Saintfield man runs cafe helping offenders after prison release

Saintfield man runs cafe helping offenders after prison release

18 November 2015

THE Thinking Cup looks to be in the same vein as the other stylish cafes dotting Belfast Lisburn’s Road.

But this is coffee with a conscience — giving the chance of a job to young people who would be bottom of the list for most employers.

Among those serving the lattes here are former prisoners who have been trained by a Saintfield man with a passion for social enterprise. 

Roger Warnock, a businessman who has just won a prestigious Clore Fellowship Award, set up the scheme in December last year with co-founder Paul McMinn. Running upstairs in the cafe is The Book Reserve, which sells books not only in-store but also as part of an online business.

After putting the proposal through to the Department of Justice, following a research trip to the US, Roger now has ten ex-offenders working for him, and the proviso was they had to be parents. 

The aim is to break the cycle of offending.

“Sixty per cent of kids who have parents who are offenders will grow up to offend themselves,” Roger explained.

“Also the cost of jailing somebody is £70,000 to £100,000 a year.”

By the end of year three they have to be profitable and Roger estimates that if they prevent reoffending, they could save the government about £3m.

“A lot of social enterprises use profits to do their social good, we have built the social side into the business,” he said. 

The offences committed by the young people he works with range from drug related offences to driving the get-away car in an armed robbery.

Roger doesn’t flinch, however, at the task he has set himself and most of the time all runs smoothly with the ex-offenders, who work alongside other members of staff.

“When we first started we had no idea what would happen but when we say to them, ‘We trust you’, you have no idea how much that means,” he said.

“Some do push it and we have a three strike rule. If they don’t turn up fit for work they get sent home and they lose a day’s pay.”

He added: “We are looking to build their self-esteem.

“They are quite open about their lives and we have only ever had one customer walk out.

“Some of these guys are really hard workers. They actually graft. There is this whole perception that they won’t.

“I have friends, business friends, and they say, ‘Why are you giving them an opportunity, why not somebody ordinarily unemployed?’”

With his own stable background in Saintfield, Roger said his parents were able to step in whenever he got into youthful scrapes, but the reality for the less well-off was different.

“The background for many is drugs, or violent parents,” he said. “The first contact they have with the world of work is a social worker, then it’s legal aid, and a long-term legal representative.

“When they get out into a safe environment, change can start immediately.”

Roger has had a varied career incorporating project management roles in the private sector with a spell as a council officer at Castlereagh Borough Council. He also had a secondment to the Department of Enterprise, where he wrote a government paper on social innovation strategy.

But he was soon to realise: “I am a private sector animal. It was not me. I was always interested in helping young people in voluntary work with the Prince’s Trust. I have run my own business before and I am not doing this for money.

“We didn’t want to be another social company. We wanted to go for BT9 or the Ormeau Road. We could have 1,500 books a day to scan and if they are worth £1 or more they go on on our 

database for Amazon and Ebay.

“We find ways too of recycling the others, such as mouse mats.

“We have also approached charities such as the Simon Community and told them we can get a lot more money for their books than they can their charity shops.”

Roger is already working under the auspices of the EITP (Early Intervention Transformation Programme) which involves several government departments and he wants to continue spreading the message at Stormont.

Doors will also be opening for him as he is only the second person ever from Northern Ireland to be selected as one of the Clore Social Fellows.

Set up in 2008, the Clore Social Fellowship aims to develop leaders with a social purpose so that they can transform their communities.

“Over the next 12 months there will be a massive amount of intense leadership training,” said Roger. “It’s like the SAS of the social sector.”

In the meantime he hopes local people will take the time to stop at The Thinking Cup and The Book Reserve when next in town. And he has the following invitation: “Books are our lifeblood. If you bring in 10 books you get a free cup of coffee.

“Our slogan is feel good, be social.”

One of those working at The Thinking Cup who appreciates Roger’s efforts is Adam Boswell (23).

Adam has two children and was recently released from the Young Offenders Centre at Hydebank, where he was held on an assault charge.

“I just thought I would go for it, why not,” he said of the opportunity. “I was happy and pleased. It was something to look forward to.

“It was the first time I ever had a job. I was on jobseekers from 16. You can just fall into that and it can be very difficult to get out of.”

Adam said his aim was for life’s obstacles not to get in the way of his progress.

“I have been trying to set a wee routine,” he said. “If I use this right it will be a help to everybody.

“Everyone gets on with you here and you get trained and get advice at the same time.

“Everyone who has come in has been fine. I have had no bad attitude from anyone.”

Adam said there was “too much moving about” in his own childhood and hopes to forge a different future for his own children.

“I would like to give them a bit of education that I didn’t get,” he said.