History
Caring for Ex-Offenders began as a result of
the growth of the
Alpha course in prisons all over the UK.
Through the Alpha course, many men and women began
a relationship with Jesus while in prison, and
then wished to be linked with a church upon their
release.
Vision
Our aim is to help reduce the re-offending rate
by reintegrating ex-offenders into society through
the local church. We aim to do this by providing
ex-offenders with:
-
a person to meet them at the prison gate
upon release
-
basic provisions: clothing, food etc
-
accommodation
-
work
-
pastoral support through integration into
the life of the church
74% of young offenders
(15-21 years) will be back in prison within
two years
Home Office, 2002
Many of these men and women come from areas
and relationships that have contributed to their
stay in prison. Where churches and organisations
are ready to help in practical ways, the likelihood
of individuals re-offending is greatly reduced.
Achievements
-
Established a system to support ex-offenders
who wish to rebuild their lives in communities
-
Built strong networks with organisations
working in the criminal justice system
-
Identified and trained mentors to support
ex-offenders
-
Established core groups of churches that
are able to offer support to ex-offenders
as they join their congregations
-
Designed and delivered training programmes
to equip organisations with the skills to
support ex-offenders successfully
-
Developed our ex-offender programme to meet
the needs of the diverse communities we serve
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