The Leo Campaign Seeks to address all of the above issues, through active debate with the community itself; and organisations concerned with the community.
THE LEO CAMPAIGN IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN:
• Examining the connection between re-offending & poor employment opportunities
• Creating a platform for dialogue
• Facilitating the establishment of a community monitoring forum
• Raising a community voice, and soliciting community feedback
• Conducting research on relevant community options
• Campaigning to give ‘genuine’ ex-offenders a level playing field
• Providing training to organisations seeking to employ ex-offenders
• Lobbying organisations, individuals and businesses to join the debate
CECIL FOREST
Cecil Forest started the Leo Campaign in February of this year, out of a deep desire to bring about change within a system that alienated ex-offenders. An ex-offender himself he was finding it increasingly hard, to secure sustainable employment within the youth and criminal justice sectors.
He had worked as a volunteer drug counsellor & youth support worker for 18months. He had also facilitated workshops within prisons, in a freelance capacity. And in addition to that, he also worked hard to secure himself several youth & community qualifications, as well as a counselling qualification. Yet despite his work experience, qualifications and his obvious life experience, an offer for full time ‘paid’ employment was still not forthcoming.
Although Cecil has no prior convictions, which involved young people or any violence against them, the establishment still viewed him as an employment ‘wild-card’. Employers were willing to recognise his skill and expertise as a volunteer, where he was given full autonomy and allowed to engage young people.
However employers were not willing to go a step further and employ him onto their legitimate staff teams, as they viewed his CRB in a negative light.
Feeling that this was a very unfair double standard, and out of sheer frustration from rejected job applications; The Leo Campaign was born. Initially its primary aim was to get employers to understand and accept that ex-offenders themselves, were best placed to work with at-risk, vulnerable and problematic young people. Not only because they had engaged in similar lifestyles through their past offending history, but also because there existed more trust and empathy between ex-offenders, young people and recent adult offenders.
Since its conception in February The Campaign has gone from strength to strength, it has received airtime on channel 5’s ‘The Wright Stuff’ as well as numerous radio programmes. It has taken part in national debates and conferences up and down the country, as well as attending decision making forums at The House of Commons. It has received offers of joint and partnership ventures, from both the voluntary and statutory sectors.
The Leo Campaign receives support from organisations such as NACRO, and most recently was involved alongside The Metropolitan Police with Lambeth’s ‘Peace on the Streets’ campaign. The Leo Campaign delivered a highly successful contribution to ‘Peace on the Streets’, in a T-shirt workshop where young people were invited to design their own Peace-logo. The most outstanding logo has been selected to receive an award at the end of the month, from The Metropolitan Police and will have their logo printed onto T-shirts which will be worn around the community.
The Leo Campaign is at present making contributions at The Labour Party Conference is Manchester, and sits on several joint committees. The Leo Campaign is dedicated to helping to instigate a change of policy within government, with regard to the employment of ex-offenders. It is determined to take the issue all the way to Whitehall, in the quest for justice, change and equal opportunities.
INTERVIEW WITH CECIL FOREST:
When and why did you decide to turn your life around?
When I was in prison and missed my children I decided that I couldn’t just keep doing this. I was initially sentenced to 9 years and I had a lot of time to think. I realised that I needed to get out of the cycle of crime so I joined the Samaritans. That led me to charity work – I supported other prisoners, which also made me stronger. It gave me confidence that I could make a positive difference to people’s lives.
What Happened when you came out?
I was doing voluntary work for 2 years as a drug and youth councilor but couldn’t find any full time paid work after it. It was disheartening because, like other prisoners, I wanted to get out and have a real job earning honest money, but my status as an ex offender kept holding me back. In the end I found an organisation that employed former prisoners to speak to the youth and warn them of the errors of our own ways and how to turn our lives around. After that I started the Leo Campaign.
What does the Leo Campaign do?
The campaign strives to turn disaffected young kids around and stay on the right track. It also works to give people with a criminal history a second chance in life so that they can get a respectable job and avoid turning back to crime as their only resort.
By Rickin Majithia
