'˜Helping them break the cycle is a big thing'

He was recruited onto the Reset scheme last July; his background with NIACRO meant he had all the necessary experience in working with offenders, and alongside probation officers.

Specifically, he had a good handle on the area of employment, “knowing what’s out there, what people with convictions face trying to get a job, and what’s available regarding training and education,” he told me.

For William, his journey with his mentees begins four weeks prior to their release from prison, where he meets them face to face to establish a relationship.

“We carry out a baseline questionnaire and this helps us get to see at this stage what the mentee’s family support is like, what benefits they are entitled to, if they’re on medication, need a GP and so on,” he explains.

“So this gives me a bit of insight and the chance to plan and prepare for that day of release. Then on the day of release, I may be picking somebody up at the prison, or if not then I’ll meet them at the family home, and I’ll meet them for the first seven days after that.”

William says he helps the mentee address all the key things they need to, the first being somewhere to live.

If they have accommodation already sorted, they may need help getting housing benefits. He’ll help them apply for these. Or if the mentee has nowhere to live, he can, for example, help them apply to the NI Housing Executive for a property. He’ll also help the ex-offender access any benefits he is entitled to, such as Jobseekers Allowance, Disability Living Allowance and so on.

Next up is medical care. Will they be returning to their family doctor? Or do they need to register with a new GP? William will provide support as they get to grips with all this.

“It’s just about being there for them, because they will be swamped with questions, paperwork,” he says.

“What we have to remember is that they are coming out of a regime where everything had been done for them.”

And he says they are trying to cope with certain emotions too - feelings of shame or embarrassment about their past. William is there for them during those crucial first 12 weeks post-release, and they can talk to him about how any of these emotions are affecting their lives.

“It’s all about understanding where they are coming from, having that empathy,” he smiles, when I ask him how he manages to gain the confidence and trust of these young men - and women.

“There are certain things that particular people possess naturally, in the sense that they can get on with people well. It’s also experience of life that helps you relate to people - I’ve changed my career five times, and started off working in retail, so would have had a lot of interaction with people, and I think that’s really good.

“And I always say to the guys I am working with - whenever we talk and I suggest things, never be afraid to say no to me because I won’t take it personally.”

At the end of his time with a mentee, William likes to end their relations on a humorous note.

“I always say, ‘I’m sorry, we’re going to have to break up now - it’s not you, it’s me!’

“But I do get immense satisfaction when I see people getting into employment - not that that is all the programme is about, but to me it is the icing on the cake. It’s about getting them a bit of stability in their lives. For me, a big thing is if a client has a family, especially children, the positive impact on them in terms of employment or turning their life around is massive.

“So if I could help break a cycle somewhere along the line by helping one family, or a sister or a brother, that’s the big thing.

“Yes, you do get disappointments, that’s life, but you do get immense satisfaction when you see people getting a job and staying in it. I have quite a few guys who have got into jobs and they’re still working away. I’m so pleased, and they are seeing the benefits of being in a job, the enjoyment of it and the rewards.”

Ultimately, William is clearly also the giver of sound advice, based on his own general life experience, and whilst it is simple, these words are probably the ones that will resonate with former offenders most of all.

“I always say to the guys, it’s all fine when life is going well, but when things get tricky, it’s how you deal with them that is going to make the difference, and it’s just helping and supporting them to make the right decisions.

“I tell them, I am 57 now and it seems like yesterday that I looked in the mirror and was 18. You might be 22 now, but look ahead to when you’re 55 - what do you want to be doing? If you want to be the same, that’s easy, just keep doing what you’re doing now. But if you want something different, it’s going to take work!”

l For more information on the work of the Probation Board, log onto www.pbni.org.uk