Barrow Cadbury Trust inspires and funds projects promoting social justice. It was established as a grant-making foundation in 1920. It strives to seek new questions and new solutions to close the gaps in current practice and policy.
In 2004, Ed was appointed a Commissioner on the Barrow Cadbury Commission on Young Adults and the Criminal Justice System. The following year, the Commission published its report Lost in Transition highlighting concerns about how vulnerable young people are often failed when they encounter the criminal justice system. During his time as a Commissioner, Ed led the debates on improving the employability of young people with convictions. This became one of the nine recommendations contained in the report.
In 2006, Ed was contracted by the Barrow Cadbury Trust to develop a practical guide for employers to use to recruit young people with convictions into work and so reduce their likelihood of re-offending.
He set about creating a partnership between Barrow Cadbury and Business in the Community (BITC) who were already engaged in working with their corporate members to provide work experience and employment to young ex-offenders. For the next 12 months, Ed led a multi-stakeholder project team including BITC and a number of enlightened employers to produce the guide – “Getting Out To Work".
Around two-thirds of young adults who end up in prison have no previous work experience. This blights their chances of finding employment on release.
Ed’s response was visionary. His business insight and practical focus ensured that the guide for employers was compelling yet pithy. It generated substantial interest from employers and we are delighted with the difference this is making to the lives of young adults caught up in the criminal justice system.