First Graduates Complete the Yellow Ribbon Fund-Acronis IT Skills Programme in Singapore

One of the first initiatives of the recently established Acronis Foundation was the creation of the Yellow Ribbon Fund-Acronis IT Skills Programme in Singapore, which taught valuable IT and life skills to inmates as a way to help them build a new life after release and reduce the odds that they would reoffend.

This week, Acronis is happy to congratulate the first 15 participants on successfully completing the first training course.

The IT Skills Programme is a joint effort between the foundation and the Yellow Ribbon Fund. Launched in 2004, the Yellow Ribbon Fund is the first and only national charity in Singapore dedicated to funding, developing and implementing reintegration programs for inmates and ex-offenders, and family support programs to strengthen their family ties.

The partnership program embodies the core belief in the ultimate value of knowledge – a belief on which Acronis was built.

Research shows that this kind of training program is vital to help prepare people for life after release. A report from the Rand Corporation revealed that prisoners who receive educational and vocational training are “significantly less likely to return to prison after release and are more likely to find employment than peers who do not receive such opportunities.”

In fact, researchers reported that those who participated in such programs were 43 percent less likely to return to prison when compared to inmates who did not join such programs.

These findings show the impact that initiatives like the Yellow Ribbon Fund-Acronis IT Skills Programme can have.

Fifteen residents of the Jamiyah Halfway House graduated with the international recognized WSQ ICDL Certificate. The program included Microsoft Office training, business communication and human resources master classes, which will enable them to seek employment after the release.

Jamiyah Singapore President Dr. Mohd Hasbi Abu Bakar said, “We’re incredibly grateful to partners like Acronis, SCORE and Yellow Ribbon Fund for such initiatives – this programme doesn’t just equip ex-offenders with the necessary IT skills but also builds up their confidence and, by involving their families, it also gives them a strong motivation to do their best.”

The graduation ceremony took place at the Jamiyah Halfway House and was attended by Vladimir Zatsepin, Vice President and Head of Singapore R&D at Acronis.

“The Acronis Foundation is proud to support our local community. Today we have great results of our joint effort with the Yellow Ribbon Fund,” Zatsepin said. “We wish the new graduates great success in rebuilding their lives. We’ll continue to support the program for the benefit of our country.”

When Acronis founded the Acronis Foundation to honor its 15-year anniversary, it was important to include Singapore, since that is where the company was founded in 2003. To mark its commitment, the Acronis Foundation pledged $1 million in both cash and services over the next 10 years to provide such education and training, helping ex-offenders acquire essential computer skills to increase their employability.

The decade-long partnership combines the best efforts and expertise from both Acronis and the Yellow Ribbon Fund to increase literacy skills of ex-offenders.

Constant learning, creating and protecting knowledge, and advancing technology are integral parts of Acronis’ DNA. In becoming a global leader in cyber protection and hybrid cloud solutions, one of the motivations behind Acronis’ work is the desire to protect knowledge – and in the modern world, knowledge is data.

As a result, Acronis has a long tradition of creating and sharing knowledge around the world by funding research, building schools, and supporting underserved communities.

That’s why, to celebrate its 15-year anniversary, the company founded the Acronis Foundation – a non-profit dedicated to funding programs around the world that encourage education and spread knowledge, which is the basis of all opportunity.

For additional details about the Yellow Ribbon Fund-Acronis IT Skills Programme, or to learn more about the various initiatives funded by the Acronis Foundation and how you can help, please visit acronis.org.