A Brisbane social enterprise and not-for-profit is tapping into the talent inside prisons to reskill inmates in graphic design and 3D animation, preparing them for employment opportunities on the outside.

Key points:

• The not-for-profit organisation facilitates training inside a local prison in graphic design and 3D animation
• The program is aimed at improving employment opportunities for inmates when they are released
• It is an Australian first and it is hoped it will be rolled out in more facilities

Graphic designers Kelly Willmott and Amanda Shepherd teamed up and launched Green Fox Studio in 2018, which operates a not-for-profit organisation that facilitates training inside a local prison in graphic design and 3D animation. 

"This company began with Amanda and myself, coming up with this grand plan to change the way we worked and to give people a second chance," Ms Willmott said.

Ms Shepherd said she wanted the way she lived and worked to set an example to her children.

"After 20 years of being a graphic designer, I had this kind of burning desire … to give back to the community and also to be able to show my children that you could actually do something you love that contributed back to society," Ms Shepherd said.

Ms Willmott and Ms Shepherd were not sure what to expect when they passed through the prison gates at the high security facility near Ipswich but what they discovered inside surprised them.

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