Resources

Signalling Success is an evaluation of the Success Works pilot program by Diane van den Broek and Prudence Black. Click below to view. 

This research paper investigates the Role of the Success Works Initiative into female ex-offenders, discrimination and work.  A paper written by Dr Diane Van Den Broek, Dr Prudence Black and Eleni Psillakis.  Click below to read more

This short article highlights the type of ‘moral panic’ that often surrounds the exponential increases in the demand for police checks during recruitment processes. It suggests that this drive for police checks reflects considerable fear and prejudice as well as fear of litigation on the part of employers in Australia. Source: Naylor, B. (2005). Do Not Pass Go: The Impacts of Criminal Behaviour Checks on Employment in Australia. Alternative Law Journal, 30 (4), 174–179.

This article highlights the importance of employment to the rehabilitation of offenders, yet argues the growth of employers routinely checking criminal records often denies offenders employment. It outlines how recent campaigns aimed at ‘banning the box’, requiring that questions about criminal record are deferred to a later point when the person could address them in interview, may be an improved solution. The research draws on findings from surveys and interviews with human resources personnel about their criminal record checking practices to identify some key concerns of employers. The research highlights how legislation, government policy and industry regulation as well as internal factors about proximity of the decision maker to the applicant and to other staff shapes the willingness of some employers to engage with ex-offender applicants. It also suggests that opening up conversations with people with a criminal record will help them desist from reoffending. Despite this, many employers adopt a risk-averse approach to employment, pre-emptively excluding potentially productive employees, and putting such ex-offenders at risk of deeper exclusion.

Source: Heydon, G., & Naylor, B. (2018). Criminal record checking and employment: The importance of policy and proximity. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 51(3) 372–39.

Women in Prison: an examination of the support needs of women in custody with children. This report by Jude Lobo and Mark Howard highlights the support needs of women with children in NSW prisons.

Recently the Institute of Public Affairs suggested that prisoners should be provided a choice of taking work in the service industry in lieu of a prison sentence. (SMH, 10.3.23) On the surface, this might seem like a great way to plug the immediate labour shortages faced by Australian service industries, while also sparing individuals time behind bars. They argue savings to taxpayers through reduced incarceration costs and extra income tax revenue.

However, such a proposal raises several concerns. Read the opinion piece by Associate Professor Diane van den Broek, Board Member

Children who experience parental imprisonment are known to be some of the most disadvantaged and overlooked in our community. They often experience multiple and compounding disadvantages, with long-term consequences, but receive no specialised assistance. Rigorous knowledge about these children and their families is lacking in Australia and is required to inform policy development.  The study was approved by the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (Project ID: 31763). The study was commissioned by SHINE for Kids and is supported by funding from them. The aim of the report is to improve understanding of the characteristics, needs, and experiences of children with a parent in prison.

Experiences within the first day or two of release can dramatically shape a person’s post-release pathway. This article from The Conversation highlights the lack of support services for recently released prisoners.

The number of women in prison is continuing to soar, new data shows. But advocates warn we can’t arrest the increase until we start properly addressing domestic abuse, which affects an overwhelming majority of women behind bars.

Most Australians are giving consideration about how they will vote in the upcoming referendum to change the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. In this article, Board member Dr Prudence Black looks back to the 1967 Referendum, which was the last referendum that directly addressed Australia’s Indigenous people.

This one page document outlines the Success Works Theory of Change, which explains how we work with women with a criminal record to deliver our impacts, which in turn lead to lasting change and a reduction in reoffending (recidivism). 

Signalling Success is an evaluation of the Success Works pilot program by Diane van den Broek and Prudence Black. Click below to view. 

This research paper investigates the Role of the Success Works Initiative into female ex-offenders, discrimination and work.  A paper written by Dr Diane Van Den Broek, Dr Prudence Black and Eleni Psillakis.  Click below to read more

Understanding why women with a criminal record face unemployment is multi-faceted and can seem complex and hard to grasp. In this article, Success Works Board members Nicola Norris and Dr Prudence Black explain the reasons why women with a criminal record face such high levels of unemployment and how Success Works addresses this issue. It is a must-read for any employers, funders, and government decision-makers.

Success Works has been successful in gaining support from the NSW Government through a Payment-by-Results contract. The initiative delivered in partnership with the Department of Education and Office of Social Impact Investment (OSII) in NSW Treasury (under the Social Impact Outcomes Fund), will advance the social and economic wellbeing of women facing barriers to employment.

Success Works Partners began its service in July 2022. With two staff members and a very enthusiastic Board, we set about establishing a program that is unique in Australia. We were inspired by significant research, undertaken in Australia, which clearly pointed to a shameful situation in our community – that women with a prior criminal history generally don’t have access to labour market opportunities once released from custody. Such blatant discrimination cannot be allowed to continue for the sake of our families and communities as well as for our employment system. Read the full Impact Report below

Our 6 step guide will provide you with a clear and consistent approach to assessing risk and to guiding the decision-making process around this area of recruitment, with expert tips on how to assess and manage the Police Check process.

Please email us for a copy of this guide and we will be happy to send it out to you: info@successworks.org.au 

Hayley Scott is Head of Social Impact for Winc, an Australia-wide workplace supplies company.

She loves her job and has valued her long-term relationship with the charity Dress for Success, Sydney, and more recently Success Works. As part of this support, Hayley meets with Success Works monthly and checks the list of roles for potential candidates.

Trips to a bakery always ends with a cookie and a smile -but at the Greyston Bakery in New York, USA,  run by Mike Brady and Dion Drew, the extra icing is their goal of serving up a second chance. The recipe for the success of their enterprise includes a commitment to employing a range of chronically unemployed people, including former convicts and recovering addicts.

This short article highlights the type of ‘moral panic’ that often surrounds the exponential increases in the demand for police checks during recruitment processes. It suggests that this drive for police checks reflects considerable fear and prejudice as well as fear of litigation on the part of employers in Australia. Source: Naylor, B. (2005). Do Not Pass Go: The Impacts of Criminal Behaviour Checks on Employment in Australia. Alternative Law Journal, 30 (4), 174–179.

In a tight labour market, more companies are seeing the benefit of giving every candidate a fair chance. This WSJ article shows how employers in the US are embracing change.

This article highlights the importance of employment to the rehabilitation of offenders, yet argues the growth of employers routinely checking criminal records often denies offenders employment. It outlines how recent campaigns aimed at ‘banning the box’, requiring that questions about criminal record are deferred to a later point when the person could address them in interview, may be an improved solution. The research draws on findings from surveys and interviews with human resources personnel about their criminal record checking practices to identify some key concerns of employers. The research highlights how legislation, government policy and industry regulation as well as internal factors about proximity of the decision maker to the applicant and to other staff shapes the willingness of some employers to engage with ex-offender applicants. It also suggests that opening up conversations with people with a criminal record will help them desist from reoffending. Despite this, many employers adopt a risk-averse approach to employment, pre-emptively excluding potentially productive employees, and putting such ex-offenders at risk of deeper exclusion.

Source: Heydon, G., & Naylor, B. (2018). Criminal record checking and employment: The importance of policy and proximity. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 51(3) 372–39.

Board member Diane van den Broek wrote this article for the Diversity Council of Australia to bring attention to one area of Diversity and Inclusion that is being overlooked by most employers. Click below to read it.

Success Works has been lucky enough to have the support of some amazing women during our first year of operation. Professor Larissa Behrendt is a Eualeyai and Kamillaroi woman who at the age of 11 decided she wanted to become a lawyer. In this article, Larissa shares her strong belief that if you empower women through employment, you empower families and children.

Success Works Partners is looking for women from all different cultural, social and occupational backgrounds to participate as volunteer mentors. Download our flyer and share it with your colleagues and friends today.

Julie Babineau is the CEO of Odyssey House NSW a rehabilitation service. In this article, Julie shares her experience of being a Success Works mentor. Julie was interviewed in late 2022.  Julie was interviewed by Board member Associate Professor Diane van den Broek

Success Works empowers women by providing employment pathways with the aid of mentors. They recently hosted an mentor induction event at Beyond Bank located in Homebush. This event brought together four passionate women with the added bonus that three of the women were dedicated employees of the Beyond Bank family.

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Toni Craig is a Senior Change Manager with NAB. She is also a Success Works mentor. Toni was interviewed in June 2023 and she shared her experience of mentoring with Success Works.

Looking for a job can be a daunting task, and it can be even more challenging if you have a criminal record. The fear and shame you feel when you ‘tick the box’ for a criminal record check can be overwhelming. However, there are people and organisations who are willing to see your skills and there are ways to increase your chances of landing a job despite having a criminal record. Just don’t give up! In this blog, we will discuss some tips on how to get a job with a criminal record. Our staff have been through this, so we know what it feels like!

Looking for a job can be a daunting task, and it can be even more challenging if you have a criminal record. Hear from candidate Amy* who was interviewed by Board member Dr Prudence Black.

In July 2022, Amy had just completed 14 months of rehab and while she was in a transition program she heard about Success Works. She hadn’t worked in 10 years, and she had no idea about how to get back into the workforce. She contacted Success Works and found immediate support. Amy said, “… it was really nice not to be judged. And they helped to explain everything. And they made me feel really comfortable.” Read Amy’s story here

If you think life after prison must be a relief, think again. Juanita discovered that, even with a supportive family, rebuilding her life after incarceration was a hundred times harder than she imagined. Originally from Sydney, Juanita moved to Perth in 2023 searching for a fresh start and has since collaborated with The University of Western Australia’s Criminology lecturers, sharing her life experience with students. She is now a Peer Support Coordinator for Success Works, transforming the lives of women affected by the criminal justice system. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

Caroline* a candidate at Success Works had been looking for work for three years without success. Caroline’s hurdle was always her criminal record and the long gap without any references or experience because she was incarcerated. With the help of Success Works Caroline has secured an office role which is exactly the type of work she was seeking. She was interviewed by Success Works Board member, Marisa Rore.

This RUOK day 14 ^th September, we shine a spotlight on the 70% of women impacted by the criminal justice system who have and are experiencing mental illness. With the barriers faced in the community by having a criminal record, mental health can be further impacted and employment discrimination has a massive negative impact on self-worth. Success Works Executive Officer, Eleni Psillakis, shares her personal experience and asks, “How can we continue the conversation beyond the initial question?”

Read about Juanita and Eleni who have both experienced the profound stigma of having a criminal record in this article on SBS News

Hear from Juanita and Eleni who have both experienced the profound stigma of having a criminal record in this short 2 minute video.

Thank you to the UTS Shopfront team who created this video for Success Works

Producer, Scriptwriter and 1st Assistant Director: Victoria Devine

Director and Editor: Charlotte Su

Director of Photography and Assistant Producer: Yuqing Li (Lori)

Production Design: Yuqing Li (Lori) and Jiacheng Zhu (Kayson) 

Sound, Camera Assistant, Lighting: Jiacheng Zhu (Kayson) 

Sound, Costume Design, Set Design and 2nd Assistant Director: Xinyu Yan (Joanna)

Actors:

Casey: Caitlyn Cabrié

Brian: Brian Bailey

Eleni Psillakis still recalls the visceral pain of hitting rock bottom.

Sitting on her bed in a cell at the start of her 11-month sentence at the Dillwynia Correctional Facility for women, she considered ways to die. “I didn’t want to live. I sat in my cell, thinking maybe I can starve myself to death. That would be easy for me to do,” she tells SBS Voices. 

Read the article below.

Eleni is a formerly incarcerated person, released from Dillwynia Correctional facility for women in 2014 after 11 months inside.

She was the Program Manager for Success Works at  Dress for Success – a not-for-profit that supports women affected by the criminal justice system. 

“I have talked to men who have been incarcerated and they often say that they didn’t have as many problems getting employment,” Eleni tells Mamamia.

Read the article below