Final episode: Tuesday 17th July 2012
The final episode of Gordon Behind Bars showed the Bad Boys
Bakery showed Gordon persuading Caffe Nero to stock the
Bad Boys Bakery's lemon curd treacle slice for a 'make or break' showcase week
and asking Justice Secretary Ken Clarke for vital financial backing. The show
showed how with the help of a branding Guru, the prisoners themselves packaging
the slices using their own personal stories and aimed the treat at the socially
conscious consumer. I really liked how the prisoners were so involved in every
stage of the business from their name, food production and then through to the
branding and packaging. Plus the fact that the packaging revealed a bit about
the project and the stories of the prisoners would hopefully help the consumers
understand more about the backgrounds of prisoners and hopefully begin breaking
down negative stereotypes. My favourite quote from the packaging was along the
lines of ‘once a criminal, not always a criminal.’
The program also spent time following
the journey of two of the ‘Bad Boy Bakers’ as they got jobs in two restaurants after
release. One Gordon had found a job for in the Savoy Restaurant. Unfortunately
despite the individual doing well to begin with the pressure of returning to
his previous drug habits proved too much and he returned to using drugs and
consequently lost his job. One of the biggest worries for the residents that I
work with who are close to release or moving on surround the amount of support
they will have when they leave. For someone who has perhaps spend decades or at
least many years in secure environments where they are constantly living within
strict rules and procedures to suddenly move back into society where there are
pressures and freedom which can prove to be stressful and lead to relapse. This
just highlighted to me how important it is that people leaving Prison and other
similar settings need support once they are back into the community to
reintegrate into society and live pro-social lifestyles.
Gordon also spoke to and showed Ken
Clarke around the Bad Boys Bakery attempting to secure future funding for the
project. Unfortunately funding was not secured although at the end of the
program it was said that funding and support was trying to come from a social
enterprise.
Of the twelve Bad Boy Bakers now:
2 work in restaurants.
3 are looking for work.
4 have moved Prisons.
1 continues with his struggle with drugs.
2 remain in the Bad Boys Bakery with 10 new recruits.
There are two main points which I reflected on whilst
watching both this episode and the series as a whole.
The first being I wondered how the celebrity endorsement of
the project being fronted by Gordon Ramsey affected the overall success of the
project. I don’t think that it can be overlooked how the filming of and the
work of Gordon Ramsey one of the world’s most famous chefs would have promoted an
instant success and positive vibe for this project. His hands on approach
throughout production to market research, having contacts in the food industry
and through selling the product would have undoubtedly advanced the success of
Bad Boys Bakery. I don’t feel like a normal social enterprise of project which
was being run in either Prison or similar setting would necessarily achieve the
same success without having celebrity endorsement. I think that it is brilliant
to have celebrities such as Gordon promoting such valuable vocational
rehabilitation and projects however can’t help but wonder about how Prisons and
other settings could attempt similar projects on their own and gain such
success.
The second reflection which I had was concerned with the
sustainability of the project. With Gordon only being able to support the
project for six months and having him not been able to secure funding for its
continuation after this I have concerns with regards to expectations and hopes
of the prisoners involved. At work it is important for me to not offer services
or interventions with residents which I am not able to continue through to
completion. I think that it is vital that when working with individuals in
secure settings and indeed throughout Occupational Therapy and health and
social care settings that as professionals we are able to see work through to
completion and not just provide a service before stopping within a short amount
of time of before objectives have been met. I do however understand and acknowledge
that projects and interventions etc. may have to stop due to unforeseen
circumstances or similar reasons.
I sincerely hope that funding and support will become
available for the Bad Boys Bakery and that its success and the awareness generated
by the program will spur on the creation and development of other similar
projects.
In my opinion vocational rehabilitation is a key part of the
rehabilitation process for individuals in Prisons and other Secure Units.
Kate