Technology enterprise charity Code4000 and digital agency Fat Beehive Ltd today announce their new employment partnership to provide prison graduates with stable employment.
Fat Beehive is an ethical digital agency that designs and builds websites and brands for charities, not-for-profits and enterprises committed to social good.
Code4000 trains prisoners in coding in HMP Holme House, HMP Wandsworth, and HMP Humber. Compared to a national reoffending rate of 46%, none of Code4000’s graduates have returned to prison.
The partnership will allow graduates to gain meaningful employment in the tech sector at Fat Beehive’s offices in London and Manchester, building on their experience of coding with Code4000.
Fat Beehive CEO Mark Watson says:
‘Coding offers people a real second chance, it doesn’t matter what background or schooling people have had. Anyone with an interest can learn coding and right now there is a real shortage of developers. Fat Beehive is dedicated to improving diversity in the tech sector and has committed to take on at least one Code4000 graduate each year going forward. We believe that this can help transform someone’s life and prevent reoffending and is also good for our business.’
Code4000 CEO Michael Taylor welcomes the development:
‘Getting a job on release is one of the single most important factors in reducing re-offending. That is why we are thrilled to announce this partnership with Fat Beehive to hire Code4000 graduates on an ongoing basis. In their commitment to diversity by hiring ex-offenders, Fat Beehive are demonstrating real leadership, and are paving the way for other like-minded tech companies to do the same.’
Fat Beehive is committed to improving the diversity of the tech sector of which this partnership is evidence. Alongside being a Disability Confident Employer, the organisation has had staff nominated in NatWest’s ‘Top 100 Women in Social Enterprise’ as well as actively encouraging applicants from women and racialised minorities to apply for vacancies, more of which is explained here.
Last year, Code4000 won the Tech for Good award at the annual TeesTech Awards for their work at HMP Holme House and are previous winners of the national Vodafone Techstarter Award in the not-for-profit category.
For any media enquiries please contact Matt Hayes: matt.hayes@fatbeehive.com/ (0)20 7739 8704
Download the full press release here.
