South West

South West

About CFO South West Community Delivery

Participants can engage with CFO across the South West area at a pace which suits their rehabilitation journey, with tailored support to help overcome personal barriers. Activities and interventions available include housing, financial support and education and employment.

This practical support aims to build personal resilience, upskill participants and strengthen support networks, amongst others. All of which aims to help participants to reach a mainstream destination.

CFO Activity Hubs are available in two South West locations and represent a safe, non-authoritarian space where participants can, and importantly want to engage in a range of activities.

CFO delivery in the community can take place in a CFO Activity Hub or through Provider peripatetic delivery. This may include (but is not limited to):

Addressing wider barriers to accessing mainstream opportunities (addictions, low levels of literacy/numeracy, motivation and confidence levels etc.) 

Overcoming practical obstacles (obtaining ID, registration with GP/dentist, support to retain or secure a tenancy) 

Access to partner delivery sites, including funded transport/travel to pop-up Hubs or community delivery sites

Practical courses (vocational, basic skills, financial literacy etc.) 

Improving likelihood of securing employment (disclosure, CV creation, interview techniques, job applications, communication skills etc.) 

1-2-1 support and group activities to allow participants to tackle barriers at their own pace and in a comfortable manner

Additional skills (healthy living, money management, safeguarding, wellbeing etc.) 

Working through recorded sessions or workbooks with a Support Worker

Collaborative appointments with professionals in the community

Community Locations

Participants can engage with CFO in the following South West community locations. Please note: Community sites are currently in the process of going live and may not be accessible just yet. Referrals can still be made at this time.

About CFO South West Custody Delivery

CFO custodial delivery is available across the South West. This includes dedicated CFO Wings, feeder prisons and outlier prisons.

The CFO Evolution programme is designed to ensure maintained motivation and confidence throughout, whilst preparing for community resettlement. Engagements include peer mentoring training, classroom learning, community contribution and much more. Specific participant needs are taken into account throughout.

CFO Wings in particular are welcoming spaces where individuals feel supported, understood, cared for and valued whilst working towards release.

Custodial Locations

Click here to see a full map of custodial delivery including Feeder Prisons, Outlying Prisons and Female Prisons.

Participants can also engage with dedicated CFO Wings in the following South West custodial locations.

Make a referral

Making a referral to CFO is simple and easy, simply click below to access our referral form.

Referral Form

Geralt*’s Story

With the help of his Probation Officer, Geralt* enrolled with the CFO Activity Hub in Bristol to gain wraparound support for his mainstream engagement with drug rehabilitation services. A key part of the rehabilitative journey can be in access to support outside of these mainstream provisions, and addressing other barriers can lead to better success with core activities.

Upon first arrival, Geralt* was nervous, anxious and unwilling to engage in any group sessions. His Support worker would change the focus of his attendance to 1-2-1 sessions, during which he would disclose his love for drawing. To help him progress in confidence, his Support Worker arranged for a drawing pad to be purchased for Geralt*, who would then sit in the CFO Activity Hub working on his art.

During these art sessions he would open up, and eventually engaged in conversations around his poor lifestyle, drug use and debt issues. A referral was made to Payplan to look at his debts in more detail, which would aid his drug rehabilitation and reduce to likelihood of reoffence. Additionally, he would engage with a DWP drop-in session, who supported Geralt* in getting an eye test and some new glasses.

Speaking about the impact of the Hub on his rehabilitative journey, Geralt* said: “Three months ago my life was falling apart around me at a catastrophic rate. I was in active addiction, getting in trouble with the police, frequent hospital admissions, constantly suicidal and feeling like my life was worthless and pointless. I lost my job and became an anxious wreck. Then I was referred to the CFO Activity Hub by my Probation Officer and I’d like to take a moment to share how they became my unsung heroes and changed my life.

Leah, my support worker, is always available to talk to, to help me with life admin, making calls and giving me a calming space and presence when I am anxious. I am epileptic and neurodiverse and the whole team takes excellent care of me when I have an episode, Suki, Brian and Flo especially.

Suki can tell I am not okay at a glance and everyone always has time to sit with me until I am better. The whole team has made the space safe and encouraged us to be creative and be ourselves. This is so important to us, as a group of people that are in a difficult period of our lives. There is never any judgment from anyone.

Further than just providing a safe space though, they also give us every opportunity and encouragement to move forward. We learn new skills, they teach us how to cook, how to navigate a world that for many of the participants has moved on whilst they were serving time in prison. We gain valuable social skills whilst participating in group activities. My favourite part of the Hub is that the staff are always available. They share the space with us, they actively join in with activities, conversations and debates.

Three months later, I am (at time of writing) 30 days sober. I am becoming increasingly more confident; my life has direction and purpose, and I have hope for a bright future. I have a reason to get up in the mornings. For the first time in my life, I feel seen and heard. None of that would have been possible without the support of the team at the Hub.

I cannot possibly be more grateful for what the team has done for me and the impact it has had on my life. Thank you, Bristol CFO Activity Hub.”

“I cannot possibly be more grateful for what the team has done for me and the impact it has had on my life. Thank you Bristol CFO Activity Hub.“
Darcy*, South West CFO Participant
“I cannot possibly be more grateful for what the team has done for me and the impact it has had on my life. Thank you Bristol CFO Activity Hub.“
Darcy*, South West CFO Participant

Activities Available

These are just some of the many activities available to participants within the South West, all of which support the participant to reduce reoffending.

Upskilling

Independent Living Skills

Community Activities

Fitness

Health Advice

Arts and Crafts

Indoor and Outdoor Sports

Stakeholder
Engagement
CFO Delivery Map
Make a Referral
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