Making it work on the outside

WHEN most people think of women in prison, they imagine hard-faced characters from TV shows like Bad Girls or Prisoner Cell Block H. It's not surprising, as very few have ever taken the time to get to know a real prisoner.

But the York business community is starting to look beyond the labels and stereotypes. And the women of Askham Grange open prison, in the peaceful village of Askham Richard, are proving to be a valuable asset to the city's economy.

For a lifer like Maggie Richards, returning to the outside world after 20 years behind bars is a terrifying prospect. But Askham Grange has helped her get used to the world of work before her release.

A housekeeper at Monk Bar Hotel, Maggie, 49, earns the same as her colleagues. But for her it is an essential step towards being able to cope with life after prison.

"At first I found it very hard but I love it now. I really appreciate my job, there are not many employers who would take a prisoner," she said.

When she first arrived at Askham Grange after years in a closed prison, even the idea of catching a bus or using a computer was daunting. Now she has completed the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) and has a full-time job.

"I was computer illiterate, now I can see myself working with computers when I leave," she said.

Her message to York firms is clear.

"Give Askham Grange women a chance. Give them the opportunity to prove themselves," she said.

Maggie's boss, hotel director June Nelsey, has been employing women from Askham Grange for three years and cannot praise them enough.

"They are eager to please and hard-working. This scheme has given them a reason to look beyond the prison walls," she said.

The hotel does not tell its staff where the women are from, but she says the women are very open and usually tell people themselves.

Prisoners are only able to work outside the prison during the last 12 months of their sentence.

Getting paid work is part of Askham Grange's resettlement regime and all women who take part go through a rigorous risk assessment to make sure they are suitable candidates for leaving the prison grounds.

The women also have to complete three months of unpaid community work before they can earn wages.

Nicola Brough, 29, is hopeful that the scheme will help her. With a degree and experience in administration, she is a far cry from society's idea of a female prisoner.

She hopes to get involved in community work and then return to working in her former field.

"In a closed prison the opportunities are very limited, but Askham Grange gives you the opportunity to do things for yourself. All your independence is taken from you in a closed prison and each girl here is looking to start again," she says.

The scheme also ensures the women won't leave the prison with nothing and be tempted to fall back into a life of crime. The prison keeps 40 per cent of their wages and gives it back to them on their day of release.

Nicola says this is one of the main attractions of the scheme.

"A lot of girls re-offend because they have nowhere to go and no money in their pockets."

Employers could be forgiven for feeling nervous about trusting someone who has committed a serious crime with their business.

But deputy governor Andy Barber said while problems were not unheard of, they were rare.

Last year 9,500 licences were issued allowing women to leave the prison and there were only five instances where women broke the rules.

During Mr Barber's five years at the prison, no woman has committed a criminal offence while out on licence.

Richard Parkinson, who runs the Cornish Pasty Shop in Colliergate, has employed two women from the prison in the past. He now has two full-time positions to fill and has no qualms about looking in the direction of Askham Grange for staff.

The last worker at the shop was quickly trusted with handling money, cashing up at the end of the day, and was even given her own key to the premises.

In his experience, he has had fewer problems with women from Askham Grange than workers from more conventional homes.

Probably, he thinks, because prisoners have more to lose if they make a mistake. "They know the rules. If they breach them they will probably be put back into a mainstream prison."

Sue Lamb, managing director of Clifton insulation firm Solarwall Ltd has employed about 50 prisoners in administration roles over the last five years.

"The girls are far more dedicated to the job than other people. They have to make it work."

She says living among so many people from all walks of life has given the women highly developed communication skills, which are valuable in the workplace.

Her main worry at first, she says, had been how other staff took the news they were working alongside prisoners.

"There will always be one or two people who don't accept it but if they don't give people a second chance do I really want them working for me?"

Sadly, not all employers are as proud of their staff from Askham Grange. The owners of one well-known York hotel said they didn't want their customers to know they took on prisoners as they thought it would damage their business.

It is this kind of attitude that the women are working hard to prove wrong.

Barbara Welsh has only 12 weeks to go in prison and has been working as a chambermaid in a city centre hotel for the last five months.

Imprisoned for conspiracy in July 2002, she hopes her experience will make her more employable when she is released and returns to her home in Scotland.

"Everyone deserves a second chance. Life's a learning experience and I have learnt a lot from this," she says.

- Businesses wanting to know more about resettlement at Askham Grange can phone the head of resettlement, Fran Burns, on 01904 772011.

Motor-vation for women

WOMEN are being urged to look beyond stereotypes and consider a life tinkering with cars - and prisoners are top on the list of new recruits.

National equal opportunities manager for ReMIT (Retail Motor Industry Training Ltd) Brian Pearce, who works from the organisation's York base in Link Road, Osbaldwick, is keen to boost the number of women in the area with jobs in the motor trade. Only 2.2 per cent of workers in the industry are women and most of them fill traditional roles working on reception or in accounts, he said.

His eyes are firmly focussed on women's prisons like Askham Grange open prison in Askham Richard to provide potential apprentice mechanics and body repairers.

"We are trying to break down barriers and stereotypes. Prisoners are an untapped workforce because of employer's prejudices," he said.

"We want to persuade employers to be more open-minded and give these people a second chance."

He said the women at Askham Grange who had paid jobs seemed to work in traditionally female occupations such as hotel work, catering and office work. But ReMIT is working to change this.

He has asked Fran Burns, the head of resettlement at the prison, to identify women who might be interested in learning about cars.

They are currently discussing the possibility of prisoners from Askham Grange being allowed out on day release to learn car maintenance at ReMIT's Osbaldwick premises and gain work experience at garages in the city. "It's about time the motor trade got its act together and become more positively proactive in encouraging women to think of it as an option," he said.

Updated: 13:27 Tuesday, April 27, 2004