A prison sentence can pause someone’s life, but it doesn’t erase their potential.
Kayleigh Bateman from SheCanCode sits down with Jay from SheMatters to talk about what really helps women rebuild after contact with the criminal justice system: confidence, community, and a clear path to sustainable employment.
Jay shares how SheMatters supports women through the messy middle between release and work, where trauma, long gaps in employment, and rejection can make “I’ll never get hired” feel like a fact. We get practical about what changes outcomes: relationship-based support, CV and interview prep, mentoring that actually shows up, and networking that replaces the professional connections many people lose.
We also zoom in on why the tech sector is such a strong opportunity for second-chance hiring. Digital careers offer multiple entry points, fast reskilling, and flexibility through remote and hybrid work. For employers and hiring managers, we unpack the difference between sensible risk assessment and automatic exclusion, and why resilience and loyalty can be a major advantage in your workforce.
