User:Obbes/Blue Sky Development and Regeneration

Blue Sky Development and Regeneration is a registered charity and social enterprise in the UK that employs ex-offenders in the waste management, recycling and grounds maintenance sectors, where Blue Sky Development and Regeneration acts as a contractor to  local authorities and subcontractor to their maintenance providers. They are a sister charity to Groundwork Thames Valley (part of the Groundwork UK federation), but operate independently.

Scope
The charities remit is to reduce re-offending through employment, which has been identified by the Social Exclusion Unit as one of the two biggest factor in reducing re-offending, the other being accommodation. Paid employment is offered to ex-offenders on 6-month contracts with additional support, peer mentoring and training. This aims to provide ex-offenders with job experience, soft skills, and a reference, in order to enable them to transition into permanent employment and combat the cycle of re-offending.

History
Founded in 2005, Blue Sky Development and Regeneration was established in response to concerns by the then Chief Executive of Groundwork Thames Valley about the rate of re-offending in the UK (60% within two years) and the human and financial cost of this. Since inception they have employed over 400 ex-offenders.

They won the 'Social care and welfare' cetegory at the 2010 Charity Awards and 'Social Enterprise of the Year' for England in the Social Enterprise Awards 2011.

Location
The charities headquarters are located in Colne Valley Park Visitors Centre in Denham, Buckinghamshire.

Operational areas
Areas in which Blue Sky Development and Regeneration operates includes and have included:
 * London boroughs – Hillingdon, Ealing, Hounslow and Brent
 * South East England – Oxford, Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, and Slough
 * South West England – Bristol and Gloucester

Franchises
Blue Sky Development and Regeneration also has franchises in Manchester and Wakefield and is working on developing other franchises.

Patrons

 * Jonathan Aitken
 * Erwin James