Employment, Training and Education

WRAP – Work Readiness Programme

In 2010, only 4% of our Service Users were in any form of employment on arrival and the majority had been unemployed for five years or more. In a recent Service User survey 90% were ready and wanting to work. With the increase in national unemployment and the fact that most Offenders in Penrose have no or limited work experience this pushes our Service Users even further away from the job market.

Following the successful pilot last year, we are now able to offer accredited pre-employment training for all our Service Users and external unemployed people furthest away from the job market. We accept referrals to attend WRAP from other agencies and a small fee is charged. Accredited by the Open College Network at Level 2, is aimed at by those furthest from the job market to prepare them for work, provide work tasters and evidence to employers that they are job ready and are serious job candidates. WRAP was developed following direct feedback from our Service Users, whose struggle to gain employment demonstrated the reluctance of employers to give them work due to their offending history/mental illness and substance misuse. WRAP can be successfully completed in 10 weeks or accessed as modules depending on the previous work experience of the individual.
WRAP provides training in: communication skills, team working, time keeping and responsibility, motivation, job hunting, CV writing, pre interview training and interview skills.

One area Penrose is further developing is gardening, grounds work and property maintenance services where we train and directly employ ex-offenders and people with mental illness in paid work.. We are now rolling this out to secure work in the private sector. Our Service Users are given the necessary training and then employment within the service. For Service Users already trained they will receive refresher training to ensure quality before going on to real employment. This will not only provide immediate economic independence but will be the start, for many, of building up a CV that can evidence real work aptitude and commitment to employers.

If you would like to know more about WRAP and other Penrose social enterprise programmes, please contact our Social Enterprise Officer, Khalid Sadi on 020 7697 4212 or email khalid.sadi@penrose.org.uk

Excalibur Training

Excalibur is a training programme aimed at educating people in business who are not familiar with mental illness, in the needs of people with mental health and the myths around it. The training looks at best practice for supporting people in the work place who have a mental illness or work for, or with, an individual who is recovering, or still has a mental illness.

We offer Excalibur training to anyone in the sector working with individuals with mental illness with the aim of expanding their understanding of mental health issues and broadening their experience.

Our programme has been uniquely devised by Service Users and staff in Penrose and is driven by direct experience from those who have come face to face with mental illness themselves or work colleagues or their clients. It focuses on difficulties in approaching Service Users, how to recognise certain signs, best practice techniques and how to work most effectively when faced with mental health illness.

Staff and Service Users qualify as Trainers and the programme is delivered jointly. Each session lasts 2 hours and includes a video especially commissioned from independent film-makers, for this programme. Subjects included within the programme are: Mental Health First Aid, Equality & Diversity Training, Needs of Offenders and ex-Offenders. Positive feedback has been obtained following presentations to the National Police Improvement Agency. Developed from first-hand personal experience, we promote understanding and successful resolution of specific disorder.

The programme is tailored to help those who may, infrequently, come into contact with Offenders and ex-Offenders with mental health issues as well as those who work more closely in this area. The range of issues experienced by Penrose service users means that there is no simple one-size-fits-all solution. The person-centred approach which is key to Penrose means that each participant in Excalibur training will experience a personalised training package tailor-made to suit their own existing and potential experiences.

If you or your organisation would like further information on receiving training through the Excalibur programme, please contact our Service User Involvement Officer, Jason Alveres on 020 7697 4211 or email jason.alveres@penrose.org.uk