17/04/2025
Thank you to all 27 people who joined our online Fellows Collective for April!
The gathering was chaired by Maria Griffin FIEP from IntoWork Australia, and featured Sarah Hanson FIEP’s presentation on pre-employment programs for ex-offenders.
Sarah – Manager of Operations for Queensland and the Northern Territory for Hands On People – highlighted a successful four-week soft skills program co-designed with Mara, a re-entry provider.
The program, initiated in 2020, saw a 42% recidivism rate and connected over 5900 individuals to employment across 11 prisons.
The challenges outlined by Sarah included Centrelink exemptions, staffing, and employer engagement, but she also emphasised the importance of early intervention and employer connections.
The meeting also discussed the DES program extension, focusing on staff training and development as key metrics for success in the upcoming contract.
Huge thank yous go to Maria and Sarah for your contributions and helping to make it a valuable gathering.
If you’d like to learn more about becoming a Fellow, please contact matthew.crossingham@iemployability.org
