Today XO Bikes(xobikes.com), the not-for-profit bike workshop, launches XO Bikes built by Ex-Offenders campaign to raise awareness of the work they do, helping stop the cycle of reoffending by giving ex-offenders jobs that will change their lives for good, with the help of agency of record, VCCP and its content production studio, Girl&Bear.

The campaign comes as 65,000 individuals are released from prison every year but nearly half (48 percent) of them end up reoffending within 12 months. This costs the economy £18bn a year, while the human cost is even greater to the victims of crimes, the offenders themselves, their prospects, their families, friends, and communities.

The main driver for reoffending is unemployment, with research showing that prison leavers are 70% less likely to reoffend if employed, yet 75% of businesses will not employ them. The longer it continues the greater the barrier it is to overcome, which leads to self-belief decreasing, hope dying, and any core employability skills becoming rapidly outdated.

XO Bikes aims to give people a secure platform on which to rebuild their lives upon release. They help ex offenders grow in confidence and increase their self-esteem, find purpose and pride in their work and most importantly build towards a reliable and legal income.

VCCP, Girl&Bear and XO Bikes have created a bold OOH campaign designed to show how ex offenders can get the skills they need to stay out of prison for good with help from photographer, Lol Keegan, and  retouchers, Stanley’s Post. The creative show red and white optimistic copy juxtaposing the dark prison-style imagery and bike parts. The campaign is supported by Clear Channel who is providing free outdoor media coverage for the non-for-profit to spread its campaign message.

Find out more on VCCP.