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  • The Turnaround Project | social enterprise | The Turnaround Project, Hydebank Wood College, Hospital Road Belfast, Co. Antrim, BT8 8NA

    Helping people serving sentences to turn around their futures. We're redefining the boundaries between the justice system and the wider community. Some of us have been through that system, some of us haven’t. But working together, we help people who are serving sentences to turn around their futures, and we engage the wider community in supporting them on that journey. ​ ​Our transitional employment opportunities help reduce barriers to employment. Our coaching model helps people plan their new futures. And our volunteering programme is building shared, supportive communities. ​ ​Working together, we are pursuing our vision of an inclusive community where everyone has hope and opportunity. Tackling the barriers to employment. Our Transitional Employment model helps people overcome the barriers they face as they complete sentences in prison or in the community. ​ For many, conventional employment is hard to find and difficult to sustain. ​ Offering training and employment experience before people complete their sentences, and a more supportive working environment afterwards, we provide real-work opportunities for people during a crucial period of transition in their lives. Our approach. 1 Transitional training and employment Providing real jobs, in real enterprises, to tackle barriers to employment. 2 A strengths-based model of support Supporting people to use their own strengths and make plans for their future. 3 Shared and supportive communities Bringing people together to learn from and support each other. READ MORE ABOUT OUR APPROACH OUR MODEL OUR MODEL OUR IMPACT OUR IMPACT Our social enterprises.

  • Outwork | The Turnaround Project

    OUTWORK MAINTAINS PROPERTIES & CREATES NEW FUTURES ABOUT OUTWORK Outwork is an award-winning social enterprise property maintenance service that's breaking new ground for people facing barriers to employment. We offer a range of great value grounds maintenance and cleaning services for companies, organisations and domestic clients. OUR SERVICES Our services. Outwork operates in crews of up to three operatives working under an on-site Supervisor. We deliver contracts for clients who want us to do as good a job – or better – as any other commercial provider. ​ GROUNDS MAINTENANCE We can provide a cost-effective grounds maintenance service, including grass cutting, strimming, hedge-cutting, weed control, hard-surface cleaning, leaf and litter removal, and low-level tree care. CLEANING We can provide clients with crews to undertake cleaning of offices, communal housing areas, staff welfare facilities, new building 'sparkles', and changes of tenancy. SITE CLEARANCE We can provide one-off, intensive clearance and tidy-ups to clients when they acquire a new property, need additional support on top of their regular caretaking, or to clear up after events. ​We offer a range of services, on a once-off or regular basis, including: WHY SOCIAL ENTERPRISE Why buy social? Social enterprises like Outwork don’t just offer you financial value for your spend, but social value too.​ Contracting a hard-working Outwork crew will: ensure your grounds are maintained to a high standard – see below for feedback from our clients​ help us provide much needed opportunities for people who face barriers to accessing the conventional employment market​ allow your organisation to demonstrate its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility​ help you to build social value you in your supply chain. ​ Watch how our partnership with Alpha Housing is creating social value... Our clients. OUR CLIENTS Using Outwork has provided us with a flexible call-off service that allows us to respond to changing demands. We’ve been really pleased with the standard of work and Outwork’s engagement with our property management team. The Outwork crews have transformed the site that we assigned them to manage; we're really pleased with the results. Contact us. CONTACT US Are you interested in discussing the possibility of hiring an Outwork Crew? Need some more information on the services we offer and how we can help you? ​ You can get in touch with us in the following ways: Call us on 028 9023 1403 Send an email to outwork@theturnaroundproject.org Or head to this page to fill out a contact form

  • Get In Touch | The Turnaround Project

    contact us. SUBMIT ENQUIRY Thanks for your message - we'll get back to you as soon as we can! We'd love to hear from you. If you want to get in touch with us, you can send an email to info@theturnaroundproject.org . For Outwork or The Turnaround Project give us a call on 028 9023 1403 or fill out this contact form. For Big Loop Bikes please call 028 9027 8088. where to find us. Registered Address: The Turnaround Project Office Hydebank Wood College Hospital Road Belfast BT8 8NA 028 9023 1403 Head Office: The Turnaround Project 39 North Street Belfast BT1 1NA 028 9023 1403

  • About Our Enterprises | The Turnaround Project

    Our social enterprises. We operate two social enterprises in order to provide transitional training and employment to people before and after they complete prison or community sentences. Outwork is our award-winning property maintenance enterprise, delivering financial – and social – value for money services to commercial and domestic clients. Our hard working Outwork crews operate under an on-site Supervisor, delivering a range of grounds maintenance and cleaning services for individuals and organisations who not only enjoy great service but also know that by contracting Outwork they are helping to tackle barriers to employment. Our clients include the Belfast International Airport, Springfield Charitable Association, Alpha Housing Association, Transport Training Services and Blairs Caravans, as well as domestic clients. To find out more about Outwork, and the services we provide, click here. Big Loop Bikes provides bikes servicing and repair, sale of professionally refurbished bikes, bike leasing schemes for employers and 'Dr Bike' sessions in the community. ​ ​ Big Loop operates at three locations within Belfast. At our bike shop on the Queen's University campus we provide bike sales, servicing and repair to students, staff and the general public. We also offer bike leasing for students and staff. At the sustainable travel hub at Cathedral Gardens we provide bike servicing and repair services, and work alongside Sustrans to promote cycling as a sustainable way to move around the city. At our community workshop in North Street we refurbish bikes for sale through our other outlets, and recycle parts from bikes that can't be refurbished. This circular economy model strengthens Big Loop's contribution to to waste reduction, meaning that we provide a social and environmental return for our customers and supporters. ​ To find out more about Big Loop Bikes, and how you can get involved, click here.​

  • Get Involved | TheTurnaroundProject

    Change the narrative. Our vision is a community where everyone has hope and opportunity . We are working to find new ways of enabling and supporting people to make the transition out of the system and to turn around their futures; new ways of encouraging the wider community to see the links between criminal justice issues and social justice issues; and new ways of working together as people who have, and haven’t served sentences, to find new solutions to old challenges. ​ So, whether you are looking for new opportunities for yourself, or want to be part of giving hope and opportunities to others, there are plenty of ways you can get involved in the Turnaround Project. I needed a new start when I got released. Outwork gave me a chance to earn money and learn new skills. Aaron Outwork Crew member get involved as an employee... For many people leaving the justice system it can be difficult to find and sustain employment. To help tackle those barriers to employment we offer training and employment opportunities in our social enterprises. The opportunities are part-time, and are available before and after people complete their sentences, and our approach is all about helping people to turn around their futures. We do this by offering each employee: help to make their own plan for their future a personal Coach to help them work towards achieving their goal part-time employment in a real enterprise for up to 12 months a reference and other support to help them find a follow-on job I'm interested in becoming an employee get involved as a volunteer... There are many ways that you can volunteer with The Turnaround Project.​ ​We are always looking for volunteers with skills or experiences to share with others, and a desire to learn about other people’s journeys.​ We need people with hands-on and business skills to help develop our enterprises; communicators to help tell the stories that will inspire others to become involved; drivers to help people get to work; and people with admin and organisational skills to help us be a high-achieving organisation.​ You might want to volunteer alongside our Outwork Crews, help out in the office or our Big Loop Bikes workshop. Or you might have your own ideas about how you could use your skills and experiences to help other people.​ Whatever you think you might be able to bring to the Turnaround Project – your ideas, experience, skills or enthusiasm – we invite you to join us as we work together to turn futures around. This charity offers hope and the chance of new beginnings. Being a part of that is so exciting! Catherine, Volunteer I am interested in volunteering Allen & Overy is pleased to support Turnaround as part of its commitment to increasing access to employment within Northern Ireland Simon Wagstaff A&O Global Head Tech Services get involved as a partner... We have developed strong partnerships with local universities and businesses, providing opportunities for their people to use their skills in developing our work. And financial support from corporate and charitable organisations have allowed us to grow from an idea into an organisation that is making real differences to people’s futures.​ If you are a business or funder looking for ways that you can use what you have to make a difference, we would love to start a conversation with you. ​ Could you provide some conventional work experience for one of our employees, host a visit to your workplace to allow someone to see what a different future might look like, or even offer employment?​ Are you looking for a new opportunity to give financial support to an organisation with a different approach?​ Or do your staff have skills that could help the people we are working with, or our organisation itself, grow and flourish? I am interested in partnering get involved as a customer... Social enterprises like Outwork don’t just offer you financial value for your spend, but social value too.​ Contracting one of our hard-working Outwork crews will:​ ensure your grounds are maintained, or property is painted, to a high standard​ help us provide much needed opportunities for people who face barriers to accessing the conventional employment market​ allow your organisation to demonstrate its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility​ As well as bike servicing and sales, Big Loop Bikes provides bike leasing schemes and 'Dr Bike' sessions to allow companies to promote healthy and sustainable travel options to their staff and customers. It’s great that using Outwork makes a difference to others as well as ensuring our sites are well looked after. Cameron Watt, CEO, Alpha Housing Association I am interested in becoming a customer AS A VOLUNTEER AS A PARTNER AS AN EMPLOYEE AS A CUSTOMER

  • About Us | The Turnaround Project

    About us our vision and mission Our vision and mission. Our vision is to see an inclusive community where everyone has hope and opportunity . Our mission is 'to work with society to enable people who have served sentences to turn around their futures'. our values Our Values. WE NURTURE HOPE Each of us is more than our pasts. We use our past experiences to strengthen, and not to limit, our futures. WE CREATE OPPORTUNITY We enable, encourage and support each other to pursue new futures. WE ALL PLAY OUR PART Everyone works as part of the team, growing as individuals and helping to create more opportunities for others. WE RESPECT EACH OTHER We all have strengths and a positive contribution to make, so whatever our backgrounds, we work together to achieve our goals. OUR STRATEGIC PLAN Our strategic plan. Our Strategic Plan sets out the Outcomes and Objectives we will work to achieve over the next few years. But while we are clear about where we are going, we will be flexible about how we get there. We are open to exploring new ideas and approaches, and in particular to learning from people with lived experience of spending time in, and transitioning out of, the justice system. We want Turnaround to be an organisation that works with people rather than for them. Rather than delivering pre-prepared solutions, we want to involve people in the creation and development of new approaches. So, while our Strategic Plan sets out the broad framework within which we will work, it is also an invitation to work with us to redefine the boundaries between the justice system and the wider community. Whatever you think you might be able to bring to the Turnaround Project – your ideas, experience, skills or enthusiasm – we invite you to join us as we work together to help turn futures around. OUR TEAM Our team. Richard Good is our Director. Richard brings senior strategic management skills developed across a range of organisations, and six years’ experience as Special Advisor to the Minister of Justice during a period of significant reform of Northern Ireland’s Prison Service. Emma Green is our Management Assistant. Emma uses a background in administrative roles in the development and implementation of systems and processes to ensure our central operations run smoothly. Lauren Kendall is our Head of People and Operations. Lauren uses experience gained through an extensive career in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector to manage our core operations and our enterprises. Michael McCusker is our Engagement & Participation Manager. Michael brings lived, learned and practice experience of the justice system to engage and involve people in building the Turnaround movement and supporting people on their journeys. Catherine Shaw is our Stakeholder Engagement Lead. Catherine brings her experience of advocacy in the criminal justice system to promote the Turnaround mission and vision to a wide range of stakeholders. Our Outwork Crews, led by supervisors , Aaron Anderson, Valerie Stewart and Seamus Mullan Our Big Loop Bikes team, led by manager Tim Edgar and mechanic Steven Rainey. Our staff team is strengthened by short term and long term volunteers. Our board. OUR BOARD NIALL CASEY Director of Skills and Strategy Solutions at Invest NI, with a background in the private sector. SARA DONNELLY-CLEGG A Solicitor who works for the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service MOIRA DOHERTY Deputy Secretary in the Department for Economy with responsibility for the Skills and Education Group. GRAHAM FERGUS A regional Facilities Manager for a large construction company, Graham is p assionate about people and lean methodologies. EAMONN DONAGHY An experienced tax consultant who enjoys working with people who are passionate about their business, with experience of charity and schools governance. ANDREW HAMILTON CBE Our Board Treasurer, Andrew has an extensive background in Northern Ireland’s public sector, latterly as Deputy Secretary in the Department for Communities. NEIL MCCARTAN RACHEL O'BRIEN MARGARET TOPPING An experienced architect in a prize-winning practice, who has led on a wide range of projects in the public, private and third sectors A consultant specialising in prisons, Director of the RSA’s Transitions Project with 30 years of experience working with charities, think tanks and government, with particular expertise around prison policy. Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Internationalisation at Queen's University Belfast. OUR PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS Our current fund ers. The Turnaround Project has been developed through partnership and engagement with a wide range of organisations and generous financial or pro-bono support from others. Our current funders include:

  • What We Do | The Turnaround Project

    What we do. OUR APPROACH Our approach. Just as it takes work to turn around your future, a lot of work has gone into developing the approach that we take to helping people to do so. We have worked with people who have been through the justice system, and people who work within it and around it; as well as with academics and other experts here and in other countries. The product of all of that research and co-design is an approach to enabling people to turn around their futures that comprises three elements: equipping people; enabling employment; and engaging and advocating. Click on each element in the diagram to find out more. Equipping People Engaging and Advocating Enabling Employment OUR IMPACT Our impact. "It’s fantastic to be part of a team making a real difference to our community, everybody brings different skills and we all learn from each other. I’d recommend this organisation to anyone who wants to have a better way of life for self and others." ​ Brian, Outwork Supervisor "It is clear that the service users believed that the opportunities provided through Turnaround, combined with the integrated supports, contributed to successful resettlement, something that aligns well with the wider evidence." Dr Colm Walsh and Prof Shadd Maruna, Queen's University Belfast Catherine, Volunteer "I had a few spare hours a week and really wanted to use it meaningfully. When I heard about Turnaround and how they help change people's lives, I really wanted to get involved. This charity offers hope and the chance of new beginnings and to be just a small part of that is so exciting! Plus I am able to fit in my volunteering around other commitments and a family and there is never any pressure to give more than I can! ​ Sometimes I get frustrated that I can't change the world in the way I want but volunteering with Turnaround has given me the opportunity to at least try!" Debbie, Crew member "If you like being outdoors this is the job for you. Not only do you get a job you get help with anything you need. As a team we all work together." Dr Colm Walsh and Prof Shadd Maruna, Queen's University Belfast "Overall, the project team and Board, in partnership with other key stakeholders have made significant progress in a relatively short period of time. It appears that the model that is being developed [by Turnaround] is aligned to the best available evidence on desistance from crime in regard to transitional employment and coaching support." Crew member "I just don't want to go back in this time. I really don't but I know its going to be hard. Getting into work is breaking the week up for me and gives me something to do. I'm doing three days and in those three days I'm doing something good. I feel good. On the other days, I'm looking forward to those three days." "I'm very grateful to Turnaround. It was a great opportunity that supported me when I left prison. I gained experience in work that has boosted my confidence when applying for jobs. It was a kickstart for me." ​ Connor, Crew member "To me, Outwork stands for Opportunity, Understanding, Teamwork, Work experience, Outdoors, Real work for real people and Kindness." Aaron, Crew member Crew member "Having a job has made me realise that I had the potential to work and not go back to the way I was before. I used to feel like I couldn't. I had no self-esteem but I'm feeling more confident. I can't wait to get back into work after all this."

  • Big Loop Bikes | The Turnaround Project

    JOURNEY IN THE MAKING ABOUT BIG LOOP BIKES Bike repairs & servicing Refurbed bike sales Student bike leasing Big Loop Bikes p r ovides bikes servicing and repair, sale of professionally refurbished bikes, bike leasing schemes for employers and 'Dr Bike' sessions in the community. We set it up in 2017, with a small workshop within Hydebank Wood College, based on an idea that students at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and students in Hydebank College came up with, and with financial and practical support from the Big Lottery, QUB and the Prison Service. But we always had a big ambition that Big Loop Bikes would extend beyond Hydebank into the wider community, allowing it to grow into a movement of people, with different backgrounds, who enjoy bikes – riding them, fixing and recycling them, selling them and encouraging others to use them – and who enjoy spending time with other people. ​​ Today, Big Loop operates at two locations within Belfast. At our full service bike shop on the Queen's University campus we provide bike sales, servicing and repair to students, staff and the general public. We also offer bike leasing for QUB students and staff. At our community workshop in North Street we refurbish bikes for sale through our other outlets, and recycle parts from bikes that can't be refurbished. This circular economy model strengthens Big Loop's contribution to waste reduction, meaning that we provide both a social and environmental return for our customers and supporters. ​ These locations allow us to provide opportunities for people serving sentences in the community, and for volunteers to work alongside them. ​New relationships, new skills, a sense of purpose and a shift in identity are all important in helping people to turn around their futures. Our Big Loop shops and workshops provide the spaces for our movement and its members to grow.​ Big Loop at Queen's University ​ Opening Hours: Tuesday - Friday, 9am - 4pm ​ Location: Ground Floor, Admin Building, opposite the McClay Library near the entrance to Botanic Gardens. ​ Telephone: To book your bike in for servicing or repair, drop in to the bike shop or ring us on 028 9027 8088. GIFT VOUCHER BUY A BIG LOOP VOUCHER Big Loop gift vouchers are now available! Our gift vouchers can be for any value you choose, and can be used to pay for servicing, repairs, or the purchase of bikes and accessories. Vouchers are available for purchase at our Queen's University shop, or can be ordered and paid for by telephone on 028 9027 8088, and can be posted to an address of your choice. JOIN THE BIG LOOP MOVEMENT... Would you like to play a part in building this movement?​ We are looking for volunteers to help us develop and run an expanded social enterprise, and the wider Big Loop movement.​ We need people who will help to collect bikes, strip them down and rebuild them.​ There are also opportunities in marketing, sales, administration and book-keeping. We plan to run Big Loop Bike events, and create a community space where you and everyone else, regardless of their background, will feel welcome and involved. So whatever your interests or skills, we’ll find a role for you! Above all, we are looking for people who want to share new journeys with people who have been through the justice system. Click here to get in touch with us and discuss how you could get involved in the Big Loop Movement.

  • Become a Turnaround Employee | The Turnaround Project

    get involved as an employee Using our social enterprises, we offer training and employment opportunities to people who are serving, or have served, a sentence in prison or in the community. Real training and real jobs, in real enterprises. What we offer to people who join us as transitional employee:​ ​ part-time employment for up to twelve months a reference and other support to help you find a follow-on job.​ For people who join us while still serving a sentence in prison, but are allowed to work in the community through day-release, we offer an opportunity to apply for a ‘Moving On’ grant to support you as you move from custody back into the community.​ Additional support:​ We offer these opportunities to help people to turn around their futures, so as well as the training and employment opportunities, we also provide:​ ​ help for you to make your own plans for your future​ a personal Coach to help you work towards achieving your goals​ What kind of plan?​ Everyone who works with us has different skills and experiences, different needs, and different hopes for their future. So each person’s plan will be different. Yours will be about you, made up by you, not anyone else. But we’ll encourage you to think about three things:​ ​ how you can help yourself;​ how you can help others within the community; and ​ how you can help others on their journey through, or out of, the justice system. What are the jobs, and what are employees expected to do?​ At the moment we are offering grounds maintenance and commercial cleaning jobs in 'Outwork', our property maintenance enterprise; and bike maintenance jobs in 'Big Loop Bikes'. ​ Whatever the job, everyone employed in our transitional employment programme commits to:​ Turning up for training, work, meetings with their Coach, and other activities​ Working within Turnaround’s policies for trainees, employees and volunteers​ Sticking to any relevant Prison Service and/or Probation Board rules while on the programme.​ Making with their Coach to make plans for their future​ Engaging in all parts of the Turnaround programme, including having open and honest conversations about things that have not worked in the past and areas of their lives where they need to make changes. Who can apply?​ Anyone who is serving, or has served, a sentence in prison or in the community is welcome to apply for a place in our training and employment programme. ​ You should think about:​ Will you be able to work at least two days each week?​ Will you be able to get to work in Belfast city centre by 8 o’clock in the morning?​ What kind of work are you willing to do? How can I find out more, or apply to get involved as an employee?​ If you would like to know more about working with us, or to talk to us about applying, you can email us at info@theturnaroundproject.org , ring us on 028 9064 1604 , or fill out this form and we will get in touch with you.

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