Reputable Canberra-based construction company Woden Contractors is upholding its commitment to enriching communities and facilitating equal employment opportunities through its Civil Taster Program.
The Wodens Civil Taster program vows to tackle reoffending by equipping individuals transitioning from incarceration at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) with the skills, licences and support required to forge a long and stable career in construction.
The program was developed in response to distressing reincarceration rates. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, more than 40 percent of people released from prison return within two years due to unstable employment, housing insecurity, barriers to support services and struggles reintegrating back into society.
In collaboration with the Australian Government’s Launch into Work program, the ACT Training Fund Authority, The Umbrella Collective, Worldview Foundation, St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra and the Master Builders Association, the Wodens Civil Taster program provides formerly incarcerated people with industry-recognised training and stable job opportunities.
The rewards and importance of working at a grassroots level
Woden Contractors managing director Ben Helmers speaks of the company’s pledge to create a ‘cohesive and supportive’ work environment.
“As a long-standing construction company, we have always fostered a family-oriented culture,” he says. “We prioritise direct employment over subcontracting and help individuals transitioning from the justice system build long-term careers.”
Participants receive essential pre-employment training, White Card certification, asbestos and silica awareness training and practical work experience with Wodens. The program also equips individuals with invaluable soft skills under Worldview’s Holistic Life Management Program.
“By working at a grassroots level, we can help build financial independence, strengthen communities and offer a fresh start,” Helmers says.
Creating a pipeline for future employment
An overseas program similarly designed to combat reoffending rates and instill a sense of dignity in imprisoned people emerged during the Greater Los Angeles Fires at the start of the year.
Nearly 950 ‘prison firefighters’ were involved in battling the inferno alongside emergency crews. Prisoners were distinguishable by donning orange uniforms and wielding “hand tools” to assist in fire suppression as opposed to hoses.
According to California’s Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, for every day an inmate supported the fire crews, two days were minused from their sentence.
Similar to Woden’s program, prison firefighters were also eligible for potential job opportunities after their release. The notion of prison firefighting is not immune to controversy. However, as prison reform advocates argue, prisoners are paid scant wages for dangerous work.
The Civil Tasters Program has already amassed huge success, as the inaugural round saw 15 participants complete their training, nine of whom landed jobs at Wodens and five secured employment through Worldview.
Photography supplied.
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