Community Liaison

The Community Liaison Team offer offenders the opportunity to access information regarding employment, training and education (ETE) prospects. They also deal with other issues that may be barriers to their successful reintegration into the community.

Prisoners who require assistance are referred on to the relevant partnership agencies to deal with their problems. There are over 20 service level agreements with these agencies and excellent working practices have been developed. Most of the agencies from South and West Yorkshire deliver weekly surgeries but other areas are covered by agencies on an ad-hoc basis; as and when required.

Where possible Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL’s) can be arranged for prisoners to attend job interviews, college assessments, and housing associations. An initial risk assessment is carried out before the application is submitted to the ROTL board; to date this has so far proved to be 100% successful.

A ‘Generic Preparation for Work’ course is delivered weekly, accredited by the ASET. This provides prisoners with the opportunity to improve upon skills, knowledge and self-esteem so they can leave a crime free lifestyle on their release.

The team’s role also includes the co-ordination of charity work, assisting in raising over £13000, for local charities last year.

The Toe-by-Toe scheme is now being run in HMP Doncaster, via the Shannon Trust.  It is a 6 month programme in which prisoners teach other prisoners to read.