Manager, Open Gates
Open Gates is a unique social enterprise in Glasgow, who support people with experience of the justice system in a number of ways. There have been over 300 personal placements who have worked with Open Gates as part of their Community Payback Order (CPO) Unpaid Hours, gaining practical skills, and being supported in their personal development while making positive contribution to their community. People nearing the end of long-term prison sentences have also been supported to take up day release work placements here, aiding their safe transition into the community. You can read more about Community Payback, how and why it is used in the booklet A Summary of Community Options .
Community Payback Orders are a big part of the strategy to reduce the risk that people will re-offend and we are pleased to be part of that work as partners in the Community Justice Glasgow Partnership. Others have written about the role of CPO Unpaid Work in previous articles such as ‘Punishment or Rehabilitation’ or ‘Community Payback – Hammering Home the Message’.
CLICK ON THE PICTURE LINKS TO GO DIRECT TO THE ARTICLES
I won’t go over that as you can read about it elsewhere, instead I will focus on how Open Gates contributes to that work. Recently we were pleased to be featured a short video about the role of Social Enterprises in reducing re-offending – YOU CAN VIEW THE VIDEO BY CLIKING THE LINK BELOW.
Open Gates provides a number of services through which these skills are gained, including renovations, house clearances, and vocational training. They also have two stores and an online shop where they have an extensive selection of furniture, which has been expertly restored by those working in and supported by the service. Placements also help make a positive contribution to the local community by keeping the local canal side clean and littler free. This route is popular with walkers, runners, and cyclists, as well as city centre ‘green’ commuters.
The service successfully completed renovation projects, including the building in which they are based, which was previously derelict. In addition to the furniture showroom, there is a seminar room, and IT room, industrial kitchen and café space and workshop, paint room and restoration room to refurbish the furniture that is then sold. You can watch the progress of this project, and find out more about Open Gates in the video by clicking on the image below:
I had the vision for Open Gates to give people an opportunity. I want to help – ultimately – I want to do the prison officers out of a job by persuading folk not to offend. I know how difficult it is to break the cycle of reoffending but I know it can be done. Open Gates has brought this vision to fruition, in reality every single person that’s come through here has done just as much work as I have done in the time that they were here, so we’re totally dependent on the people who come through our door.
The achievements of the service so far have been considerable. In addition to the two furniture showrooms the project has achieved:
- Just a 15% reoffending rate for people working with Open Gate (this is around half the reconviction rate overall population who have had a CPO)
- 80+ successful renovation projects
- 95+ projects completed on time
- 95 financial management projects
Karen Baxter, Policy Office at Community Justice Glasgow commented:
“The work carried out by people at Open Gates, keeping the paths and walkways around the Forth and Clyde Canal clean and tidy, is much appreciated by the local community. It is a well-used route for people walking and cycling to the city centre, jogging, dog walking and fishing. Their work around personal placements and reintegrating prisoners stands out, it is a pleasure to see the positive impact they make. I would like to thank everyone at Open Gates for maintaining this area for everyone to enjoy”
