HMP Berwyn is making prisoners more employable

Since taking its first prisoner in 2017, HMP Berwyn has teamed up with local employers including construction firms Williams Homes and John Murphy & Sons, as well as Wrexham Council and pub retailer Greene King, to keep offenders on the right track through purposeful work.

Offenders inside one of HMP Berwyn’s workshops are manufacturing components for affordable, environmentally friendly houses being built for over 130 families in Ruthin, Denbighshire, and Llangefni, Anglesey, on behalf of Williams Homes.

A ‘resettlement hub’ where prisoners meet with offender managers about their resettlement needs or have job interviews. (credit:HM Prison Service)

The prison has also joined a Construction Industry Training Board pilot scheme that sees offenders trained in prison in trades such as bricklaying, plastering, joinery, and welding. Prisoners are mentored by their employers to ensure they move straight into stable work after leaving prison.

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Prisons Minister Victoria Atkins said: “Over the last five years HMP Berwyn has proved how transformative modern prisons can be, getting thousands of prisoners into training so they can get jobs on release.

“The prison is not only keeping North Wales safe while prisoners are inside but also when they leave as its strong ties with local employers mean offenders don’t turn back to crime.” 

The prison workshop where house components are made (credit: HM Prison Service)

Strong partnerships with local employers have seen one in 10 leavers currently securing employment six weeks after release. HMP Berwyn Governor Nick Leader hopes to increase this to three in 10 by the end of this year.

He said: “The work we do at HMP Berwyn to train prisoners for employment is vital to ensure they go on to lead crime-free lives on the outside.

“I look forward to further strengthening our close ties with local business in North Wales, who play a key role both in supporting the local economy and getting offenders’ lives back on track through purposeful work.”

The prison has also established a dedicated group of local business experts working with the prison – an Employment Advisory Board – led by John Murphy, CEO of Murphy Construction. The board ensures training and workshop activity is geared towards local employment needs so that offenders can access a vibrant business network as they prepare for release.

Nearly-finished Williams Homes houses in Ruthin – these are the kinds of houses Berwyn prisoners are helping to make in the workshops.(credit: HM Prison Service)

John said: “I am pleased to chair the Berwyn Employment Advisory Board, and with the progress, we are making at HMP Berwyn. 

“I would like to encourage all regional employers to consider ex-offenders as a valuable employment stream and a potential driver of their economic growth.  A criminal record should not be an obstacle to succeeding in life.

This work has helped cement the prison’s role in turning around offenders’ lives and keeping the public in North Wales safe by reducing crime. Employment reduces the risk of them reoffending by up to nine percentage points, helping to reduce the annual £18bn cost of reoffending.

HMP Berwyn is also providing the template for the next generation of prisons focussed on rehabilitation through work. The £4 billion prison building programme will see an extra 20,000 prison places created across England and Wales by the mid-2020s.

The government's new plan for prisons is backed by a campaign to recruit 5,000 new prison officers across England and Wales, including at HMP Berwyn. Officers receive training throughout their career and can specialise in working with vulnerable prisoners, become a dog handler, or train as a physical education instructor.

All current Prison Service vacancies can be viewed on prisonandprobationjobs.gov.uk.