Inside a small warehouse, Lawrence is busy checking the day’s deliveries of fresh food including fruit, milk and pantry items.
Filling orders from 1,400 customers across Melbourne keeps his team busy, and there’s a sense of gratitude on the warehouse floor. That’s because the workers, including Lawrence, are ex-prisoners.
“I love my job, yeah. And for the first time in a long time, I'm actually happy again," says Lawrence, 45.
“And I am proud of being a part of a company that gives people a second chance.”
Lawrence is now a warehouse manager, and one of 130 ex-prisoners so far employed by fruit2work, a not-for-profit social enterprise and registered charity that helps transition ex-offenders back into the community.
A son of migrants from Malta, Lawrence grew up in Sunshine, 13km west of the Melbourne CBD, and says he developed an addiction in his late 30s.
“The worst part of addiction for me was having no income and trying to find an income to support my addiction led to me thieving. It was just simple as that,” he says.
Several stints in prison followed until finally, he says the addiction cost him his marriage and his self-respect.
“Towards the end I chose to be homeless. I lived in my car, I lived on couches. It was a pretty dark time in my life, a very dark place." he says.
"It wasn't a good feeling. I don't want to experience that again to be honest.”
Lawrence packing fruit for deliveries across Melbourne. Source: SBS / Sandra Fulloon
“When I got out I started looking for work as a forklift driver or a delivery driver. I just wanted a job. And I put out a few resumes and I made phone calls and I never heard back,” he says.
It’s a common problem and a factor in Australia's high rate of re-offending. Nationwide, 42 per cent of all adults released from prison are back inside within two years.
“This recidivism rate in Australia is one of the highest in the developed world,” says Rob Brown, chief chance creator at fruit2work.
Yet he says fruit2work employees have a zero recidivism rate.
Rob Brown is chief chance creator at Fruit2Work. Source: SBS / Sandra Fulloon
To mentor and train newly released workers, Brown says fruit2work utilises lived experience, including his own.
“I'm from Glasgow I had my own challenges when I was younger. Then somebody gave me a chance, and I was lucky enough to effectively end up running businesses all over the world.
“I would not have done that, had somebody not given me a chance. Because the reality is I'd either still be in jail or I'd be dead.”
After buying the social enterprise in 2016, Brown says it aims to turn over around $8 million this year and is growing quickly, with several warehouses in Melbourne and a new branch in Brisbane.
“I really hope it goes nationwide, because it's an area that is lacking within the system,” says Victorian operations manager Rick Young who has spent 10 of the past 13 years in prison.
Young says he struggled with addiction for most of his life, but remains clean after four-and-a half years. A job at fruit2work is a big part of that.
“What it does is to give people hope that if you really want to have a go, there is a place where you can come and get a job. And I think that is needed all over the country.”
fruit2work Victoria operations manager Rick Young. Source: SBS / Sandra Fulloon
Social Traders helps businesses like this lock in contracts, and grow their revenue. CEO Tara Anderson praised fruit2work as a great success story.
“They have built the people that they're supporting into the delivery of their model. So, the number of people that are no longer offending by working with fruit2work, proves that a social problem can be solved" says Anderson.
Lawrence says fruit2work has turned his life around. Source: SBS / Sandra Fulloon
For Lawrence, fruit2work is about much more than a job. It’s a doorway to a better life.
“I am really grateful for the opportunity, and the position I am in. You never know, I might go further in this company than warehouse manager," he says.
"And my personal goal moving forward is maybe to one day buy a house."
