GFIE: Government Initiative fails on Ex-Offenders Jobs
Going Forward Into Employment (GFiE)
The National Probation Service reveals its true colors regarding the employment of ex-offenders.
The National Probation Service is unwilling to set an example.
A disappointing reply to the ex-offender with initiative.
FOI response reveals unsatisfactory statistics
The government provides a pathway to employment for Civil Service positions specifically aimed at individuals who have recently been released from prison with a criminal record. This Gov. initiative, called Going Forward Into Employment (GFIE), is designed to assist those transitioning from incarceration to the workforce.
They feature a .gov website that includes information about GFIE jobs and specifically mentioned a Community Payback Supervisor. (pic above right) A few months later, that same job role was advertised in London. Craig, (not his real name), who was recently released from prison, saw this job listing and applied.
Competing alongside others in the everyday job market, he successfully landed the position after completing the online application, written assessments, and an interview with two local managers.
He was thrilled to receive a job offer. However, later, the Probation Service changed their mind upon finding out that Craig had a criminal record, something that Craig had never attempted to hide. At that moment, the UK National Probation Service remarked
"These behaviors are not aligned with expected behaviors for any person wishing to work with HM Prison & Probation Service" (below)
they did not wish to hire someone of that individual’s background.
The GFiE program has strict rules about which 'TYPE' of Ex-offender can apply for GFiE Jobs and Craig was eligible to apply for GFiE roles, and the GFiE department confirmed this. After doing some further inquiries but only getting rude responses, he pieced together the true situation with GFiE roles.
They were identical jobs and wages and responsibilities. But were advertised seperately. The applicant then went through a 'Special GFiE' application process.
Craig had taken the difficult route...
completing the competency-based questions connected with the Success Profiles Framework which the Civil Service currently uses.
He then had an interview with 2 managers working in the Probation Service and again presented adequate responses to competency-based questions requiring examples of lived experience.
Craig got the job !!
Unfortunately, he was not aware that he could only apply for that exact same job if it is advertised through GFiE. The GFiE process is,
Submit CV
Write why you want the job
Attend the informal interview to discuss the job
(All ex-offenders are guaranteed an interview)
Accepting that he was not selected for the position, Craig conducted further inquiries. One might assume that the PROBATION service would exert more effort in promoting the employment of ex-offenders, but unfortunately, that is not the reality.
Earlier this year, he filed a Freedom of Information request.
Over a span of two years,
More than 1500 Community Payback Supervisor positions were established.
Sadly, only 14 of these roles were available to ex-offenders.
The so-called ‘flagship’ position that is allegedly dismantling barriers to hiring failed to offer even 1% of its positions to ex-offenders. Ironically, the department responsible for that 0.9% hiring choice is the National Probation Service, which supervises rehabilitation efforts.
The first response from the PROBATION service was perceived as quite disrespectful and dismissive, stating, "These behaviors are not in line with expected conduct for anyone wishing to work in the HM prison and probation service." This statement encapsulates their viewpoint on the hesitance to hire ex-offenders.
The truthful reality that an ex-offender had competed against the general public and emerged victorious was of little to zero consequence. He had metaphorically "filled out the incorrect form," rendering everything invalid.
UK Civil Service at its best.
