Offender Pathway to Employment Programme (OPEP)
Achievements after 2 years
www.moortrees.org
OPEP was formed as a partnership between the charity Moor Trees, HMP Dartmoor and Duchy College (now
Bicton College).
AIM
OPEP aims to reduce re-offending by building offender employability through the provision of a high quality
volunteering, education & training programme focussing on the land-based sector, in the context of
environmental conservation.
OBJECTIVES
1. Provide experiential learning opportunities via practical conservation projects, including:
a. Tree nurseries on the farm and in the main, VPU and RSU areas;
b. Woodland creation / biodiversity activities on the farm and across wider Dartmoor.
2. Work in partnership with accredited education provider to provide a portfolio of accredited education &
training.
3. Build an employer network and mentoring service.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1.0 Accredited Learning
OPEP engaged Duchy College as accredited learning partner for the period February 2009 to July 2010.
Bicton College took over this role from July 2010
The table below indicates the courses run on the farm and the number of certificates awarded during the period
Dec 08-Dec‘10. Many, but not all courses/training, have supported the Moor Trees biodiversity project. All
courses are taught and accredited to Level 2.
Course
Industrial Masted Fork Lift
Telescopic Handler
Tractor
ATV
Grass/Brushwood Strimmer
Wood Chipper
Dry Stone Walling
CS30 Chainsaw
CS31 Chain Saw
Mower (5 categories)
Industrial Dumper
Pedestrian Controlled Tractor
360 Digger
Turf Maintenance
Total
Certificates Awarded
43
45
59
16
47
17
13
14
4
43
34
25
13
17
390
An average of 96.6% pass rate has been achieved on the land-based courses mentioned. Additionally, Moor Trees
in conjunction with the Forestry Commission arranged a recent chainsaw course (CS30 and CS 31) for 3 prisoners.
Moor Trees is a charity (No. 1081142) and company (No. 3716434) limited by guarantee in England and Wales.
Registered Office: The Old School Centre, Totnes Road, South Brent, TQ10 9BP. T: 0845 456 9803 . E: info@moortrees.org.
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Offender Pathway to Employment Programme (OPEP)
Achievements after 2 years
www.moortrees.org
The table below shows the number of prisoners who received accredited training and supervised training that
was specifically aimed at bio-diversity work. Accredited training figures show the number of prisoner who
attended courses and supervised training figures are expressed in ‘man-days’.
Total
87
549
Accredited Training - individuals
Supervised Training – man days
2.0 Employer Engagement
Prisoners who have received training through the farm training centre in conjunction with Moor Trees have
undertaken ‘off-site’ work at the following venues:
Princetown Community Centre
St. Michael’s and All Angels
Church, Princetown
Peeke Hill Farm, Princetown
Morwellham Quay
Buckland Abbey
YHA Bellever
Tavistock Tool Hire
Forestry Commission
ROC Construction site at Princetown
Princetown Primary School
Dartmoor Hardwoods
Ringway Road Services
Dartmoor Garage
Travis Perkins, Tavistock
Jewsons, Tavistock
Brandon Tool Hire, Tavistock
Moor Lodge Home Princetown
PDSA Honiton
Success stories include: Prisoner A who has now gone to take over the family business and credits his experience
with OPEP in giving him the confidence to take that step, and Prisoner B who was so enthused by the work he
undertook on the land that he set himself up on release as a land management contractor in Plymouth
3.0 Tree Nurseries
OPEP has created four tree nurseries - one in each of the Farm, Main, RSU and VPU areas. The aim of the
nurseries is two-fold: to provide experiential learning opportunities through working on a ‘live’ conservation
project, and to grow native trees for conservation benefit.
Offenders are involved at every stage, from the creation of the building blocks, to the carpentry for the raised
beds, the delivery of the top soil, and the sorting and sowing of the seed.
At December 2010, over 420 man days have been spent on the nurseries.
4.0 Conservation
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Over 3,000 trees planted, the last 1000 grown in the tree nurseries on site
A wet field corner developed as pools and a natural wetland, with sluice and feeder ditches, led by
Prisoner B (see above).
Former beech plantation thinned in preparation for replanting with oak and other native trees.
Paths improved and safety rail reconstructed
Phase 1 habitat survey delivered. Breeding bird survey.
Reservoir control tower re-pointed and cleaned
Overhanging trees cleared from reservoir
A total of 3,929 man–days have been delivered by prisoners ‘in training’ on the land surrounding the prison.
Moor Trees is a charity (No. 1081142) and company (No. 3716434) limited by guarantee in England and Wales.
Registered Office: The Old School Centre, Totnes Road, South Brent, TQ10 9BP. T: 0845 456 9803 . E: info@moortrees.org.
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Offender Pathway to Employment Programme (OPEP)
Achievements after 2 years
www.moortrees.org
5.0 Future plans
General
 Continue to develop four tree nurseries, one in each of the following:
Main area – housing approximately 400 offenders
Allocation & Assessment Unit (AAU) – housing approximately 180 offenders
Resettlement Unit (RSU) – housing approximately 45 offenders
Farm land
 Develop biodiversity conservation project on prison land
 Continue to develop portfolio of conservation and land-based education and training courses linked with
tree nursery and other experiential learning opportunities
 Develop and/or support ex-offender mentoring service
Specific
 Each year, work with Forestry Commission Dartmoor Rehabilitation Project to:
Employ trainees for on-site forestry work – 3 per year
 Develop sustainable funding opportunities for project continuation via new grant streams made available
by Moor Trees’ charitable status
 Continue to develop new employer network
 This year form Duchy of Cornwall partnership locally for replanting of harvested conifer areas, by local
provenance tree provision from prison tree nurseries and on-site planting teams.
 Deliver first targets in Management plan, Years 1 and 2, specifically the creation of new wetland areas,
further broadleaf woodland planting, meadow creation and the renovation of the Victorian reservoir.
Moor Trees is a charity (No. 1081142) and company (No. 3716434) limited by guarantee in England and Wales.
Registered Office: The Old School Centre, Totnes Road, South Brent, TQ10 9BP. T: 0845 456 9803 . E: info@moortrees.org.
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