How a Canterbury social enterprise set up by Prison Network is helping formerly incarcerated women find employment
A new dog grooming salon fits right in among the boutiques and cafes on Canterbury’s luxury shopping street on Maling Road.
While customers go to get their own nails and hair done, they leave their pooch like purebred puppy Desi to have their nails trimmed, washed and dried at New Leash.
However, there are two turning points in this story. New Leash doesn’t pay rent. And some of their employees spent time in prison.
This is the first social initiative in the 79-year history of the charity Prison Network, which supports women both during incarceration and post-release.
In addition to pampering dogs, the salon’s goal is to provide a path to employment for “women with experience in the justice system.”
Prison Network CEO Amelia Pickering said the store had 240 canine customers since it opened eight weeks ago, who were “mostly chattering” and feedback had been good.
Pickering thinks a dog salon is the perfect business to help formerly incarcerated women reintegrate into society while learning skills like customer service and dog washing.
“We often say ‘dogs don’t judge,'” Pickering says.
“So when a woman goes out [of jail]and struggles with stigma and shame, being able to work with a dog who would love and validate her felt like the perfect business model.”
Philanthropist Cynthia Carter gave Prison Network the rent-free right to use the former grocery store she owns on Maling Road.
Carter was already a Prison Network supporter after spotting a church newsletter five years ago calling for donations of Tim Tam biscuits for Christmas hampers the charity would send to prisoners.
Her interest in the program led Carter to volunteer on a crafts program with women at Tarrengower Prison near Maldon for two years.
Pickering told Carter that Prison Network would love to open a social enterprise.
“I said, ‘I think I can help you,’” says Carter, offering free use of the Canterbury store.
Pickering says she sees so many dogs passing by and knows how difficult it is for owners to get into a dog groomer, so they have to open a dog grooming salon “because they’re all booked up.”
Carter, secretary of the Maling Road Business Association, says this is the kind of business traders want for the street, “so they’re very excited”.
“I explained that it was a non-profit organization behind it, and they immediately embraced it. They call it ‘our local charity.'”
New Leash worker Louise (not her real name) says she felt lonely after being released after being “locked in” last November, but her role at the grooming salon helped her make friends.
She works part-time and is studying to become an alcohol and other drug counselor.
While Louise helps bathe the dogs, she mostly works front of house, learning new computer systems and gaining confidence. “For me, this is a stable job that I thoroughly enjoy.”
The Prison Network was founded in 1947 by Myrtle Breen, who visited female prisoners at Pentridge Prison. The network’s activities range from offering fitness and craft classes to directing children to visit their mothers “inside” and assisting with employment and housing outside prison. It has more than 130 volunteers.
Another big step for Prison Network is that it will change its name to Hope Network starting July 1.
Pickering says women in custody at the Dame Phyllis Frost Center in Deer Park came up with the name.
She says that “having the word ‘prison’ in our name is not ideal” when writing references to help women find rent or employment.
With the name Hope Network, “we are replacing prison with hope because that is what we are trying to do.”
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