Our aim is to reduce reoffending through the training and rehabilitation of prisoners. We upskill prisoners through our training projects which include four restaurants, three gardens, three prison kitchens and one events catering business.
Prisoners with six to eighteen months left to serve on their sentence can volunteer to work on one of The Clink’s training projects, which simulate a professional working environment. They will train up to 40 hours a week, working towards gaining an accredited City & Guilds National Vocational Qualification.
These qualifications will help prisoners secure employment upon release, reducing the likelihood of reoffending, helping to make society a safer place, and providing a credible solution to the industry skills gap.
We are proud that the Justice Data Lab figures show the rate of reoffending for prisoners who participated in the scheme was 15%, compared to 22% for those who did not. This is an improvement of 7 percentage points and is a statistically significant result.
The Clink Charity has worked in partnership with Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service for the past 11 years and is now delighted to be rolling out The Clink Kitchens training project in up to 70 more prisons with the New Futures Network.
The Clink Charity’s Training Projects:
The Clink Restaurants
Situated on prison grounds but open to the public, this unique experience allows our students to cook delicious high-quality meals for real customers and put their service skills into practice.
The Clink Gardens
Students training in horticulture, grow and harvest fruit, vegetables, salad and herbs from prison gardens. These are delivered daily to our restaurants along with eggs from the chickens cared for by our students.
Clink Events
Our events catering business provides bespoke catering beyond the prison walls. Food is prepared by students and delivered to venues on refrigerated vehicles. Service staff is made up of graduates of The Clink’s training projects and disadvantaged people.
Clink Kitchens
Prisoners work in professionally run kitchens for up to 35 hours a week, preparing and cooking meals for fellow prisoners. In February 2021 we announced that the scheme will be rolled out to a further 70 prisons, delivering training for 2,000 men and women.
To see more details about the history of The Clink Charity and our training projects, visit our website.