News Release

For Immediate Release 14 April 2016

Inside the wire: Changing lives and shaping futures

Today 37 new corrections officers and offender employment instructors celebrated the completion of their 12 month Corrections Officer Development Pathway programme. The latest cohort was made up of a diverse group, coming from a range of backgrounds including rugby players, labourers and security patrolman, and areas across New Zealand, from Northland to Otago.

The Minister of Corrections, Judith Collins, attended the ceremony and presented Dale Clark, of Christchurch Men’s Prison, with the Minister’s Excellence award. Dale received the award in recognition of his leadership, professionalism and excellence.

The practical training programme was an eye opening experience and the group became very close over the course of the programme.

“We have a very tightknit workforce,” says new Offender Employment Instructor Merv, 50. “We put ourselves in a dangerous environment and know that we can trust each other to have each others’ backs.”

New corrections officer Arnie, said that the thing that surprised him the most was how talented some of the prisoners are. “Some of their art and music is amazing and you think, wow, you could really do something with this on the outside. The prisoners teach us too – we learn something new from them everyday,”

The intensive training gave Arnie a chance to see another side of himself. “I found a confidence in myself that I didn’t know was there and learnt that I can do anything if I put my mind to it.”

The reality of his new job hit home for Minister’s Excellence Award recipient Dale, when he was thanked by name by a prisoner before he left the unit. He says, “If we can make a change to just one person, then it’s worth it.”

“There’s some young guys in here who don’t get to see great role models. For us it’s a big thing to be a positive influence in their life and encourage them to change their lives around.”

When asked for advice to give to anyone thinking of becoming a corrections officer, the group agreed it was to keep an open mind. Brenda, from Spring Hill Corrections Facility says, “It’s definitely not just a job for us – it’s a career. You see some of these guys make so much progress and work so hard to change the way they approach life before release.”

ENDS

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