A reflection from Ali, our People and Pathways Coordinator. Prior to joining us, Ali worked for over a decade in the Victorian youth criminal justice system. The experience and compassion she brings to Beacon is a gift.
Personal growth and healing does not occur in isolation. Rather, it’s inherently relational — forged through connection, participation, and community. For individuals with lived experience of incarceration, however, reintegration is often obstructed by deeply entrenched social stigma and shame. These barriers not only impact the individual; they reinforce a broader societal disconnection, where those who have spent time in prison are pushed to the margins, often invisible in both policy and practice.
This dynamic is sharply evident in regions like Byron Bay and the Northern Rivers, where socio-economic disparities are increasingly pronounced. On one hand, there is visible affluence and a strong wellness and lifestyle culture. On the other, just beyond view, are people experiencing homelessness, unemployment, and systemic exclusion, including those recently released from custody, often with limited access to stable housing, transport, or employment.
The Northern Rivers region, despite these disparities, has long been associated with an ethos of community. It is home to resilient and compassionate networks that have weathered severe floods, displacement, and collective trauma. In such a context, there exists both an opportunity and an imperative to reimagine how we support some of our most vulnerable members. This is where open hiring becomes not just relevant but transformative.
Open hiring is a radically inclusive approach to employment that removes traditional barriers to entry — resumes, interviews, background checks — in favour of offering work based on willingness and readiness, rather than prior history. For individuals who have experienced incarceration, this model offers more than just a job. It provides a chance to rebuild identity, foster independence, and reconnect with community.
I spent a decade working in all five youth custodial settings in Victoria providing education to young people aged 10 to 23. I have witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of disconnection that comes with incarceration. The mere presence of children as young as ten in custody is a stark indicator of systemic failure: a punitive system that disproportionately impacts individuals facing intergenerational trauma, systemic racism, poverty, disability, and unaddressed mental health needs. Incarceration in such contexts compounds harm, isolating individuals from culture, community, and opportunity. The result is a cycle of recidivism and social exclusion that harms not only individuals, but the social fabric as a whole.
Reintegration requires more than release. It demands pathways to dignity and participation. Open hiring facilitates this by reframing how we view people with criminal records, not as liabilities, but as individuals with potential, skills, and stories worth hearing.
At Beacon, we practice open hiring as a foundational commitment. We offer individuals the chance to be recognised for who they are in the present, rather than continually defined by their past. This has a dual benefit: it supports personal transformation for the employee, and reshapes public narratives about incarceration. When community members work alongside someone with a history of incarceration, it disrupts the binary of “good” versus “bad,” and allows for shared humanity to emerge. These moments of connection build empathy, shift attitudes, and foster a more compassionate and inclusive society.
Moreover, creating inclusive workplaces, like Beacon, is not just beneficial for individuals returning from prison; it is healing for communities at large. In a town at risk of cultural erosion through gentrification, tourism, and the aftershocks of natural disaster, open hiring provides an antidote to fragmentation. It brings diverse people together in common purpose, without judgment, allowing for mutual growth and understanding.
When we centre belonging, acceptance, and contribution over shame, punishment, and exclusion, we transform our communities into spaces of healing rather than harm. The positive social ripple effects are tangible: reduced recidivism, increased community safety, stronger local economies, and greater social cohesion.
The work is not easy. But witnessing the renewed sense of self-worth and vitality in someone who has been systematically excluded — and now finds themselves valued, employed, and connected — is profoundly powerful. It is an investment in the kind of community we all deserve to live in.
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