HMP Castle Huntly: Community Projects Team

In order to expand on the work that Perth and Kinross Council and Balfour Beatty have been doing to engage with those with a background of offending, the team at the Perth Transport Futures Project (PTFT) met with Mark Steadman, Offenders Outcome Officer at HMP Castle Huntly Open Prison, to discuss any opportunities to engage with the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) through our works on the project.

As part of prisoners time spent at HMP Castle Huntly, and following suitability assessments, prisoners are expected to undertake work experience to prepare them for reintegration to their communities. For those prisoners with complex cases or who are anxious about taking the step to go out on work experience placements unaccompanied, the prison operates a Community Projects Team. The team consists of around 8 prisoners, escorted by a Prison Officer, to undertake construction based activities such as soft and hard landscaping.

The Balfour Beatty team at PFTP arranged with HMP Castle Huntly to provide an assignment for the Community Projects Team. The team worked to build a footpath around Perth Crematorium. The task involved clearing the area of debris and preparing the ground before laying a liner material and topping off with stone. The team also placed drainage where required and picked up litter from the surrounding area. The team received a project induction,  and received all necessary PPE and any additional tools required to complete the works. Once the team had completed works on the path, they moved on to working on other landscaping tasks around the area.

Upon successful completion of their allocated works, Balfour Beatty presented all of the participants with a certificate to thank them for their efforts which they can go on to use to support them in their job applications following liberation. Collaborative projects such as these reflect Balfour Beatty’s commitment to working with the Scottish Prison Service to benefit the communities in which we operate and deliver real, tangible social value to those areas.

The Social Value Portal guidance shows that providing pathways to a positive outcome for those with a background of offending can save local communities up to £58,611 per annum, per individual, by lifting them from a habitual cycle of reoffending and providing opportunities to work, train and successfully integrate back to their communities.

Balfour Beatty aims to continue to nurture and grow this partnership throughout our projects in the area and beyond.