Gail Bland
14/10/2013
My name is Gail, I am an ex-offender and I have worked for User
Voice since January 2012 as a Programme Manager setting up and developing a
service user council within probation. Also, I deliver a peer mentoring accredited
training programme to service users who will then mentor other service users.
Employment for people with criminal records is very difficult
especially in today’s current economic climate.
Employers seem to shy away from employing ex-offenders, very often their
CV’s go straight in the bin; they don’t seem to be able to look beyond the
offence.
I committed a crime 12 years ago and received a 12 month
sentence suspended for 2 years. My
experience of probation back then was not a very good one, there was help
available but the organisations giving this help and support only seemed interested
in ticking a box to say that they had worked with an ex-offender, they often
classed a conversation as support. I
often think what if User Voice had been around 10 years ago, personally I wish
it had. I have seen a change in
probation's attitudes towards service users.
I was fortunate that I was able to keep my job after being given
my sentence, my problems started when this organisation went into
administration. I was out of work for 2
years, applying for all sorts of jobs, the rejection was terrible, this left me
feeling depressed and worthless. When I
did get an interview they focused on my offence, and then I heard nothing from
them.
I was given a break by an old work colleague who knew all about
my offence, this made me feel great again; it was with a charity that trained
and gave work placements to ex-offenders and those coming to the end of their
prison sentences. At last a job to help
others in a similar position, or so I thought.
Some members of staff gave me a hard time, they went to the board asking
that I be finished as I had a criminal record how ironic when these were people
supposedly helping offenders and ex-offenders, they did not get their way. I will never ever forget that experience and
don’t want to see others experience it.
I stuck it out and I left when I wanted to leave I did not let them
force me out.
I am really privileged and honoured to work for User Voice, the
staff all have a vast amount of experience, knowledge and passion and the one
thing that really sticks out for me is nobody
judges you, we are like a family we look out for one another and work as a team,
helping others have a voice. I love
my job, and the service users I work with are fantastic, it's great to see them gaining
confidence and belief and becoming stronger each day.
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