Daniel was incarcerated for almost five years and, like many people exiting prison, he found the transition hard. With a five-year-old son about to start school, he says he was thinking about how he could provide for his family.
"It's very hard for someone that's been through the system to try to find a job," says Daniel. "All we need is a chance to... prove ourselves."
Daniel is now a crew leader at YMCA ReBuild, a Melbourne-based commercial construction social enterprise that provides training and employment for young people who've been in contact with the justice system.
For young people leaving custody in Victoria, YMCA ReBuild claims over 50% of them will reoffend within the first four months. But for young people who engage with their programs, less than 5% will reoffend.
Earlier this year PRF provided a $1 million grant to YMCA ReBuild to scale their work.
"Paul Ramsay Foundation coming on board opens to doors to programs and training that we've been talking about for years that we haven't been able to provide support for," says YMCA ReBuild Operations Manager Brenden.
"The training is a critical component of the success of our young people in their ability to gain future employment, and also for their confidence."
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