reofending,

thanks to Big Issue Invest’s lending and

support scheme

Our social investment arm is supporting social enterprise

The Skill Mill, which is running an intensive project that

will employ 224 young people for six months each, helping

them gain a qualification as well as work experience, a wage

and support to move into further employment or training.

Young people with convictions or involvement in anti-

social behaviour from across seven local authorities will be

offered a six-month job with in-built support designed to

address the challenges they face and prepare them for a

successful future away from the criminal justice system.

The jobs on offer are mostly in construction and

environmental maintenance – shown to boost mental and

physical wellbeing through lots of time spent outdoors.

The participants also earn a Level 2 AQA qualification

in employability skills and The Skill Mill managing director

David Parks said: “These young people who have been

drawn into criminality need a realistic opportunity to

break the cycle. The Skill Mill achieves this by helping to

change their identity from one of offender to an employee

with legitimate income, self-respect and a desire to

change their behaviour and contribute positively to

society and the economy.”

It’s a unique collaboration between a social enterprise,

local and central government, local employers and social

investors like Big Issue Invest.

And it’s funded by an exciting social impact bond – a set-

up meaning the provider, in this case The Skill Mill, is paid

for preventing young people from reoffending.

Sergio Sanchez, investment manager for Big Issue

Invest, said: “This is an exciting partnership providing

much-needed support for young people at a time when

opportunities for work are required more than ever.”

Hunger hero

A double-masked vigilate is

taking to the streets of Chilean

capital Santiago to feed homeless

people dinner (dinner, dinner,

dinner) – Batman. The caped

crusader cooks around 100 meals

a day. He said: “Batman does not

possess superpowers, he uses

money and intelligence to help.”

Big Issue backs scheme getting

ex-offenders into work

FROM 24 AUGUST 2020 BIGISSUE.COM | 11

Photos: REUTERS / Alamy Stock Photo

Aninnovativenewprogrammeis

helpingbreakthecycleofreofending,

thankstoBigIssueInvest’slendingand

supportscheme

Oursocialinvestmentarmissupportingsocialenterprise

TheSkillMill,whichisrunninganintensiveprojectthat

willemploy 224 youngpeopleforsixmonthseach,helping

themgainaqualificationaswellasworkexperience,awage

andsupporttomoveintofurtheremploymentortraining.

Youngpeoplewithconvictionsorinvolvementinanti-

socialbehaviourfromacrosssevenlocalauthoritieswillbe

offeredasix-monthjobwithin-builtsupportdesignedto

addressthechallengestheyfaceandpreparethemfora

successfulfutureawayfromthecriminaljusticesystem.

Thejobsonofferaremostlyinconstructionand

environmentalmaintenance– showntoboostmentaland

physicalwellbeingthroughlotsoftimespentoutdoors.

TheparticipantsalsoearnaLevel 2 AQAqualification

inemployabilityskillsandTheSkillMillmanagingdirector

DavidParkssaid:“Theseyoungpeoplewhohavebeen

drawnintocriminalityneeda realisticopportunityto

breakthecycle.TheSkillMillachievesthisbyhelpingto

changetheiridentityfromoneofoffendertoanemployee

withlegitimateincome,self-respectanda desireto

changetheirbehaviourandcontributepositivelyto

societyandtheeconomy.”

It’sa uniquecollaborationbetweena socialenterprise,

localandcentralgovernment,localemployersandsocial

investorslikeBigIssueInvest.

Andit’sfundedbyanexcitingsocialimpactbond– a set-

upmeaningtheprovider,inthiscaseTheSkillMill,ispaid

forpreventingyoungpeoplefromreoffending.

SergioSanchez,investmentmanagerforBigIssue

Invest,said:“Thisisanexcitingpartnershipproviding

much-neededsupportforyoungpeopleata timewhen

opportunitiesforworkarerequiredmorethanever.”

Hunger hero

A double-masked vigilate is

taking to the streets of Chilean

capital Santiago to feed homeless

people dinner (dinner, dinner,

dinner) – Batman. The caped

crusader cooks around 100 meals

a day. He said: “Batman does not

possess superpowers, he uses

money and intelligence to help.”

Big Issue backs scheme getting

ex-offenders into work

FROM 24 AUGUST 2020 BIGISSUE.COM | 11