Working Chance

Working Chance Working Chance is the UK’s only employment charity for women with convictions. Registered charity: 1131802
Limited company: 6331809

With our help, no woman will be held back by her past, and will get the support, encouragement and opportunities she needs to rebuild her life and thrive. Working Chance helps women leaving the criminal justice system to develop the confidence, skills and self-belief they need to overcome any barriers to their employment, find jobs and build careers. We work with businesses of all sizes across all

industries to find opportunities for women that align with their skills and aspirations. Since 2009, Working Chance has supported thousands of women into employment and many more on their journeys towards financial independence. To women with convictions, a job is more than an income - it means a future where she and her family can flourish.

Fatima’s story: building skills through Big Yellow Self Storage, The Big Yellow Foundation and Working Chance“I realised...
17/06/2026

Fatima’s story: building skills through Big Yellow Self Storage, The Big Yellow Foundation and Working Chance

“I realised I could interact with customers very well and work as part of a team.”

Fatima had been out of work for some time and, like many women with convictions, she wasn’t feeling confident in her job search. Despite attending interviews, she hadn’t received a job offer yet.

Through Working Chance, Fatima received one-to-one career coaching to strengthen her CV, prepare for interviews and support her in disclosing her conviction to employers.

“From looking for work to recommending roles, everything about the support from Working Chance was amazing.”

We also set her up on a paid work placement with Big Yellow, which gave her the chance to gain hands-on experience in a customer-facing environment.

“The staff were amazing, it was just a great place to work.”

The experience helped her to build confidence and recognise strengths she had not fully seen in herself before.

✨ Read Fatima’s story on our website ✨

https://workingchance.org/latest/fatimas-story-building-skills-through-big-yellow-and-working-chance/

⏳ There’s still time to join us at the Women’s Run Series in Battersea Park, but not for long!Join us on 4 July and help...
16/06/2026

⏳ There’s still time to join us at the Women’s Run Series in Battersea Park, but not for long!

Join us on 4 July and help create opportunities for women rebuilding their lives after a conviction.

Every mile helps women build confidence, access employment and move forward with their lives.

Choose your challenge: 5K, 10K or half marathon, and run at your own pace in support of a powerful cause.

There are also a range of other runs and events available if you’d prefer to take part in a different way and still show your support.

The deadline to sign up is 22 June. 📅

Get in touch or sign up here:

https://workingchance.org/latest/be-part-of-the-womens-run-series-in-battersea-park-on-4-july/

Every mile run at the Women’s Run Series changes a woman’s future 🏃‍♀️This summer, the Women’s Run Series at Battersea P...
04/06/2026

Every mile run at the Women’s Run Series changes a woman’s future 🏃‍♀️

This summer, the Women’s Run Series at Battersea Park is a chance to come together in support of the women helped every day by Working Chance.

Women like Lauren, rebuilding her life after a conviction with support from us, are at the heart of this impact. She rebuilt her confidence and moved into work she is proud of.

“The support from Working Chance was amazing – one of the best things in my life. After my conviction I never thought I would get back into work, especially not in a job that required a DBS check.”

Women’s Run Series, Saturday 4th July:
✨ 5K or 10K options
✨ £20 registration fee
✨ A branded Working Chance running T-shirt
✨ Fundraising target of £150–£175 (depending on distance)

This is more than a run, it’s a chance to help change lives, and we’ll be with you every step of the way.

However you take part, every mile helps open doors to employment and brighter futures for women who need it most.

We also have a range of other challenge events you can get involved in throughout the year. 📅

Get involved today:

https://workingchance.org/latest/be-part-of-the-womens-run-series-in-battersea-park-on-4-july/



Helen Mariner

Happy Pride Month! 🌈Pride is about visibility, acceptance, and inclusion. At Working Chance, we believe every woman dese...
03/06/2026

Happy Pride Month! 🌈

Pride is about visibility, acceptance, and inclusion.

At Working Chance, we believe every woman deserves the opportunity to find work and rebuild their life after a conviction. That belief is why our service is open to all, and we are proud to support them in building brighter futures.

“They didn’t judge me. They saw I wanted to get back into work and helped me do just that. Alongside invaluable practical support, someone is bolstering you up, and you go into interviews with more confidence and a better chance of getting the job.”
- Helen, Working Chance client

Helen’s experience shows the difference our support makes in helping women move forward.

If you or someone you know could benefit from our free support, get in touch:

https://workingchance.org/get-support

20/05/2026

Our recent Inclusive Hiring in Practice event brought together employers and HR leaders committed to creating fairer opportunities for people with convictions.

One of our attendees shared:

“It was a really insightful session centred on creating fair access to employment, particularly for women with convictions who are rebuilding their lives. One of the most honest and collaborative events I’ve attended on this topic. It was a pleasure to be part of the conversation; it's given me hope for the future and lots of fabulous connections to share lessons learned with.”

Feedback like this reminds us why this work matters. Behind every conversation about inclusive hiring are real women rebuilding their lives, supported by families, friends, and communities who want to see them move forward with dignity and opportunity.

When employers come together, share openly, and commit to change, it creates real pathways into work for people who are too often overlooked.

If you want to learn more about how employers can support inclusive recruitment, download our Hiring With Conviction guide.

👉 Share this post with someone in your network who works in HR or recruitment and could help support more inclusive hiring.

🚨 36% of HR leaders report pushback on EDI initiatives, our new data revealsWe've uncovered a concerning growing opposit...
13/05/2026

🚨 36% of HR leaders report pushback on EDI initiatives, our new data reveals

We've uncovered a concerning growing opposition to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives across organisations.

Our Chief Executive, Natasha Finlayson, told the Guardian: “If this trend continues, then access to work is likely to become increasingly difficult for people who already face significant barriers to employment, including those with criminal convictions.”

This is more than a shift in workplace practice. When EDI initiatives are rolled back, the people most likely to be excluded from opportunities are those already facing the greatest barriers to work.

🔹 Read the full article:

https://lnkd.in/e-8HTiKF

We’re supporting employers to hire more inclusively 💼👩‍💻 “The ‘Hiring With Conviction’ guide was really practical, reall...
12/05/2026

We’re supporting employers to hire more inclusively 💼

👩‍💻 “The ‘Hiring With Conviction’ guide was really practical, really clear, and gave us so much support. That in itself gave us a huge amount of confidence.” — Cheryl Hathaway, Head of People, Talent and Development, Big Yellow Self Storage

We asked HR leaders for their views and found that 58% don’t feel confident hiring people with convictions (YouGov, commissioned by Working Chance, 2026).

That gap matters because uncertainty can become a barrier to opportunity.

That’s why we created Hiring With Conviction, packed with practical guidance to help employers feel more confident and informed when making hiring decisions.

https://workingchance.org/for.../hiring-with-conviction/

11/05/2026

“They wouldn’t hire me once they found out about my conviction. It was just barrier after barrier.” – Felicity, Working Chance client

For women with convictions, job searching can bring repeated rejection, shame, and self-doubt. During Mental Health Awareness Week, it is important to recognise the toll this can take on women's mental health.

Having someone in your corner can make the difference between giving up and carrying on.

We support women to stay on track, rebuild confidence, and navigate the setbacks that come with finding work after conviction, so they're not doing it alone.

Hiring women with convictions changes lives 🪷Rayhana, Working Chance client, spoke to The Guardian about the barriers sh...
07/05/2026

Hiring women with convictions changes lives 🪷

Rayhana, Working Chance client, spoke to The Guardian about the barriers she faced when looking for work after her conviction, and how she’s turned things around.

“I applied for and was provisionally offered five jobs, all of which were taken away when the employer found out about my conviction.”

With the right support, she’s now in work and has been able to rebuild her life. ✨

🗣️ “Working Chance supported me to get my current job two years ago, and the impact of having this job is gamechanging. It feels like a rebirth to be able to rebuild my identity.”

But with growing pushback on EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion), women like Rayhana could find it even harder to find inclusive employers open to hiring people with convictions.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/may/03/hr-leaders-opposition-diversity-equity-inclusion-schemes-study

“The placement with Big Yellow boosted my confidence. I realised I could interact with customers very well and work as p...
04/05/2026

“The placement with Big Yellow boosted my confidence. I realised I could interact with customers very well and work as part of a team.” – Fatima, Working Chance client

Fatima completed a 12-week placement with The Big Yellow Self Storage Company at one of their retail stores, gaining confidence and hands-on retail experience while building her CV.

Together with Big Yellow, we're helping women with convictions gain skills and find long-term employment. 🪷

If you are a woman looking for support, get in touch 👇

https://workingchance.org/get-support/

Address

Working Chance South, Bank Technopark, 90 London Road
London
SE16LN

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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