Durham PCC visits Wise Group to see support for women

Ms Allen visited The Wise Group in County Durham to learn more about their work supporting rehabilitation and reducing reoffending through employment, skills, and financial support.

The Wise Group uses a holistic approach known as Relational Mentoring to address the underlying barriers preventing individuals from moving forward in their lives.

PCC Allen said: "I am grateful to The Wise Group for inviting me to their Durham Hub and giving me a detailed insight into the important work they do to help people thrive and become more resilient, reducing their reliance on public services.

"Rehabilitation is a key theme in my Police, Crime and Justice Plan, and I have been fighting very hard to ensure we provide the right recovery environment for the men and women caught within our justice system to meet their support needs and stop them reoffending.

"Female prisoners face very different challenges than their male counterparts, and have often suffered past trauma including sexual abuse, domestic violence, or mental health issues prior to their incarceration.

"It is important we fully understand these needs so we can build services that plug critical gaps and connect women to positive sources of help."

The Wise Group supports thousands of people each year, including those leaving prison, helping them rebuild their lives through sustained employment and personal development.

The organisation delivers trauma-informed, gender-specific interventions for women in custody and the community who are subject to probation orders.

During PPC Allen’s visit, representatives from The Wise Group discussed their ambition to expand support services for women in County Durham.

They highlighted research from the Woman of the North Report by Health Equity North, which shows that 20–22 per cent of women in the North have no qualifications.

The report also found that women in the region provide £10bn of unpaid care each year, and that the North East has the highest rates of domestic abuse in the country.

The Wise Group believes there are significant gaps in support across County Durham and that their model of relational mentoring could help address them.

The organisation is working with partners to develop a coordinated, trauma-informed approach that would give women access to wraparound services and peer networks.

These services could include parenting support, addiction services, domestic abuse counselling, financial advice, housing and homelessness intervention, and routes back into education and employment.

Yotta Karanicolas, UK head of justice services at The Wise Group, said: "It was a pleasure to welcome Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen to our Durham Hub and share the impact of our work across the region.

"At the Wise Group, we are committed to reducing reoffending by supporting people to address the root causes of their involvement in the justice system – from poverty and trauma to housing and mental health.

"Women affected by the justice system often face complex, intersecting challenges that require a coordinated, trauma-informed response.

"Our relational mentoring model provides personalised, consistent support that builds trust, fosters stability, and unlocks long-term change.

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"We look forward to working closely with partners in Durham to shape a more joined-up approach – one that brings together the right services, relationships, and community networks to support women to rebuild their lives and thrive."

Reducing reoffending is a core focus of Ms Allen’s Police, Crime and Justice Plan.

She has pledged to work with criminal justice partners to ensure people leaving prison are given the support they need to avoid reoffending and successfully reintegrate into society.