About 150 people in Victoria’s Hume region who have been reprimanded by the criminal justice system will be offered mentoring, clinical and educational services to help them address undiagnosed learning difficulties and find work.
Wangaratta-based Centre for Continuing Education chief executive Felicity Williams said recent research identified clear links between education completed by prisoners and reduction of time spent on welfare in the future.
“This project seeks to assist ex-offenders who have not participated in prison education, and/or have dropped out of school early due to undiagnosed learning difficulties with a view to increasing their chances of finding a job,” Ms Williams said.
“There does appear to be a high incidence of undiagnosed learning difficulties, such as ADHD or dyslexia, among the prison population, and the evidence from this project will assist our understanding of how to assist the broader offender population to have better life outcomes.”
Participants in the project, which is a part of the Federal Government’s Finding Strengths trial, will be either on parole, completing community work orders and/or have problematic drug use and will be offered assistance and tools to address the learning difficulties that may be affecting their lives.
Ms Williams said as part of the trial, each participant would take part in a tailored therapy and educational program.
“This includes strengths-based language, literacy and numeracy education and provides participants with a better understanding of how to communicate with employers,” she said.
“Finding Strengths prepares people for productive workforce participation as they return to the community and aims to decrease their chances of re-entering the justice system.”
The Federal Government has committed $1.45 million to the Finding Strengths trial.
The Centre for Continuing Education in Wangaratta, established in 1962 by the Victorian Department of Education, will deliver Finding Strengths under the Federal Government’s $96.1 million Try, Test and Learn Fund.
Ms Williams said being out of work, or unable to get work, was tough.
“It leads to stress, low self-esteem and reduced options,” she said.
“For some people, such as people on parole and community corrections orders, this is even harder to overcome. These people often have so much to give a potential employer but struggle to get a break.
“Finding Strengths offers a first step on the path to employability through job-ready education and support; this is a positive solutions-based program.”
The Finding Strengths trial has already started in Wangaratta, but the Centre for Continuing Education is recruiting one more person into the team before launching the Shepparton, Seymour and Wodonga trials.
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