Lithgow Correctional Centre inmate talks about finding pride in work in industry

Mount Vic and Me is a quirky design business known for its pop art tea towels and colourful cushions which are sold globally.

Mt Victoria resident Kara Cooper's business grew at such a rapid rate this year that she found herself looking for somewhere that could handle her demand for manufacturing.

Most of the products sold by Mount Vic and Me are handmade and hand packaged but Kara couldn't find anyone to keep up with her demand.

"I couldn't make them myself or get anyone that works with me to do it because the quantity was just too much," she said.

It was very important to Kara that she kept production local as a Made in Australia accredited business.

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Kara said she was extremely happy with how the partnership has gone.

"The quality of the products is amazing and the standard is really high," she said.

"They are really beautiful, and if the inmates notice a mark or the material isn't good then they put tape on it and I can check it. If it isn't good then I can find some other use for it."

Lithgow Correctional Services Industries deliver an average of 300 tea towels a week.

"No one else could keep up to the demand like they could and not at this quality," she said.

While Kara supplies the fabric, the inmates cut, sew, fold and package the tea towels and cushions for sale.

"For me it's as much about watching my business grow, as it's a commitment to rehabilitation," she said.

"I hope this partnership has helped inmates develop valuable skills they can use when they're released.

"The inmates have incredible attention to detail and care for the products, they are always so proud to show me the work they're doing."

One Lithgow Correctional Centre inmate who looks after orders said that working in industry helped the day go quicker.

"Coming in to work makes the days and months go quicker," he said.

"It also helps give us skills so if we wanted to go to TAFE and try and get a job later on we can."

A correctional officer said that the inmates would often tell her they had been to places on the tea towel.

"They like the colours and the designs on the tea towels and often point out places they have been," she said.

CSNSW Governor Mick Green said he was a big advocate for Correctional Services Industries.

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CSI manufacture products including surgical scrubs, bed linen, internal bags and more.

"This is where inmates can learn important skills and gain trade qualifications to help them gain employment upon release," he said.

"Industries is a vital opportunity for inmates to engage and learn skills, it also helps the day be as normal as it can be."

Mr Green said the final products always turn out better then if they were manufactured overseas.

"The inmates are meticulous and check all the finer details while packaging," he said.

In the future Mr Green hopes to expand the Lithgow Correctional Services Industries into more fields.

Manager of Industries for LCC Neil Backhouse said that industry has been at Lithgow for a long time.

"The inmates here have a lot of pride in the work they do, especially for Mount Vic and Me because it's something that they're family could potentially buy on the outside," he said.

"These products aren't for themselves, so it gives the inmates a sense of pride and they can walk out with their heads held high."

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Minister for Counter Terrorism and Corrections Anthony Roberts said small businesses had been hit hard this year with many forced to stop production or close down.

"The NSW Government is committed to supporting regional communities and Mount Vic and Me is a great example of how correctional centres can contribute to regional businesses," he said.

Corrective Services Industries operates more than 100 commercial business units and services industries in NSW prisons, where inmates learn important skills and gain trade qualifications to help them gain employment upon release.