A New Prison Employment Initiative

The Reconstruct Programme is a platform designed to provide a solution.

Acorn by Synergie have set up a simple way for you to pledge your support to supporting people with convictions into employment.

In partnership with the HMPPS (Prison Service), Acorn Recruitment Ltd are working with people with convictions across South Wales and Bristol via the three Welsh Prisons and HMP Bristol.
We go into each prison every month to work with those in their last 12 weeks of sentence that have shown a willingness to engage and are interested in a construction role.

Over a series of face-to-face sessions, we are establishing what skills, motivations and location areas are relevant for each individual. Our goal is to then try and assist with employment and training opportunities for each.

The individuals we are working with have an incredible amount of potential and in a lot of cases have construction skills that would make them a real asset to any business. There is also a tremendous motivation to turn their life around and give their all to the right company and profession.

How does it work?

The key concept is strength in numbers. The bigger the network of companies pledging their support the more chance there will be an opportunity.

By creating a collective of like-minded organisations based across the country we can help give confidence to these individuals that there is a chance for them to succeed and put something back into their communities.

Individuals could be based in a variety of various locations and could have a range of different skills. We have met Health & Safety advisors, qualified tradespeople, and energy assessors through to those looking for an opportunity as a general operative or apprentice. Because of this, we feel this works best as a collaborative solution with a large network of companies big and small pulling together to make it work.

What about CSCS cards?...

CSCS training is now being delivered within the prisons, so candidates looking to get into construction are leaving with a full CSCS card.

Acorn by Synergie are charging no fees for this service and there is no obligation to employ anyone via Acorn by Synergie

I’m not sure I could commit…

That’s the beauty of the network. The only commitment you have to give is to be open-minded and if you have a potential opening for an individual that falls into your area or line of work then you would consider them.

We appreciate that employment (especially in construction) is often down to timing and location. With enough of us within the network, we believe that it gives the best chance of employment being secured.

Being part of the network also means that Acorn by Synergie will carry out the front-end work. We will take the responsibility of going into the prisons, meeting people frequently and working with the teams to get them work ready.