‘In my time at White Light we successfully employed ex-offenders who became valuable members of the team. On all those occasions our faith in them was repaid many times over.’

Started in 2025, the Second Stage initiative sits within two of this Government’s missions.
Kickstarting economic growth and breaking down barriers to opportunity.

Live theatre is one of Britain’s most defining and influential art forms; it is the bedrock of the UK’s creative talent, both on and offstage, and the deep interdependence between our creative industries, proves that theatre serves as a vital training ground, continuously fuelling and being enriched by film, TV, radio, music and the video gaming sectors.

With theatres located in communities across the country, we not only support local economies but also break down barriers to opportunities. Each theatre achieves this by enhancing creative education through participation and outreach work, and by providing training and pathways to low and highly skilled jobs on and off the stage.

Second Stage has been created to support one of these pathways. In its work to engage with those leaving the criminal justice system, it offers an opportunity to explore a new community with a tolerant and welcoming workforce, who work collaboratively to deliver success via outcome focused teamwork. That working as part of a creative team with shared responsibilities provides its own rewards; that with transferable skills from trades including carpentry, electrics, construction, hairdressing and sewing, they might find a fast paced and adrenalin fuelled environment, within an artistic community.

With reoffending rates currently costing the country £26.3 billion, we believe theatre can play a vital role in reducing those rates as well as fulfilling two of the Government’s important missions.

In-prison Courses - These one-day courses inform the attendees on the kinds of jobs available, potential employers and include some basic skills training. They are delivered by Association of British Theatre Technician (ABTT) professional educators delivering practical hands-on sessions with sound and lighting equipment generously provided by industry supporters, with ‘guest inspirational speakers’ from the theatre and live events industry. Within the prisons, we are supported by the Education, Skills and Work staff as well as the Employment teams.

Through-the-Gate Support – Case management support is provided through the gate for our participants by our partner No Going Back Foundation who have an exceptional track record in supporting those with criminal records into meaningful employment which drastically reduces reoffending rates.  

Community Engagement Events – These events take place in the community and involve both those looking for work and up to three industry employers at each event. They start with the same introduction to the industry, but then participants are able to speak with employers who are there to meet potential candidates face-to-face in a relaxed environment, leading to real job interviews and future employment in crewing work or other entry-level positions.

Week-long Industry Courses – Following a successful recent pilot with Southwark Theatre, we are looking for more partnerships with venues to provide a week-long training opportunity for up to 6 participants in crewing, where on-the-job interaction can take place and hands-on experience learned.

On The Job Training Scheme – we are looking to partner various London venues to provide more specialist on-the-job training opportunities running 2 days a week across 4 weeks. Second Stage will provide a short-list of candidates for the theatres to interview and support the interviewee throughout the recruitment process. Once in place, Second Stage will pay the candidate the London living wage and offer their industry buddy scheme to support the candidate during the training period. The specialist areas of work which we are looking to offer are;

1. Stage Management
2. Scenic design and painting
3. Carpentry; sets and prop-making
4. Production Lighting; design, rigging and operating
5. Production Sound; plotting, mixing and operating
6. WHAM – wigs, hair and make up
   

Buddy Scheme – We have an ‘Industry buddy’ who liaises directly with the candidates through the recruitment process and supports them into work.

Employer Support – We work with Offploy, FCBA (Fair Chance Business Alliance) and CIPD (Chartered Institute of Professional Development) who effectively support employers to recruit and retain people with criminal records effectively.

Developing referral pathways – We are currently working in partnership with No Going Back to target individuals within the prisons as well as in the community who are already supported ‘through the gate’ to ensure they have home addresses, bank accounts and the means to get to and remain in work. We are looking to increase the number of caseworkers working in this capacity and have had early conversations with Job Centres, HMPPS probation services, PeoplePlus and DWP to develop new and effective pathways.

‍Employee filtering – as we get more people into work, so we are learning more about how to find the right people to promote into this workspace. Liaising closely with the employers who are already supporting early candidates into work, we are developing the pre-requisites to being ‘job ready’ in this unique working environment. We hope to set up regular assessments with successful candidates for them to provide feedback and help inform our development, as well as to help them remain and grow in their employment.

At the end of 2024, the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) and UK Theatre, the members body for West End and regional theatre, conducted a survey which reported a shortfall in staff to fill backstage jobs across all theatres, and skills shortages found across most technical roles. Their report is included HERE.

Research into opportunities being offered to prison leavers as part of their rehabilitation were found to be limited, but with support from the Department of Justice and some prison Governors and their employment bureaus, we have explored a way of transferring existing skills or training prisoners for new ones, which would be welcomed within an industry that has social care at its very heart.

Documented success from other industries suggests that engagement, training and employment with those leaving the criminal justice system results in an engaged, diverse and successful workforce, as well as reducing re-offending rates substantially.  Inspiration has come from the companies Timpsons, Balfour Beatty, and Greene King who have already proven success in recruiting prison-leavers.

Following conversations with venues, theatre professionals and His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Services (HMPPS), we concluded that the theatre industry and its backstage job opportunities could provide a conducive and stimulating environment for those leaving prison, if we engage with them as part of their rehabilitation journey in prison, support them as they leave and help them negotiate the complexities of employment as prison leavers.

Second Stage’s work will be measured for efficacy by the Department of Psychology and Human Development at the University of East London. They will undertake qualitative research interviewing prison-leavers after their involvement in the programme and provide an independent report.

Looking to open up fair opportunities in your workplace?

Click here to explore Offploy’s trusted resources on how to safely and confidently employ people with convictions.