Working Chance

Who we are

Working Chance helps women leaving the criminal justice system to develop the confidence, skills and self-belief they need to overcome any barriers to their employment, find jobs and build careers. 
 

We work with businesses of all sizes across all industries to find opportunities for women that align with their skills and aspirations.
 
Since 2009, Working Chance has supported thousands of women into employment and many more on their journeys towards financial independence. To women with convictions, a job is more than an income - it means a future where she and her family can flourish.

Our culture and values

We are a small but ambitious team. We have very varied backgrounds and experiences, but what unites us is our values and drive to make transformational change happen for women with convictions.We believe that a strong, inclusive organisational culture is at the very heart of our success.

Our values are:

1) Commitment: We go above and beyond to support each woman we work with to recognise her strengths and potential, and to help her believe she can have a job or career she loves. We offer honest insights and solutions to policy makers because we know the justice system could and should be better. We are committed to helping transform the employment landscape by inspiring employers to be open-minded and inclusive in their attitudes and practice towards people with convictions.

2) Collaboration: We treat every client and colleague, and people we come into contact with outside our organisation, with respect and we value their contributions and experience. We know that working in partnership with others will help us to get the best outcomes for women with convictions, and that we are only one part of the jigsaw puzzle.

3) Growth: We see every woman with a conviction for how bright her future can be, and not for her past. As an organisation, we are constantly growing our knowledge and expertise, and as individuals we are always learning.

4) Lived experience at our heart: We want to be representative of the people we are here for, so we prioritise lived experience when we recruit for new colleagues, and we ensure it’s well represented on our trustee board. Our lived experience advisory panel guides our work. Our service and our influencing work are continuously reviewed to ensure that they reflect the needs and perspectives of women who have experienced the justice system first-hand.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

We aim to be an organisation where people from all backgrounds and experiences can come together, be welcomed, be heard, and be valued. Our goal is to have an inclusive culture that inspires everyone to speak openly, connect with others, belong, learn, and grow.

But our EDI work does not solely focus on our internal culture. Our service for women also has these principles at its heart.

Our policy and influencing work shares power and space with women, and is developed hand-in-hand with our advisory panel of women with convictions.

A disproportionate number of women in the justice system have experienced multiple intersecting inequalities, discrimination and disadvantage their whole lives. That means that for us, EDI work isn't 'nice to have', it's essential.