News

The Mayor of Croydon, Councillor Sherwan Chowdhury, visited the Croydon CFO Activity Hub on on Thursday 21^st October during their coffee morning. Also present were providers within the hub, probation officers and external providers who wanted further details about the services provided. It was essentially a networking event and part of our stakeholder engagement activities to promote the Hubs and generate referrals.

The Mayor was received by taken on a tour of the hub and introduced to staff and clients present. He sat down for a chat with the managers of the hub from SIG and Reed in Partnership.

The Mayor said: “This is an amazing place and is the sort of support everyone needs when coming out of prison. The right support at the right time can make a world of difference. I think the staff at the hub are doing a great job passionately and compassionately. Places like these make our work easier as the quicker people can be helped to resettle in the community and start turning their lives around, the less chance there is of them reoffending.”

Examples of clients who use the hub and the differences it has made to their outlook and demeanor were shared. They gain among other things, interview skills, therapeutic support, help into work, housing support and one-to-one support.

Neil, Penrose’s manager at the hub has worked in forensic mental health, multiple and complex needs, rehabilitation, drug and alcohol services, probation, and criminal justice services in the last few years. He sees this role as a natural next step and an opportunity to share his experiences and effect change. He sees the hub as an integral part of the criminal justice system and a crucial part of the clients’ journey. He said: “We use personalized plans here and are able to provide measurable outcomes that contribute to a reduction in incidences of recidivism.”

The CFO Activity Hubs are provided by Reed in Partnership in conjunction with lead partners SIG Penrose and RFEA. They support men and women on licence or serving a community sentence.

They offer a safe and comfortable space full of useful activities and support. This includes personal advice and guidance to make plans for clients to move into education, employment or training.