Recently, our CFO Evolution team held an ‘Unlocking Hospitality’ jobs fair in our Lewisham CFO Activity Hub. This saw a range of hospitality employers, training providers and self-employment representatives coming together to create a platform of opportunity for the participants working to improve their lives through our delivery of this service.
CFO Evolution is a key initiative to help offenders move towards mainstream provision or activity, promoting rehabilitative justice in prison and community settings. Reed in Partnership is providing the service for HMPPS in London, together with our delivery partner Shaw Trust.
The service is operating in an environment where employer attitudes to hiring people with criminal records are hardening, as our recent research report shows: one in five employers automatically reject a candidate who discloses a criminal conviction.
However, the report also demonstrates that employers who have recruited people with criminal convictions reported the same or higher levels of commitment, resilience and trustworthiness compared to staff with no conviction.
Insights into hospitality jobs
More than 100 participants attended the event, which set out to connect them with potential employers and training providers who could provide expert insight into working in the hospitality sector.
Since the jobs fair, employers have been in touch with participants to organise interviews and trial shifts.
One of the employers who attended on the day was Social Pantry, a London-based catering and events company. They actively recruit prison leavers into hospitality roles through providing mentoring and work placements, working closely with prison and rehabilitation charities to help people transition into employment after release. Liam Wood, People Director at Social Pantry, said:
Social Pantry attend the CFO Job Fairs because they’ve proven to be a good source of candidates to join our team; at each fair we’ve attended over the past few years we have come away with at least one or two potential trial shifts.
There’s always a positive atmosphere and energy with fantastic companies and brands to meet. The CFO team are always incredibly helpful and supportive.
Another company present on the day were The Clink, a charity who create hospitality pathways for people aged 18 to 24 years old, enabling them to gain five NVQs and opportunities to go into self-employment. Their appearance added great value to the day as they actively encouraged staff, visitors and participants to make homemade pasta with a tomato and herb sauce, allowing those who took part to create their own fresh lunch. This also allowed participants to get involved and get a taste of the culinary side of hospitality. The Clink team said:
The job fair was a great opportunity for networking and enabled our graduates and learners to learn more about a wide range of employers and training providers.
It also provided an excellent platform for our Clink Young People trainees to put their skills into practice by preparing and serving food to members of the public, while further developing their confidence and networking abilities.
Events like these are invaluable in bringing charities and organisations from across the sector together, creating opportunities to share ideas, build relationships, and identify ways to collaborate and support one another in achieving positive outcomes.
Overall, this event highlighted the power of collaboration and the opportunity it can create. We saw representatives from the New Futures Network (NFN), Prison Employment Leads from London Prisons and our Managing Director, Donna Murrell who said:
It was fantastic to see so many employers, training providers and partners come together with a shared commitment to creating opportunities for people seeking to move forward with their lives and build a positive future.
The energy and engagement throughout the day demonstrated what is possible when organisations work together to open up meaningful pathways into employment
Our report, 'Employer attitudes to employing people with criminal convictions', highlights the vital role employers can play in supporting rehabilitation and reducing reoffending. The evidence is clear: employers who recruit people with criminal convictions often see the benefits first-hand, reporting strong levels of commitment, resilience and trustworthiness.
By challenging assumptions and creating more inclusive pathways into employment, we can help more people access the opportunities they need to move forward, contribute to their communities and fulfil their potential."
Read more about our research into employer attitudes to employing people with criminal convictions, which compares perspectives from 2013 to 2025, shares insights from employers across the UK and sets out practical recommendations to help organisations build more inclusive, resilient workforces and create opportunities that support successful rehabilitation.
