The Aspire Project

Research shows that ex-offenders are up to 50% less likely to re-offend if they have a job or training to go to after release.

Safer London Foundation’s Aspire Project was created to mentor serving prisoners and ex-offenders from London to support them into sustainable training or employment.  Initially funded for three years by KPMG LLP, Aspire opened for business in January 2007, and by directly addressing this important factor in the cycle of re-offending is working to make London a safer place.

Mentors are recruited on a rolling basis and after assesment receive a bespoke training course providing an awareness of the criminal justice system as well as knowledge about the issues facing ex-offenders such as disclosure including mentoring skills such as boundary setting.

Aspire actively encourages applications  from people with an offending history to train as mentors.

Potential mentees, who have been assessed as posing a low risk of harm, are referred to Aspire by prisons and other agencies across London.

ASPIRE is now working, in partnership, with the London Criminal Justice Partnership Diamond initiative. Diamond clients are people who have been sentenced to less than 12 months imprisonment and are generally released with no probation service or other support. The multi disciplined teams work with the client to establish their needs and actively work to support him or her by assisting with housing, benefits etc. Once clients are stabilised the Diamond teams are able to refer them to ASPIRE for mentoring. As part of the Diamond initiative we are also now working with Millwall and Charlton Community Teams to provide volunteering and possible employment opportunities for Diamond clients.

We will only accept applicants who demonstrate a willingness to change and are so motivated.

Mentors are matched to mentees who are either approaching the end of a prison sentence, or serving a community based sentence. They provide identified practical and motivational support; with contact initially on a weekly basis, stepping down to monthly as things progress.

Aspire works closely with the Home Office's National Offender Management Service and its Corporate Alliance to Reduce Re-offending.  Aspire is continually developing links with employers to increase understanding of the issues and opportunities presented by employing ex-offenders.

aspire@saferlondonfoundation.org
020 7202 8512 / 8517