SOME of the UK’s best-known restaurant and pub chains are teaming up with prisons to teach inmates skills that could lead them into the hospitality workforce on release.
Most recently, a team of chefs from the wagamama chain visited HMP Swansea to train 15 prisoners how to cook some of the restaurant’s classic dishes for the rest of the inmates.
Together they created about 450 portions of Chicken katsu curry, yasai katsu and bang bang cauliflower, all made completely from scratch with fresh produce, enabling the men to learn new skills and experience wagamama’s working ways.
This visit is part of wagamama’s commitment to run six prison masterclasses each year, in both female and male prisons, supporting as many people as possible into employment upon release.
Since the launch of its initiative, wagamama has offered full time employment to 15 individuals, one of whom has taken on an apprenticeship after their first month. All of those hired had faced homelessness and unemployment upon release.
Over 70,000 people are released from prison each year and it is well evidenced that jobs cut reoffending and steer individuals away from a life of crime.
A wagamama spokesperson said: “Over the last 12 months, wagamama has visited multiple prisons across the UK where we engage with men and women who are close to release. We talk about wagamama, who we are, what we stand for and the job opportunities we have to offer, alongside our apprenticeship opportunities to build on any kitchen based education they have received from the prison.
“The session at HMP Swansea was an open invitation to all men in the prison and proved highly successful and a blueprint for further work in this space.”
New Futures Network chief executive Duncan O Leary added: “Getting prisoners into work is the best way to cut reoffending and keep the public safe.
“That’s why some of the nation’s best-loved restaurant and pub chains are teaming up with prisons to give prisoners the skills they need to secure a job on release – all while helping hospitality firms train the workforce they need to grow and thrive.”
A recent survey by the Ministry of Justice, showed that nine out of ten businesses that hire ex-offenders agree that they are motivated, good attenders and trustworthy.
