
Creating Future Opportunities
HM Prison and Probation Services (HMPPS) Creating Future Opportunities (CFO) know that people with strong foundations in place to make a success of their lives, are less likely to re-offend. CFO projects are aimed at addressing barriers via appropriate support mechanisms tailored to individual needs and reducing re-offending. Established in 2002, we have secured over £530m of external funding via the European Social Fund for the Ministry of Justice.
The current CFO3 and CFO Activity Hub programmes are part-funded by the European Social Fund and supported under the Youth Employment Initiative
CFO3
The current CFO3 project commenced delivery in July 2015 and will run through to March 2024.
CFO3 is included as part of the Social Inclusion Thematic Objective for the 2014-2020 ESF Programme, which has a wider focus than employment.
There are nine regional level contracts across England, with four mainstream services, operating across custody and community, with a particular emphasis on social inclusion.
HMPPS CFO3 (previously known as Co-Financing Organisation) focuses on those offenders who have difficulty accessing mainstream employability or training services.
CFO Activity Hubs
HMPPS CFO Activity Hubs focuses on a safe space where offenders can engage in activities and access wrap around support, complementing existing provisions.
There are 21 community-based CFO Activity Hubs across England, with one Veteran Hub at HMP/YOI Holme House. Five providers with emphasis on three broad category areas:
- Human/Citizenship
- Community and Social
- Interventions and Services
The current CFO Activity Hub project commenced in 2021 and will run to March 2024.
Armed Forces Covenant
In 2016, HMPPS CFO was the recipient of an MoD Covenant Fund Trust (was Grant) fund. The project was called “Network for Ex-Service Personnel” (NESP). As a recap on the NESP project 2016-2018; the original proposal was to work with those Detainees Under Sentence (DUS) at the Military Corrective Training Centre, Colchester and also those in HMPPS CJS who have previously served for the Armed Forces and help support them through the gate with the ultimate goal of finding employment and reduce reoffending rates.
CFO Evolution
HMPPS CFO has secured funding to continue delivery of services to offenders considered hard to help and furthest away from the mainstream. The CFO Evolution programme will build on the successes of the CFO3 and CFO Activity Hub programmes to create a single delivery programme which will complement existing HMPPS core services and provide resettlement support to individuals in custody and the community. The contract award will be early 2024, with contracts mobilising from May 2024. Throughput and delivery will commence from August 2024, although these dates may be subject to change.