A BOLTON-BASED social enterprise has launched a crowdfunding page to raise money for a project to help prison leavers find work in self-employment.

Entrepreneurs Unlocked aims to raise £10,000 for its Build Back Up Project to enable 30 prison leavers to gain work in the construction industry over a six-month period.

The organisation says this would help them to carve out a new career and to contribute to them not re-offending.

The project will work with prison leavers that are seeking to gain work as self-employed construction subcontractors.

They will access training resources to inform them how to find work in the sector and be provided with essential tools and workwear to enable them to accept any offer of work.

The prison leavers will be supported with their HMRC registration if needed along with help to complete their first self-assessment.

It was the success of working with other prison leavers that gave David Morgan, of Entrepreneurs Unlocked, the inspiration for the initiative.

Mr Morgan, the founder and director of Entrepreneurs Unlocked, said: “It is essential that we support prison leavers who are keen to make a fresh start with a new career.

"The construction industry with its skills shortage is the perfect place to do it, and by becoming a subcontractor, workers can be in control of their income and contract opportunities.

"More importantly, they will be much less likely to re-offend and return to the prison system.

"On average, 45 per cent of adults who are released from custody re-offend within 12 months.

"The total cost of re-offending in the UK exceeds £18bn per year.

“As construction and infrastructure projects continue on Covid-safe sites, demand for workers continues to rise with more subcontractors needed.

"Build Back Up will not only help the individual but will also help to address the skills shortage in the construction industry.”

One of the inspirational stories that prompted David Morgan to launch the project was Bob, not his real name, who was released from custody in the middle of 2020.

Bob said: “Upon release from prison I wanted to become a registered tradesman, but I needed the credentials, help and advice, to secure work on construction sites.

"I was introduced to David Morgan and Entrepreneurs Unlocked who helped me to gain everything I needed to get back on my feet.”

Entrepreneurs Unlocked collaborated with other agencies, so that Bob was able to secure a CSCS card and be provided with a set of hand tools, and assisted him with navigating HMRC requirements to gain his UTR and become a registered subcontractor.

'Bob' has now worked on various construction sites, gained new construction skills, and is using the help of Entrepreneurs Unlocked, as a springboard for finding more work and a steady income.

The project, a crowdfunding campaign, opened on Monday and closes on March 31.

To find out more click here. To find out more about Entrepreneurs Unlocked go to entrepreneursunlocked.org/.