Taurus Lodge

3Pillars Project has been awarded a grant of £10,000 by London Freemasons for its Fit For Future project. Crucially, the funding will enable the charity to hire a new London-based Programme Lead who will intensively support young Londoners as they are released from custody, building trust-based relationships that begin up to 12 months pre-release and continue for at least 12 months post-release. Providing consistent guidance, proactively supporting participants, assisting with problem-solving related to housing, finances, and employment, and ensure ongoing mentoring support, as well as boosting employment capabilities.

The Fit For Future project, supported by this grant, aims to intensively work with between 20 to 30 young people in London post release, specifically enabling them to make transformative changes to their lives. The primary benefit is to improve their chances of successfully settling back into the community after release from custody and breaking the cycle of reoffending. The project helps participants continue to develop thinking and skills that reduce offending behaviour, supporting their transition into a stable future and sustainable employment. Expected outcomes for participants include regularly engaging with a mentor, 90% increasing their agency and self-efficacy, and 90% improving their resilience. 

3Pillars Project delivers a pioneering programme within the Criminal Justice System, through their headline intervention GAMEPLAN. They are dedicated to supporting men in custody and post-release through a sports-based mentoring programme. The charity’s core purpose is to work with young people in Young Offenders Institutions (YOIs) and prisons by integrating physical activity – particularly rugby, mentoring, personal development, qualifications, and work experience into their programmes, where self-respect, resilience, and integrity are key. 

Critically, they are expected to improve key stability factors such as housing, finance, health, and engagement, and 80% are projected to secure a job or work placement within 12 months post-release. This grant is vital as it will allow 3Pillars Project to expand its existing service to better meet the needs of young people being released to London, providing intensive, flexible, and coordinated local support that is often absent from statutory provision.

Mike Crofts, the CEO of 3Pillars Project, emphasised the critical role of this funding, stating: "This Funding will make a significant difference to our work, enabling us to extend support to our beneficiaries in London when they are released from custody.”

Will Clayton, London Freemasons said: “The work 3Pillars are doing through the GAMEPLAN project is important in supporting those that are released from custody at the earliest possible opportunity”.