From “No” to New Possibilities

Jill and Charlotte have been supporting people with convictions back into work for a long time. As Community Support Coordinators for Ingeus CFO North East, they understand better than most how heavy the word “no” can become. Many of the people they work with have faced years of being turned away from opportunities, often for reasons outside of their control: blanket DBS restrictions, stigma, long periods out of work, and training routes that simply don’t accommodate the complexity of their lives.

When the opportunity arose to work with FIRST on a bespoke, eight-week enterprise skills course, funded by the North East Combined Authority, they saw potential not only for learning, but rediscovering purpose.

“People turning up means a lot.”

The Level 1 Introduction to Enterprise qualification ran with seven learners and FIRST tutor Richard Chater, exploring personal strengths and skills, networking, ideas generation and early-stage self‑employment. It was delivered on-site at the Gosforth Ingeus CFO hub, which provided a familiar space and known staff on hand, helping reduce anxiety for the participants.

Jill reflects that they usually expect engagement to dip quickly on longer courses, not because people don’t care, but because daily life for many of the centre users was complicated and not always predictable. But this course was different. Jill explains, “They were really motivated and kept up attendance. The bitesize way the content was shared really helped. People turning up means a lot, especially when you consider the time it takes some of them to travel in.”

"Space to think about what they’re good at, that’s empowering.”

For many of the people Ingeus CFO North East supports, traditional employment routes are either closed or deeply discouraging. For example, many want to work in construction, yet training courses often require a blanket DBS clearance, even when the job itself may never involve contact with vulnerable people. “We see people come into Jobs Club every week, knocked back again and again from apprenticeships,” Charlotte explains, “so being told they are welcome on this course, will get a qualification, and have space to think about what they’re good at, that’s empowering.”

Self‑employment offers something different, a route that doesn’t demand perfection upfront. You can decide your own pace, build credibility through small jobs, and create something of your own; something that is flexible to life outside of work.

“Being encouraged to speak up because someone genuinely wants to hear from them, that’s huge.”

What stood out for Jill and Charlotte was how FIRST created a space that felt safe, structured and encouraging all at once.

Some of the men hadn’t filled in a form in years. Others had never been asked what they wanted to do, only told what they should do. FIRST’s approach placed equal value on the soft skills often overlooked during training, such as speaking up, collaboration, confidence, showing interest, trying something new.

Within weeks, the group began supporting each other, sharing their ideas, swapping advice and talking about the future. New connections formed, attendance stayed high. On learner reported, “very easy to ask questions, be involved and information was very easy to follow”.

“I’ve seen their confidence to share ideas grow,” says Jill. “A lot didn’t have positive childhoods, so being encouraged to speak up because someone genuinely wants to hear from them, that’s huge.”

**Individual Stories of Change*: “The biggest takeaway was being encouraged to think for ourselves.”**

Aaron: Mental Health Advocacy Through Storytelling

Aaron had experience in storytelling in the past, working in communities to bring learning to life. During the course, conversations helped him reconnect with that skill. He began shaping an idea for a podcast sharing stories of overcoming mental health challenges. The informal, discussion‑based approach helped him rediscover a sense of direction and test the idea safely.

Billy: Rethinking What Work Can Look Like

Billy joined the course because he was tired of feeling dependent on employers to determine his financial stability. Through the sessions, he reflected that self‑employment could offer a way to shape his future without relying on someone else to give him a chance. He didn’t come away with a business idea, but felt a big shift in recognising that he doesn’t always need to work for other people, he can build something for himself when the time is right.

Craig: An Alternative Pathway into Construction

Craig wants to work in painting and decorating on commercial projects, but disclosure has shut the door on entry-level roles with firms. Self-employment offers a different way to reach his goal. The weekly sessions became time when, as he put it, “the rest of life couldn’t interfere with my motivation”.

Dale: Seeing the World Differently

Dale wasn’t expecting to pursue self-employment, taking the course as he “hadn’t done anything work‑related for years” and wanted to rebuild his skills. During the course he realised his love for animal and landscape photography could offer a chance generate income in something he was passionate about. He is now exploring print sales and commissions, sharing he is being driven by the newfound confidence the course had nurtured.

Eric: Looking for New Opportunities

Curious about the learning subjects, Eric joined to see what enterprise involved. Over seven weeks he gained understanding on the “basics of business”, but more importantly, “a renewed sense of purpose”. During the course he realised that self‑employment would give him the flexibility to build something while he decides where he wants to settle long‑term in the UK. His next steps are to improve his digital skills and explore ideas linked to construction, hoping to progress onto FIRST’s Level 2 Skills for Business. “The biggest takeaway,” Eric said, “was being encouraged to think for ourselves.”

“This pathway fits people facing lots of barriers.”

Jill and Charlotte describe the partnership with FIRST as deeply aligned to Ingeus CFO North East’s goals. Their work centres on supporting people who face some of the most complex barriers in society, people who have been told they don’t fit, don’t qualify or don’t deserve another chance. FIRST’s enterprise approach offers a realistic, empowering alternative, giving learners something tangible to work towards and a qualification that strengthens their CV.

One of the partnership’s strengths lies in this shared mission. “This pathway fits people facing lots of barriers,” Charlotte explains, “and it connects directly to our mission of helping them move into employment or training.” Through the collaboration, both organisation’s expertise came together to make real impact for the learners. “Some of the key benefits working with FIRST has been the wraparound support and their understanding of the ways people might be shut out from opportunities.”

"Being put through this course means they are believed in.”

With some learners now interested in progressing to Level 2, others exploring business ideas, and all learners reporting increased confidence, the first cohort has demonstrated the impact of enterprise skills learning as valuable pathway after leaving the prison service. Or as one learner put it, “this course has opened my eyes to new opportunities.”

Darren Crawley, Supply Chain and Partnerships Manager shared: “Working with FIRST has been a great experience both for our teams and the participants who attend our community hubs. FIRST have proven to be a reliable and hugely beneficial partner to work with and I really value the partnership we have with FIRST and the fantastic work they deliver within the Ingeus CFO community hub. Their creativity, energy, and commitment make a genuine difference to the people we support, helping them develop their ideas, build confidence, and grow their skills. I would love to continue this partnership so that even more participants can benefit from the opportunities and inspiration that FIRST consistently bring.”

For Jill and Charlotte, the true measure of success isn’t only the qualification. It’s the shift they saw each week, men who walked in unsure of what they had to offer, slowly realising they can contribute, can plan, and imagining a future that looks different. “Some of the most disadvantaged people in society often get stuck in a cycle of ‘no’. Being put through this course means they are believed in.” And for FIRST and Ingeus CFO North East, that belief, combined with structure, support and shared purpose, forms the foundation of a partnership they hope will continue to grow, cohort by cohort, story by story.

*Pseudonyms used for confidentiality