THE Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey (OPCC) is funding a new pilot project to help ex-offenders find employment as part of an ongoing drive to reduce re-offending in the county. 

The PCC’s office is teaming up with Clean Sheet – an independent charity focused entirely on supporting ex-offenders, both men and women, into sustainable employment. The Clean Sheet programme has already overseen over 100 people nationwide gain employment so far this year.

Surrey will become the first PCC’s office in the country to be partnered with the charity which works with local and national employers to refer and support ex-offenders into appropriate employment. It is proposed the scheme will run for an initial period of 12 months in Surrey handling around 10 work-ready referrals per month. 

The PCC has created a Criminal Justice post in the OPCC and set aside around £250,000 from the office’s Community Safety Fund to finance projects aimed at reducing re-offending.