Help for ex-offenders moving into a new home

Ex-offenders are being offered help to make the difficult transition from prison to a permanent home - and the chance to get new qualifications along the way.

NOCN, one of the UK's largest awarding organisations, has worked with the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) to create a new qualification in managing a tenancy, which can be taught in prisons and by landlords.

Trusted Tenants is due to be launched this/next week. It has been developed with the help of Greater Manchester Probation Trust, which has become the first organisation to deliver the new qualification for ex-offenders.

Moving into a new home should be an exciting time but for some, especially people leaving prison, it can be extremely daunting.

When suddenly faced with the costs involved in running a home, forms to fill in and the everyday tasks involved in looking after a home, some people don't know where to start or what to do. Trusted Tenants aims to help people learn more about how to cope with and keep a home.

The qualification is not just aimed at ex-offenders. It can help any new tenant, including young people with children, people with addictions and those leaving supported living, long-term hospital care or the armed forces.

Robbie Williams, from Greater Manchester Probation Trust, said: "Getting offenders released from prison or moving on from a hostel to a tenancy can be difficult. When we heard about the new NOCN pre-tenancy qualification we realised it could help us to work with residents trying to rehabilitate themselves.

"It's a way for them to demonstrate that they are genuinely trying to move forward and are worth offering a tenancy as they've learned the skills needed to keep their home, treat their neighbours with respect and look after the property they are renting."

Housing providers sometimes have concerns about placing someone in one of their properties who has an offending history.

It's hoped the new pre-tenancy qualification will give people the chance to avoid problems like falling into debt or causing anti-social behaviour by giving them the skills to avoid difficult situations, and possibly even reoffending.

Trusted Tenants is being officially launched at CIH's office in London on Friday 26 April. Guests from the housing industry and organisations including UK Resettlement and the Probation Trust will hear from Manchester probation staff who are delivering the qualification to ex-offenders.

For more information email housing@nocn.org.uk or visit www.nocn.org.uk