Community work is a great way for offenders to give something back to the community, and with summer in full swing, there is no shortage of worthwhile projects for offenders to be involved in.
CPPS staff from all over the country are already very busy supervising offenders on everything from gardening and maintenance work at schools and marae, to helping protect our natural environment through work on wetland, reserves and preservation projects.
Once in a while offenders get the chance to be involved in something a bit out of the ordinary, such as the recent project to help the Ministry of Fisheries educate beach-goers about legal size and catch limits for paua. Offenders sentenced to community work for poaching paua were given priority for the project, further educating them about the implications of their offending.
Where possible, CPPS tries to match each offender’s skills to suitable projects to help develop their skills and work habits in preparation for future employment. Agency sponsorship is a great way of achieving this, as the offender is able to work one-on-one with a member of the community who can offer guidance and act as a positive role model.
An agency placement featured in this issue of Community Works matched a budding artist with a school needing a new mural on its grounds – a good example of how these placements can be a positive experience for offenders and community groups alike.
These small successes mean a lot to the hard-working CPPS staff members who manage these offenders on a daily basis, and the communities who ultimately benefit.
Katrina Casey
General Manager
Community Probation & Psychological Services
Got a story for Community Works or want to request the print edition?
Email commdesk@corrections.govt.nz or phone (04) 460 3365.
Community Works is published quarterly by the Department of Corrections. Contact details for Community Probation & Psychological Services can be found here or by looking under C for Corrections in the Government listings of the Telecom White Pages.
ISSN 1178-1327