The Summit Wing at HMP Lancaster Farms was launched in October 2024, commissioned by HMPPS CFO Evolution and delivered by Career Connect.
The Summit Wing at HMP Lancaster Farms was launched in October 2024, commissioned by HMPPS CFO Evolution and delivered by Career Connect.
The programme enrols male offenders, including 21–29-year-olds under IPP (Imprisonment for Public Protection); life sentence holders; Category D fails; and those recalled to custody.
As such, it is designed to provide structure, while being flexible enough to support participants individually, wherever they are in their journey.
The programme provides practical employability support while equipping participants to navigate services in custody or in preparation for resettlement. This is alongside a focus on positive behaviours, mindset, consistent standards, and a sense of community and peer support.
While there is no specific criterion for aggression, most participants have indicators suggesting this needs to be addressed. Alongside specific sessions on positive behaviours and managing aggression, these skills are embedded across the programme.
The Summit Wing’s innovative staffing model prioritises consistency and contact time. A dedicated team of three CFO Support Workers and one Senior CFO Support Worker deliver group sessions and regular one-to-one support before, during, and after completion.
Supporting neurodivergent individuals is a focus. Many participants have undiagnosed needs, which are addressed through adaptive, inclusive techniques. Two peer mentors have been trained to support others with reading and writing, while building their own skills.
The programme incorporates participant voices to develop a motivational timetable, to support engagement and ownership of positive change.
Sessions include:
- CV writing, interview techniques and mock interviews
- Barriers to work and self-employment/benefits (with DWP)
- Employability: career goals, skills and participant awareness of what offences may restrict from certain roles
- Insights into construction and waste management roles (led by CFO Evolution Employment Engagement Lead)
- Renting and Approved Premises awareness
- Money management
- In-prison employer events
Charity initiatives, led by the participants, have included a rowing event that raised over £600 for Air Ambulance.
Collaboration helps participants to access diverse support. External sessions include Breakthrough Recovery Chorley Group and DWP. The team also refers individuals to workshops at Recycling Lives, with opportunities to apply for employment upon release.
Each cohort ends with an ‘All About CFO’ session, offering participants the chance to reflect, express gratitude, and share how the experience has impacted them.
To support long term outcomes, the Summit Wing team builds strong relationships with community services. This includes detailed pre-release handovers to a CFO Activity Hub or Community CFO Support Worker, alongside in-work support.
Participant artwork
Impact
The results have been strong.
From October 2024 to the end of March 2025, 48 participants enrolled, with a high completion rate of 34 Outcomes have included placements with Recycling Lives, job offers from Future Skills Programme and roles with a major bakery chain.
Meanwhile, those serving longer sentences have shown increased motivation to explore their future and improved self-management of behaviour.
Participant voices:
“I feel like I’m finally on the right path and your support and guidance has helped me get there.”
“This course has helped me to understand myself a little more, whilst enabling myself to grow and it has given me the tools to regulate my emotions better than I used to.”
“CFO changed me for the best.”
“Halfway through phase two we had a lot of people coming in from outside and they were talking about DWP, housing and Breakthrough Recovery. It was all really useful.”
This programme is funded by HMPPS CFO
