House proud - Beautiful rimu furniture crafted by prisoners in the Wanganui Joinery
Workshop complements bedding and curtains made in the Auckland Prison Textile
Workshop. Plants grown in the Auckland Prison Nursery complete the scene.
Prisoner-made handcrafts and products won much praise - and potential orders - from the public at the Auckland Home Show in September.
Corrections Inmate Employment (CIE) National Manager Brent Maughan says the Home Show was an ideal opportunity to showcase the quality craftsmanship of prisoners and talk directly to the public about the work of CIE.
“We received an overwhelmingly positive response from the majority of people, especially about the quality of the furniture on display,” Brent says.
“People were genuinely pleased to see that prisoners are doing something constructive with their time, and that Corrections is taking action to give prisoners skills they can use when they leave prison, hopefully breaking the cycle of re-offending.”
After visiting the CIE stand, one member of the public even wrote to the Minister to congratulate the Department “on a fine display, resulting from a well-developed programme”.
Brent says the professional layout of the stand was much admired by the public and other exhibitors who enquired about hiring stand design services from Corrections.
“Another positive outcome is the potential for Wanganui Prison Joinery Workshop to start making new products such as TV units, side-boards and coffee tables which were profiled at the show and attracted great interest.”
He says several people with their own businesses expressed keenness to employ prisoners through the Release to Work programme.
“And we expect to receive further interest about CIE products and services in the coming months as we wade through the 1,500 enquiries received at the show,” he says.
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ISSN 1178-8453