The Training and Resource Centres at Hackney & Lambeth

“We have found an urgent need for the different parts of the Criminal Justice System to work closer together.  At its simplest, each part of the system has little regard for the consequences of its actions on other parts.  This means that resources are not always used effectively.  Further, few players are focussed on the overall aim of crime reduction................There remains gaps in the system, with, for example, interventions in prisons not being followed up in the community.”

Lord Carter in his 2003 report

FTC, from its conception, has always held the belief that if resettlement was to be truly effective the work should begin as early as possible and that support should continue post release.

FTC’s prison based programmes have had tremendous success through fostering strong relationships with agencies and organisations working in the community but it was always the case that once our client passed through the gate we lost contact with them and they more importantly lost the supportive environment they found at FTC.

The first stage of providing support for ex-offenders in the community was realised on the 26th September 2006, when FTC opened its first Training and Resource Centre in Hackney, East London.  This centre was then joined by a second at Lambeth on the 2nd June 2008.  As there was no official financial support for such a step, both centres are privately funded.

Support on offer in the centres includes:

• Employment search
• Help with accomodation issues
• Benefits & debt control
• Advice on how to open bank accounts & obtain identification
• Interview techniques, disclosure, CV building & covering letters
• Advice on training and education including help with finding suitable courses
• Help completing complicated application forms