What StandOut does

StandOut (legal entity StandOut Programmes; Registered Charity 1177813, Registered Company 11257739) is a London-based charity founded in 2017 that supports men preparing to leave prison and rebuilding their lives in the community. The organisation operates from Unit 225, China Works, Black Prince Road in Vauxhall, and delivers programmes inside three named London prisons — HMP Pentonville, HMP Wandsworth, and HMP Wormwood Scrubs — followed by open-ended post-release coaching. StandOut had 57 employees as of the input period.

The core product is an intensive 12-day in-prison coaching course covering mindset development, resilience, communication, CV writing, and mock interviews, followed by one-to-one community coaching, a monthly Career Hub event for released participants, and a network of more than 20 inclusive employer partners (including PA Consulting, EY, Only a Pavement Away, Breakthrough, Redemption Roasters, GXO Logistics, Kilnbridge, Thames Water, and Veolia). Supporting services include the StandOut Helpline (a freephone service launched during COVID-19 that handled over 4,000 calls in 15 months), Release Packs providing practical necessities on release, Progression Grants for training/education costs, and the Experts Beyond Bars (EBB) advisory group that embeds lived experience into StandOut's strategy and policy engagement, including with the Ministry of Justice and the Prison Reform Trust.

StandOut does not operate a technology platform and does not use AI in service delivery. The organisation is independently funded — it explicitly does not receive government funding for its work with people preparing to leave prison — relying instead on individual donations, corporate contributions, and charitable trusts (e.g., Monday Charitable Trust for Big Give match funding). Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Reported outcomes include participants being twice as likely to remain out of prison 12 months from release and three times more likely to be in work than the average prison leaver; 81% of released participants maintained community contact; 39% found work versus a 23% national average; and 84% reported improved mental wellbeing. The organisation won the Robin Corbett Award for Prisoner Re-Integration in 2021.

Name

StandOut

Legal name

StandOut Programmes

Website

https://standout.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

StandOut is a London-based charity that delivers an intensive in-prison coaching programme followed by open-ended post-release support, Career Hub events, and employer partnerships to help men rebuilding their lives after prison.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Prison rehabilitation and re-integration services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Help Supply Services (7363)

akta.pro primary industry

Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Adult Learner Support Services (Advising, Case Management, Wraparound Supports) (EDAAABAJ)

Keywords

• Prison rehabilitation support
• Offender employment services
• Post-release coaching
• Criminal justice charity
• Inclusive employer partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

London, United Kingdom

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Funding: StandOut is an independently funded charity that does not receive government funding for its core work with people preparing to leave prison. The organisation relies on donations from individuals, corporate partners, and charitable trusts to fund its programmes. The charity participated in the Big Give Christmas Challenge to raise funds, with a target of £60,000 to support programme delivery.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

StandOut delivers an intensive 12-day in-prison coaching course combining group work with individual sessions, followed by open-ended one-to-one community coaching after release. The offering is complemented by the Career Hub (monthly employer-facing events), the Experts Beyond Bars lived-experience advisory group, the freephone StandOut Helpline, practical Release Packs, and Progression Grants for training. All services are provided free of charge to prison leavers across London partner prisons.

Product overview

StandOut is a charity offering a suite of interconnected services focused on rehabilitating people leaving prison. The core offering is the StandOut Programme, an intensive 12-day in-prison coaching course followed by open-ended one-to-one community support. This programme is complemented by the Career Hub (monthly post-release employment support events), Experts Beyond Bars (an advisory group of programme participants shaping organizational strategy), and the StandOut Helpline (telephone support service). Additional support services include Release Packs (practical necessities) and Progression Grants (funding for training). The organization works with inclusive employer partners to create employment opportunities for programme participants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Career Hub: A monthly event for StandOut participants who have been released from prison, hosted at StandOut's offices or by employer partners, providing CV support, coaching, and employer connections
• Experts Beyond Bars (EBB)
• StandOut Helpline

Products and services

• StandOut Programme Intensive 12-day coaching course delivered inside London prisons (HMP Pentonville, HMP Wandsworth, HMP Wormwood Scrubs) combining group work with individual sessions, followed by open-ended one-to-one community coaching after release. Builds positive mindsets, resilience, communication and employability skills for prison leavers.
• Career Hub Monthly event for StandOut participants released from prison, hosted at StandOut's London office or employer partner premises, providing CV support, coaching and networking with inclusive employers.
• Experts Beyond Bars (EBB) Advisory group of StandOut programme participants who meet monthly to discuss topical social justice issues, contribute to policy debate and shape StandOut's strategy and direction.
• StandOut Helpline Freephone telephone service providing information, coaching support and connection to services for people in StandOut's partner prisons and those recently released.
• Release Packs Practical support packages provided to people leaving prison, including winter clothing, basic toiletries and COVID PPE, addressing immediate needs upon release.
• Progression Grants Funding that supports StandOut participants with training and education costs to help them gain employment after leaving prison.

Quantifiable outcome

• Participants twice as likely to remain out of prison 12 months from release
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• PA ConsultingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPA Consulting volunteers have supported several Career Hubs through use of their office space and employee expertise. Volunteers have conducted mock interview workshops and CV sessions with StandOut participants. PA Consulting reached 100 StandOut volunteers milestone.
• Only a Pavement AwaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialist hospitality recruitment charity connecting people with careers in hospitality. Partnered with StandOut at Career Hub events, providing employment opportunities for programme graduates.
• BreakthroughcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial enterprise helping people leaving prison into tech careers. Connected StandOut graduate Ahmed with pre-apprenticeship programme leading to apprenticeship at Make Time Count.
• EYcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFive members of EY's UK Consulting practice joined as volunteers through the EY Ripples programme. Volunteers supported CV writing and mock interview workshops at HMP Pentonville and HMP Wandsworth.
• KilnbridgesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInclusive employer partner presenting on careers in construction and engineering at Career Hub events, providing employment pathway opportunities.
• Redemption RoasterssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInclusive employer providing employment opportunities for people with convictions in the coffee industry.
• GXO LogisticssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInclusive employer partner offering logistics and warehouse employment opportunities for programme graduates.
• St Giles TrustsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerStandOut ambassador Egerton Junior Bayode works as Senior Project Facilitator for St Giles Trust's SOS+ programme focused on gang prevention. StandOut participants referred to St Giles services for additional support.
• Ministry of JusticesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerStandOut's Experts Beyond Bars group has collaborated with the Ministry of Justice's Lived Experience Lead and contributed to Prison Reform Trust consultations on behalf of StandOut.
• Criminal Justice AlliancesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerStandOut is an active member of the Criminal Justice Alliance, participating in policy discussions and sharing best practices across the sector.
• Other employer partnerssupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAdditional inclusive employer partners include: BounceBack, Connection Crew, Elite Project Services, Going Forward into Employment, Inside Connections, Intertrain, Joe Brennan Training, Keltbray, No Going Back, Poppy's, Prince's Trust, RICOH, Social Pantry, Thames Water, The Skills Centre, Trackwork, Veolia, XO Bikes

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Nacro: Long-established UK charity delivering housing, education, and employment support for people at risk of or involved in offending. Broader incumbent with overlapping employment-focused reentry services but a much wider portfolio.
• Catch22: National social business delivering programmes across education, employment, and justice. Operates prison-leaver and youth-justice services that overlap with StandOut's target population but within a much broader portfolio.

Others

• Centrepoint: UK charity supporting homeless young people aged 16-24 with housing, employment, and personal development. Adjacent peer serving an overlapping population (people StandOut refers to for housing support) with similar coaching and employability approaches.
• Prison Reform Trust: UK charity focused on parliamentary advocacy and policy research on prisons and prisoner welfare. Adjacent peer collaborating with StandOut's Experts Beyond Bars; shares beneficiary focus but operates through advocacy rather than direct delivery.
• Clinks: UK infrastructure body supporting voluntary-sector organisations working in criminal justice. Sector enabler rather than direct competitor, but comparable ecosystem participant for funders, policy, and best practice.

Direct peers

• St Giles Trust: UK charity providing through-the-gate support, mentoring, and resettlement services for people with criminal convictions. Closest direct peer to StandOut's prison-to-community coaching model, and a current StandOut referral partner.
• Unlock: National independent charity providing information, advice, and advocacy for people with convictions. Direct peer serving the same beneficiary population around employment, disclosure, and reintegration barriers.
• The Hardman Trust: UK charity offering one-to-one mentoring and resettlement support for prison leavers. Direct peer in prisoner rehabilitation coaching, and the destination of StandOut's former Head of Programmes Alex Rose.

Emerging players

• Revolving Doors Agency: Charity working to reform responses to people facing multiple disadvantage including the criminal justice system. Peer in advocacy and service design, with overlapping beneficiary focus but a systemic-reform orientation rather than direct coaching.
• User Voice: User-led charity bringing lived experience of the criminal justice system into policy and service design. Conceptually aligned with StandOut's Experts Beyond Bars approach, with partial overlap in beneficiary and methodology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/standout-charity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about StandOut