FEMALE ex-offenders across Wales are to get help facing major changes after being released from prison by a project based in Llanover.

The project, Going Home, run by not-for-profit company Gibran UK based at Llanover Business Centre hopes to make a major impact on the life chances of women released from prison after serving their sentences.

Funded by the Big Lottery Fund, the all Wales five year project will work with ex-offenders to help them face the major changes and long term challenges that almost inevitably follow a jail term for women. Ex-offenders will act as mentors helping the women with these changes.

Managing Director of Gibran UK, Gill Hurley said, "The overarching goal is to get these women into real, useful employment. Women who complete their sentence and leave prison face a number of problems, not all of the obvious ones.

"They may come from troubled or chaotic backgrounds. But typically they also have low self-esteem, aren't good at communicating and generally lack some of the life skills the rest of us take for granted.

"The point about peer mentors is that they'll understand this, because often they will have been through the same experience."

The Going Home project will provide 300 ex-offenders with the skills they will need to get into work. Mentors will undergo several weeks training and will be carefully selected for their ability to empathise as will as explain and guide.

Peer Mentor Manager, Geraldine Reddington said, "Going Home can offer advice and can direct participant to the services available. But will be most important as a source of encouragement and support, over the phone or meeting in small groups."

At the launch of the project last week in Llanover, local AM Nick Ramsay said, " I was really pleased to attend the launch and hear about Gibran UK's work supporting women who have just come out of prison.

 "The team has just secured five years worth of funding from the Big Lottery Fund, which was awarded because of the innovative and worthwhile nature of the work they plan to do.

 "I was really interested to learn more about the project and how it will help women ex-offenders and women serving community sentences to acquire the life skills that will help them manage their own day-to-day lives and contribute to their communities.

"It was great to meet the team and I would like to wish them all the best with this venture."