The housing association giving ex-offenders a clean start

As UK reoffending rates remain high, L&Q’s innovative jobs programme is giving former prisoners a new lease of life.

In a freshly painted bungalow on a residential street in Greater Manchester, three maintenance operatives are gloved up, kitted out and raring to go. They’ve got two hours to make a start on cleaning the empty property from top to bottom, so that it’s ready for new residents to move into.

Cleaning products in tow, they’re each responsible for an area - kitchen, bedroom or bathroom – and in no time get to work scrubbing, dusting and polishing every surface in sight.

What’s clear is this is a dedicated team of workers who know what they are doing and are employed to do it well. Less clear, however, is that one member is an ex-offender and recovered drug addict hired by L&Q’s CleanStart programme.

Nicknamed ‘MickyNav’ by his teammates, Micky grew up next to Old Trafford football stadium and knows the local streets like the back of his hand.

“I’m a hard worker. I like to get in and get the work done”, says Micky as he carefully sprays windows and wipes walls.

Of his colleagues, he says, “We’re a team, we get on well and support each other to do the job.”

It’s been four years since Micky was last released from prison. His is a true rehabilitation success story, but that’s not to say his reintegration into society has been plain sailing.

Employers would repeatedly reject him when they found out he was an ex-offender. ‘None at all” is his stark response when asked how much guidance he received from prison in helping him adjust to life outside and find work.

“My conviction was a huge barrier to me getting on in life after prison. I was rejected by about 10 employers because of it”, says Micky.

The latest research suggests that only 17% of ex-offenders are in work within 12 months of leaving prison, with 50% of employers saying they wouldn’t consider hiring someone who has been to prison This amounts to a second sentence for those who have already served their time, often trapping people in a cycle of reoffending.

Despite setbacks and rejections, Micky was determined to turn his life around after his recent stint in jail and vowed to quit drugs for good. He has eight children and credits them for motivating him to get clean.

“My drug addiction saw me in and out of prison until the point where I realised I needed to change. I wanted my kids to look up to me. This is the first time in my life I’ve not been on anything and I’m proud of that.”

Micky spraying a kitchen window

Set up with the ethos that everyone deserves a second chance, CleanStart aims to prepare ex-offenders for the world of work.

“Getting up early, having a sense of responsibility and turning up on time for a shift – it’s a learning curve for former offenders, some of whom may never have been in work”, says CleanStart Employment Advisor, Rachael Aylward-Jones.

CleanStart began life in 2008 as a pilot project in two shipping containers when there was no similar model in the housing sector. Today, it employs 90 staff to deliver grounds maintenance, cleaning and caretaking services across Trafford. The programme is run by social landlord L&Q, a major provider of social housing in Greater Manchester, London and the South East.

As well as a paid role, clients are given a work coach, offered therapy and are supported to improve their IT skills, housing situation, finances, and self-awareness through coaching and goal-setting sessions.

“Some aren’t confident with using laptops and phones. Part of the work we do is getting them used to using these, whilst also helping them learn how to conduct themselves in a professional environment,” says Rachael.

Ask any one of CleanStart’s employees about the service’s approach to stigma and their answer is the same – they are not there to judge.

“Everyone has a story, and everyone’s had struggles. There’s no judgement from any of us. People come from different walks of life, and I see that as a positive thing”, says team leader and mentor, Kym.

“We all lean into each other when we need support. It doesn’t bother me in the slightest that some have been in prison. All that matters is they turn up and do the job well”, Kym continues.

Of the 195 individuals who have joined, 150 have secured ongoing employment opportunities and of those with an offending history, 97% haven’t re-offended.

As well as giving people an opportunity to change their lives, CleanStart is delivering services that produce £11m of savings to the public purse and 96% satisfaction rates from residents.

“The simple truth is ex-offenders are grafters. They work well in a team, are observational and aware of their surroundings. Because of the knockbacks they’ve experienced, they are grateful for the opportunity and take full advantage of it,” says Steve, Operations Manager.

For Micky, the programme has not only opened the door to a new career, but a permanent home too. Shortly after he began his role, he was made homeless and moved into temporary accommodation.

“Living in such close proximity to others was tough, I’d hear people arguing and fighting late at night. It kept me up and meant I’d go into work half asleep. Some were also using and that was difficult to be around as a recovering addict. I didn’t know where I would be from one day to the next, sometimes you would get told you had to move out with a day’s notice.”

Through the support of his employment advisor, Rachael, he secured a social tenancy with L&Q late last year. Located five minutes from work, he’s looking forward to making his flat feel like home and carpeting his front room.

By the time the team has finished cleaning the bungalow, the place is sparkling.

“I’m driven by results and making a positive contribution. The people that are moving in have had to leave their home because of health and safety concerns, so it’s important that we make it as nice as possible for them,” says Micky.

Micky’s future looks not only clean, but bright. He’s been offered a permanent position in the programme and wants to climb up the ladder to become a team leader and mentor. Beyond CleanStart, he plans to get his own car and continue his volunteer work helping recovering addicts.

“I’ve faced a lot of challenges – becoming homeless and living with people doing drugs, but I kept my distance and focused on where I wanted my life to be. If I can turn things around, anyone can. They just need to be given a chance and a clean start."

Deborah Elgar, CleanStart’s Founder said:

“Setting up Clean Start was one of the most challenging things I have done in my 30-year career. It took years to get all the cogs in the right place, working with the police, probation service and employers to support disadvantaged people to reach their full potential.

"On the drive home from work one day, I heard a horn beep beside me. I looked to my left and saw an ex-CleanStart staff member driving a company vehicle. He wound down his window and shouted: “I’m here because of you”. He was one of our most challenging clients with a long history of re-offending. I smiled as I drove away, bursting with pride.”