Kerry works for The Recruitment Junction in Newcastle, a recruitment agency for ex-offenders. She works with people who have just left prison to help them to find work, though often has to work with them to find housing due to the large number of people who are released from prison to homelessness. In this work, she utilises the Vicar’s Relief Fund. She says:
“Having the VRF as a lifeline opens up so many more options for the people I work with”.
This is true for people like Will*, who was sleeping in his car in the winter after being released from prison without a home to go to. Kerry was quick to support Will into accommodation, and applied for a VRF grant to pay for Will’s deposit on a privately rented flat. He’s now working full time and living in a stable home – putting him on the path to a life away from offending.
*Names have been changed to protect privacy