"Quite a shock to the system going straight from prison straight out to society again. Just getting on the freeway for the first time spins you out a little bit."
The words of a young man from Wandoo Reintegration Facility, as he was getting ready for a volunteer shift at the Shenton Park Dog Refuge.
A partnership between Wandoo, a minimum security prison for young men aged 18 to 24, and the refuge, is helping young offenders find a positive link back into the community.
The inmates are able to work alongside staff and other volunteers, preparing dogs for re-housing as well as doing maintenance work.
Refuge general manager Judy Flanagan believes the partnership is a win-win.
"We thought it was something we could give back as well as something that the [inmates] can gain from in terms of development of life skills and also assistance of transition back into the community," she said.
Another inmate, Bryce, said the small taste of freedom was a way to prepare him to make a smooth move back into society.
"It's good for people to see us in this sort of a setting rather than just seeing us behind the walls," he said.
Serco's corporate affairs manager Tim Evans around one in 10 Wandoo inmates go on to reoffend after being in the system for a minimum of three months, while in the general prison population around four in 10 went on to reoffend.
Mr Evans believes the low reoffending numbers are down to programs such as the partnership with Shenton Park.
"That's a really important part of them being then able to have the skills and the confidence to move back into the community and know that they can make good choices," he said.
The residents say they want to continue to volunteer at the refuge once their time is served.
