From the justice system to a working future
Anabranch Plus is two things at once and both matter to the people who commission us.
We are a rehabilitation and employability provider for people impacted by the criminal justice system and we are a social value delivery partner for the organisations that need to evidence real impact in the justice space.
About Us
We help people rebuild after the justice system and we help organisations deliver the social value that makes it possible.
Our name represents the reason we exist. An anabranch is a channel that leaves the main river, flows its own course and rejoins it further downstream.
That is how we see the people we work with as contact with the criminal justice system takes someone out of the main current, away from work, from opportunity and often from the people and places that once held them steady.
Leaving the main channel is not leaving the river as they are still the same water. Our work is to help them find the course that carries them back.
Many of the people we support have lived through trauma and much of what the world reads as their worst decision began there so we work in a trauma-informed way travelling alongside them, not judging the route they have had to take and helping them build the confidence, capability and opportunity to rejoin the river further downstream and to meet it on their own terms.
Our Programmes and Services
Foundations
Empowerment Academy
Empowerment Academy
Not a generic programme, but one built specifically around the reality of men in adult custody. Their experience, their motivations and the specific world they are preparing to re-enter.
Three phases, peer mentor co-facilitation throughout and confirmed referrals for every participant at close.
Empowerment Academy
Empowerment Academy
Empowerment Academy
A short to long duration programme built is for male prisoners and prison leavers. Structured around confidence, professional development, employability and opportunity with a programme length matched to the sentence stage and release timeline.
Empower Her Future
A gender-responsive rehabilitation and employability programme similar to the Empowerment Academy that focuses on confidence, professional development, employability and opportunity.
It also has options to be industry specific; STEAM, digital skills, logistics with employer engagement. Programme length matched to the sentence stage and/or community settings.
Where I Fit - Cultural Capital Programme.
Where I Fit is structured Cultural Capital programme designed for all people who are impacted by the criminal justice system or outside of the mainstream society.
It combines identity-led workshops, preparation sessions and structured visits cultural professional environments that many participants would not normally have access to and it ends with a clear, personalised referrals into employment, education or enterprise.
Social value delivery partner
Social value that reduces reoffending.
For procurement, social value teams and for employers with commitments to meet. We help you write social value you can win with, deliver it credibly and evidence it.
Why this is worth more than a generic pledge
The National TOMs framework the standard most commissioners use, includes specific measures for hiring rehabilitating and ex-offender candidates, over and above standard employment measures.
Justice outcomes carry weight because they are genuinely hard: employment is one of the strongest routes out of reoffending, and few providers can deliver it credibly. We can — because our delivery is led by people with lived experience of the system, working alongside professional mentors. That is social value that stands up to scrutiny, not a line in a bid.
Measured and reported
Every outcome is tracked and reported against the National TOMs framework through the Anabranch Social Value Index (ASVI), so your investment lands as evidenced social value. We report on completion and where data allows, at 90 days. Honest measurement throughout and we do not double count or claim outcomes we cannot evidence.
Let's talk social value
Whether you are shaping a bid or delivering on a commitment, tell us what you need to achieve and we will build a response that stands up in the evaluation and on the ground.
Education, SEND and Inclusion support
We can provide specialist support for education providers and academic attainment through Anabranch Education.
To find out more about our education and academic support, please check out our Anabranch Education website by clicking the link below.
Our Clients and Partners
Meet Some of the Team
Head of Rehabilitation Partnership
Head of Rehabilitation Partnership
Anabranch Plus is powered by a diverse team of experienced facilitators, business mentors, peer mentors and sector specialists. Combining lived experience with professional expertise, we deliver credible, compassionate and impactful support across the criminal justice and employment landscape.
Head of Rehabilitation Partnership
Head of Rehabilitation Partnership
Head of Rehabilitation Partnership
Lucy Hubbard is focused on building meaningful partnerships across multiple sectors, with a focus on logistics and haulage
Our Founder and CEO
Omar Mentesh
As the Founder of Anabranch Plus, Omar Mentesh is the driving force behind a transformative approach to rehabilitation, mentoring, and employment support for prison leavers. His lived experience, combined with his academic background in Business Management and Entrepreneurship, has enabled him to build a unique and impactful organisation that bridges the gap between rehabilitation and sustainable employment.
With a deep understanding of the barriers faced by prison leavers, Omar has dedicated his career to breaking cycles of reoffending, providing individuals with the skills, confidence, and networks they need to thrive in society. His expertise extends beyond mentoring, as he has worked across corporate social value, employment training and business consultancy, supporting organisations in their social responsibility commitments.
Co-Founder and COO
Les Gill
We are proud to have Les Gill as our Co Founder and Chief Operations Officer. Les brings a wealth of expertise in mentoring, strategic growth and organisational transformation, making him an invaluable asset in our mission to support prison leavers on their journey towards employment and self-sufficiency.