Did you know that men make up 96% of the prison population in the UK? As a result, there is a risk of female offenders being overlooked when it comes to allocating funding and programmes that improve work readiness for post-release employment. And, whilst men with experience of the criminal justice system have a variety of options for retraining and education, women tend to have a more limited variety of programmes on offer. This is especially true for industries in which women are underrepresented, such as the tech industry, in which women only make up 26% of the workforce in the UK. We also know that embracing technology is key in our role to innovating the criminal justice space.
That is why for the past two years Catch22 have collaborated with The PA Foundation to develop an innovative programme supporting women in London, who have criminal justice experience, to develop the skills and support needed to access entry level jobs in the tech industry. This intervention provides both societal and economic benefits by both supporting women to attain employment in an industry with underrepresentation, and reducing the chances of recidivism, by establishing pathways to a more stable future in a lucrative industry.
How does Code4000 support women?
Code4000 addresses these imbalances by working with women in the community to provide entry level training in coding and employment support. The programme consists of flexible online training with a one-to-one tutor that can flex to each participants’ schedules.
Rachael, a participant on the pilot of Code4000, says:
“My experience with the Code 4000 training was nothing short of transformative. Coming into the course, I had minimal knowledge of web development, but the structured approach and one-to-one guidance with my tutor made it easy to follow each module and build my skills. The program helped me develop a solid foundation in HTML, CSS, and a little bit of Java, giving me the confidence to create responsive web pages and understand the logic behind basic programming. One of the things I particularly enjoyed was the quiz at the end of each module, it allowed me to solidify my knowledge and identify any gaps where I needed to revisit the content.
The supportive community and instructor were also a huge highlight. Whenever I encountered challenges, Esther was always available to offer her advice or explain a concept in a way that made it click. Alongside Esther, I also received support from Liesel, my career coach. Working with Liesel gave me the confidence to apply for roles I previously thought were out of reach. Now that I have completed the course, I feel empowered and excited about the future. With these new skills, I can confidently pursue further learning in web development or even start working on my personal projects. I see this as the first big step towards my tech career, which previously seemed daunting but now feels entirely within reach.”
Not only through gaining the latest and essential coding skills, on completion of the programme participants continue to receive support from Catch22 to improve their CV and interview confidence, as well as support to find relevant roles or access further training. Furthermore, graduates from the programme have been collaborating with volunteers from PA Consulting and members of their Women In Tech Network to receive additional mentoring with a number of participants joining a Python short course to further refine their skills.
Expanding Nationwide
Thanks to the success of our pilot, we have now secured additional funding from the PA Foundation to expand our impact into 2026. Code4000, now in its second year, will now be taking referrals beyond Greater London to a national level, allowing women with criminal justice experience, from all over the country, to gain access to free training in coding and support to find a role within the tech industry.
Senior Operations Manager at Catch22, Kimberley Owen, shares:
“We are thrilled to see Code4000 expand to supporting women nationwide, allowing our team to reach even more women who will benefit from improving their tech and employability skills. The Code4000 programme uniquely delivers high-quality entry level coding skills to women with experience in the criminal justice system from various communities. Not only does the programme empower our learners, but it also opens up opportunities in the digital skills sector while breaking down multiple barriers associated with criminal justice experience. Our holistic approach allows these women to work at their own pace and in a format that suits their needs and our designated one-to-one programme coordinator provides high-quality training that not only covers fundamental entry-level coding skills but also evolves with the ever-changing digital landscape. We are excited to see where year 2 will take our learners!”
The programme will also be improving the mentoring offer, giving more opportunities for programme graduates to be mentored directly from professionals in the tech industry to build their career. With this new funding, we are particularly looking to support individuals with the following experiences:
- Women with previous criminal convictions.
- Women in custody who are due to be released.
- Women who have been released on licence.
- Parents with children who are engaged in criminal activity.
- Women whose spouse or partner may be engaged in criminal activity.
Jack from The PA Foundation says:
“We are really pleased to be continuing our support for this innovative project. By promoting access to STEM education and skills for women with experience of the criminal justice system we’re unlocking potential that has long been overlooked. These women bring resilience, creativity, and a unique perspective that STEM fields urgently need. By supporting their journey into tech, we challenge systemic barriers and help create a future where innovation is truly inclusive.”
Richard from PA Consulting says:
“I am excited to be continuing our support for the Code4000 programme and the inspiring women determined to rebuild their lives after prison. It is always a privilege to be able to offer the time, skills and expertise of our people alongside the team at Catch22. I believe we are truly breaking down the barriers to opportunities that might not have existed otherwise.”
Partnership work is hugely important to help bring about constructive rehabilitation across our whole justice cohort and working with dedicated partners is key to giving more people the opportunity to thrive. If you would like to know more about Code4000, either for yourself or those you support, contact Esther at esther.fabola@catch22.org.uk.