Blue Sky Development and Regeneration, a social enterprise aimed at reducing the level of re-offending amongst former criminals, has been given £400,000 of unrestricted funding from the Impetus Trust.

The funding, which will be spread over four years, is to help the social enterprise support more ex-offenders find employment.

The funding will primarily help those released from prison to an initial six months in paid employment, with the main aim to aid those into long-term employment.

Re-offending costs the United Kingdom £12bn, while over 5, 000 of those released throughout England and Wales each year re-offend within two years.

Daniela Barone Soares, chief executive of Impetus, said:

“Breaking the cycle of re-offending is undoubtedly a challenging task. This is all the more reason why we must not shy away from it.

“Instead, we need to support innovative charities and social enterprises, which have proven that re-offending can be reduced.”

Alongside the funding, Impetus will provide Blue Sky with management support and expertise from skilled professionals to further improve the organisation.

Blue Sky’s investment comes as part of Impetus’s “Impetus for London Initiative,” which launched in 2009 to target poverty in Greater London.

Other charities working with Impetus to help reduce re-offending include the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the Henry Smith charity and the Indigo Trust.