Business is Boring: The NZ non-profit helping prisoners learn to code

Take2 CEO and founder Cam Smith tells Simon Pound about the life-changing work his company does helping ex-prisoners reenter the job market.

The job market is tough at the best of times – but for an ex-prisoner without any recognised skills, it can be pretty much impossible. One groundbreaking new non-profit is out to help change that by teaching incarcerated people how to code.

Code is a great leveller – anyone who learns the rules, puts in the work and thinks creatively and logically can excel. Many people who didn’t thrive in traditional schooling have found excellence there. Take2 offers a three year programme, with a year of intensive web development training, then two years support to integrate into the community and the job market.

The goal of equipping prisoners with these highly sought-after skills led this week’s guest Cam Smith from an exciting career in impact investment into the world of non-profits, dealing with big government departments and multi-generational societal challenges.

To discuss all these big problems and the big ideas needed to help solve them, the Take2 CEO and founder joined Business is Boring this week.

Subscribe and listen to Business is Boring through Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favourite podcast provider.