CONTENTS 1 A message from the Founders 2 Mission Statement 3 The Redemption Impact Model 4 Reoffending in the UK 5 In custody Academies 6 Community Barista Academies 7 Employment Inside Redemption 8 Employment Outside Redemption 9 Graduate Support 10 Magistrates Letter 11 Roastery Operations and Coffee Sourcing
A MESSAGE FROM THE FOUNDERS TED AND MAX People often ask does Redemption actually make a difference As founders we think about this in two different ways measured outcomes and cultural attitudes Regarding measured outcomes compared to the national average those who participate in our programme are 50 less likely to reoffend If we had to choose one stat to adduce this would be it It captures our success in three key areas i our courses and roastery to teach skills and foster ambition ii the mentor team to provide effective employment and wraparound support and iii the commercial side of the business to hire and retain talent On cultural attitudes we strongly believe i common views of prisoners and ex prisoners must change ii this should be higher on the agenda than it is and iii it would help heal seemingly intractable divides in contemporary Britain This year we as founders accepted over 10 engagements including the European Coffee Symposium the University of Cambridge and the UK Parliament positioning ourselves as thoughtleaders in our space We also received a special award from the Prime Minister recognising our efforts in rehabilitating offenders and ex offenders High profile attention of this sort implied things might just be moving in the right direction We hope this report helps you organise your own thoughts surrounding the question of whether Redemption is making a difference
REDUCING REOFFENDING THROUGH COFFEE 25 of company revenue has been invested in Redemption s impact activities For every 1 spent by customers 25p went towards our mission To date we ve saved over 2 5m in tax payers money from being spent on the criminal justice system
THE REDEMPTION IMPACT MODEL Operating our roastery from inside the walls of HMP The Mount in Hemel Hempstead We employ up to five prison residents and train them in coffee roasting skills These skills build their confidence and improve their self esteem BARISTA TRAINING BEHIND BARS At our three barista academies inside HMP High Down HMP Pentonville and HMP Send our trainers teach prison residents all the skills they need to become coffee masters Over several weeks students are taught how to dial in a grinder pull espresso shots to a specific recipe and pour latte art At the end of the course all learners are assessed on their theoretical and practical knowledge and awarded a grade We also provide one to one case management to maximise the likelihood of graduates successfully transitioning into sustainable employment ROASTING BEHIND BARS COMMUNITY BARISTA ACADEMIES GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT BEYOND REDEMPTION Supporting sustainable employment for our graduates through weekly check ins with our internal caseworkers Providing a ongoing package of support across wellbeing developmental financial and legal support Our community barista academy extends our reach beyond prison walls to train people identified as being at risk of entering crime with the skills needed to work in coffee and beyond Our community academy is located in our King s Cross HQ with two bespoke training rooms and high spec kit to give our participants the best start as baristas
In custody Academies ROASTED ON THE INSIDE Redemption Roasters core mission is to create opportunities for ex offenders So it makes sense all our coffee starts behind bars From our first roastery inside HMYOI Aylesbury we ve grown into a commercial scale facility at HMP The Mount a Category C men s prison in Hemel Hempstead We want to break down barriers in speciality coffee an industry seen by some as arrogant and inaccessible and prove anyone can succeed in it regardless of background Whilst most jobs for prisoners inside involve cleaning or cooking our roastery enables men serving sentences to learn the practical and unusual skills of coffee roasting production and logistics But our roastery based beneficiaries don t just get an education they re paid at four times the standard rate for prison employment with a portion of wages set aside for them to access upon release giving them a headstart as they reintegrate into society 105 000 hours of meaningful activity spent on our brand impact
BARISTA TRAINING BEHIND BARS The perfect espresso with professionally poured latte art is easy to take for granted But takes precision creativity and hours of practice At our three barista academies inside HMP High Down HMP Pentonville and HMP Send our trainers teach prison residents all the skills they need to become professional baristas Over several weeks students are taught how to dial in a grinder pull espresso shots to a specific recipe and pour latte art At the end of the course all learners are assessed on their theoretical and practical knowledge and awarded a grade We also provide one to one case management to maximise the likelihood of graduates successfully transitioning into sustainable employment 14 The number of prisons we have worked with to date In custody Academies
HMP HIGHDOWN HMP Highdown is a Category C men s prison where we run a barista academy and barista technician course We launched the technician course to open up a new side of the coffee industry to our barista graduates and enhance their likelihood of gaining meaningful employment upon release The course combines theoretical concepts such as Ohm s Law and water science with the practical skills needed to service maintain and repair espresso machinery At the end of the course participants are assessed on their ability to fix technical problems on their own and in teams Over 1500 people have been supported through our training programmes to date In custody Academies
MEET MATT BARISTA TRAINER Matt has been in the speciality coffee industry for many years working across different roles He joined Redemption in 2021 to lead our High Down barista academy share his skills with others and help rehabilitate prison residents through coffee I love training people in prison As challenging as the environment can be it is also immensely rewarding There is nothing better than hearing a student talk to others about what they have learnt their ability and their knowledge shines through I especially like the fact that we offer a true through the gates package from training students to an SCA standard whilst in prison to offering employment support and potential work upon release A personal highlight was hearing one of my students who had passed with a distinction talk honestly about how he cannot wait to be released because for the first time he genuinely believes he has the skills and support to turn his life around MEET HANA TECHNICIAN TRAINER When the opportunity to work for Redemption came up Hana realised it was the perfect opportunity to combine her nine years of coffee industry experience passion for criminal justice and counselling qualifications Starting a course that has never been taught before came with its challenges but these were all overshadowed by the feedback from our first 3 cohorts All my students seemed to enjoy the variety of learning this course provides We use books as well as educational videos alongside hands on practical experience fixing machines Seeing how well our barista academy works my hope is to establish a professional relationship with coffee technicians across the industry to be able to provide an apprenticeship for students that successfully complete our technical course In custody Academies
In custody Academies Meet Alice Barista T rainer HMP PENTONVILLE Our newest barista academy at HMP Pentonville a Category B men s prison can be found a short walk from our HQ in King s Cross This is our first London academy and our plan is to provide local employment for prison leavers Since we opened in June 2022 we have trained forty prison residents Meet Alice our Barista Trainer Alice learned her skills from running a coffee shop in Manchester She loves coffee but has always been uneasy about the inequalities in the industry seeing first hand that coffee shops are not a space for everyone in society To help change that she s joined our team to lead the Pentonville academy Redemption Roasters creates a space where people from any background can enjoy a good cup of coffee Working in a prison environment and training ex offenders has its challenges but I have found teaching the course extremely rewarding The main thing some students have learned from the course is how to feel comfortable in social situations They ve said they ve found a new confidence in themselves which is essential for a future customer service role
HMP SEND We ran a Barista academy at HMP Send our first women s prison Female ex offenders suffer disproportionate social stigma upon release compared to males and this is something we re helping to address by training residents up with the skills needed for employment In January 2022 our first HMP Send graduate began working for Redemption Roasters It was extremely important to have this training in prison I didn t think I would be able to get onto the course because it s so hard in prison with waiting lists and stuff like that being so long I don t know where I d be now if I didn t have these skills HMP Send Graduate In custody Academies
THROUGH THE GATES Currently only a small percentage of all prison residents can train at our barista academies To extend our support to more prison leavers in their journey towards sustainable employment and increase our impact we re working with the team at Standout Standout creates programmes which empower people to build brighter futures after prison including preparing prison leavers for life on the outside We ve delivered workshops with Standout in HMP Wandsworth and HMP Pentonville to over 35 participants connecting with employers that believe in giving people second chances 22 of our total hospitality workforce consists of prison leavers and individuals at the risk of entering crime In CIuns tcoudystAocdyadAecamideesmies
COMMUNITY COFFEE SCHOOL Our community barista academy extends Redemption s reach beyond prison walls to support people at risk of commiting crime and reduce their chance of entering the criminal justice system Over five days community students are taught the same essential barista skills as our prison graduates Our community academy is located in our new King s Cross HQ with two bespoke training rooms with high spec kit to give students the best start as baristas To make the training fully accessible we cover travel expenses and provide lunch each day At the end of the course every community graduate is offered holistic support from our dedicated case workers to help them make the leap into employment The training has helped me understand more about scheduling and timekeeping I have been successful which has made me more opsimistic for what may come It was a great experiene where I was constantly being pushed 19 year old graduate Community Barista Academies
Useful Optimistic COMMUNITY IMPACT 32 5 of students had previous convictions whilst the remaining 77 5 were individuals at the risk of entering crime
GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT AT REDEMPTION The Redemption model is unique Not only do we train our graduates with the skills they need for a career in hospitality we provide one on one support to ensure a smooth transition into employment with us or our job partners Once placed graduates work alongside our team of highly skilled baristas to practise what they ve learned in the training room We have increased the number of graduates by 37 over the course of this year I love working with our graduates and seeing their confidence and practical barista skills develop A coffee shop can often be quite an aremind them that at the end of the day it s just coffee and croissants Cafe Manager Hampstead Heath Employment Inside Redemption
REDEMPTION INTERNSHIPS Last year we introduced three month long paid internships as part of our employment programme These internships are exclusively for graduates that have previously been in prison Throughout the internship participants experience every aspect of working in a coffee shop with a focus on learning how these skills are transferable to other industries The internships are tailored with flexible working conditions for each personal circumstance This can include adjustments to working hours and providing work locations in close proximity to the intern s home To date 85 of our interns have completed their three month programme and progressed into full employment with Redemption Before Redemption I didn t even know that a mocha had chocolate in it Now I can t stop talking about the different types of coffee I really enjoy being able to put into practice the skills that I learned in training The team in the shop is excellent and everyone looks after each other If someone is struggling then someone else will step up and help Redemption Intern
KICKSTARTERS Youth unemployment is a significant risk factor for entry into the criminal justice system Through the Government s Kickstart Scheme we have expanded our training to include 16 24 year olds on Universal Credit We offer our kickstarters vocational training and six months of paid employment in our shops 10 The number of Kickstarters who have completed their six months training and progressed into full employment Employment Inside Redemption
2 22 of our coffee shop workforce have come directly from our training and employment academies
GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT BEYOND REDEMPTION We set our graduates up for careers either at Redemption or elsewhere if they are successful and don t re offend we have done our job We help graduates identify opportunities that suit their skills and interests before supporting them with CVwriting cover letters and interview preparation Once they ve secured a new role we continue to check in with them regularly This year our graduates have started roles at the likes of Gail s Bakery Neal Street Espresso Eggs N Stuff and Transform Coffee The support I received from Redemption Roasters was the best thing that has happened to me It opened so many doors for me and I had job offers from Black Sheep Coffee Pret a Manger and Gail s Bakery My time with Redemption Roasters gave me the best opportunity to get a job Leyla graduate January 2022 now working at Gail s Bakery Employment Outside Redemption
SUPPORT FOR SUCCESS Starting employment is never the end of the challenges faced by our graduates Housing difficulties complex family dynamics negative relationships and financial insecurity are all threats to showing up to work each day and can potentially pull a graduate back into offending behaviour We support our graduates across wellbeing development and financial support WELLBEING AND DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT Our dedicated caseworkers check in with graduates each week in one to one sessions Along with providing emotional support our caseworkers partner with probation officers social workers and key workers to make sure that every graduate benefits from a joined up approach In turn shop managers also work with caseworkers to provide feedback on the professional development of each graduate Graduate Support
Graduate Support FINANCIAL SUPPORT Through budget training and our dedicated hardship fund we are able to alleviate some of the financial pressures faced by our graduates particularly in the early stages of their employment 62 3 Transportation 10 4 Food 6 49 Home Goods 5 19 Starter Pack 3 9 Replacement ID Documents 3 9 Medical 3 9 Work Clothing 2 6 Other 61 4 39 HoHmoeusGinoogds Over the past year graduates have each received an average of 169 40 from our hardship fund
MAGISTRATES LETTER In February 2022 our team wrote a reference for one of our graduate baristas in court for charges that predated their most recent release from prison The result was a suspended sentence rather than returning to prison Here s the letter we received from the Magistrate it s well worth a read Dear Redemption Roasters I am a Magistrate and yesterday I met one your baristas as he appeared for a number of thefts committed before he went into prison on other matters I asked him what he d done to turn his life around since he left prison He told us about becoming a barista at Redemption Roasters and how that had completely changed his life His advocate had a letter of reference from one of your managers The reference was so wonderful well written and detailed about the contribution and commitment this defendant had made he was a role model he was enthusiastic he was a valued team member I asked the defendant how that made him feel hearing this glowing reference It was very powerful especially as he didn t know what it said because he can t read He was very moved and pleased So the outcome was a suspended sentence in most part because of you He is committed to be a mentor for Redemption Roasters I was so overwhelmed by this and shared my hope and best wishes for him I feel amazed and extremely proud as a customer at being able to see the massive difference you are making to those who ve been in prison and often are caught in a vicious cycle
COFFEE FROM UNEXPECTED PLACES We want to prove that great coffee can come from the people and places you d least expect Just like our approach to roasting we use our coffee sourcing to provide opportunities for people who are otherwise disadvantaged or disenfranchised We have three core sourcing principles REHABILITATION Setting people up for future success regardless of their past is a core part of what we do We ve been working with a project in Colombia which supports farmers who want to move away from growing coca and instead produce coffee This allows them to have a steady sustainable income which provides for their family and creates stability within their community Roastery Operations Coffee Sourcing
DECOLONISATION We support indigeneous groups and the decolonisation of the coffee industry Coffee is an industry built on deep colonial and imperialist foundations We want to put the power back where it belongs With our sourcing partner Raw Material we re supporting a project in Burundi which works with the Twa tribe traditionally the lowest social caste in the country By investing in these underrepresented producers who have limited access to the market we re able to help them purchase equipment to improve their coffee quality each year Roastery Operations Coffee Sourcing
GENDER EQUALITY We support the promotion of female coffee producers to improve gender equality in the industry In an industry where women do most of the labour but rarely hold positions of power we want to help reset the balance We ve built a relationship with Patricia Coelho a female producer in Brazil to create our new house espresso blend The Block We now do a lot of business with Patrica giving her the capital to invest in producing better and better coffee and thereby access the speciality market Roastery Operations Coffee Sourcing
WORKFORCE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION Gender Nationality Ethnicity e 54 Female 36 Male 9 Non binary Workforce by gender Currently over half of the employees identify as female on our people system 49 British 27 Rest of world 23 European Breakdown of workforce by internationality More than half of employees represent a citizenship outside of the UK 36 White British 31 White Other 14 Asian British 9 African British 5 Carribbean British 5 Mixed Other Breakdown of workforce by ethnicity A third of employees represent ethnic minority groups
References Prison Reform Trust https prisonreformtrust org uk publication prison the factssummer 2022 You Gov UK https www gov uk government publications prison population figures 2022 Partners Redemption Roasters is proud to work with some amazing institutions and are grateful for the help that they provide in order for us to achieve our social mission