In this week's edition....
- CLINKS NEWS: legal support for the sector
- CLINKS NEWS: missed our AGM?
- CLINKS BLOG: how to change the system in three easy steps
- CLINKS EVENT: innovative evaluation
- CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: will long term offenders lose services through TR?
- CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: restorative justice quality mark launched
- CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: acknowledgement for restorative justice work in Wales
- FUNDING: NOMS grants will continue next year
- FUNDING: to improve local neighbourhoods
- FUNDING: innovation and development of learning opportunities
- FUNDING: to improve your services and create new jobs
- FUNDING: loan finance to support economic growth in the East of England
- CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: challenging the race and gang nexus
- CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: information session for people with convictions
- CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: horizon scanning and learning from other sectors
- CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: fundraising run
- CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: the value of practitioner-led research
- CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: Women offenders and their families
- PUBLICATION: reducing the use of prison
- PUBLICATION: understanding the Disclosure and Barring Service
- OFFENDER HEALTH: sustainability challenges in health and care
- OPPORTUNITY: evaluator needed for new pilot
- CLINKS MEMBERS' VACANCIES
- TIPS OF THE WEEK
- EXTRA INFORMATION
CLINKS NEWS: legal support for the sector
The MoJ have awarded Clinks funding to provide legal support to voluntary organisations who are planning to play a role, as either Tier 2 or 3, in the Transforming Rehabilitation reforms. Clive Martin, Director at Clinks said: "This important grant will allow voluntary sector organisations to access the support they need to play a full role in the rehabilitation reforms. We are eager to get this resource out to them to ensure their readiness for the next stages of the process." We'll be in touch with readers shortly with more details about the support.
CLINKS NEWS: missed our AGM?
We welcomed members old and new to our 15th AGM last week. Trustee Julian Corner gave a thought-provoking speech entitled "What is the nature of the opportunity that Transforming Rehabilitation represents?" and took questions from members. To see a report and photos of the day, and download the speech and annual review, click here
CLINKS BLOG: how to change the system in three easy steps
As part of Clinks' work with the Making Every Adult Matter Coalition (MEAM), we are supporting local areas to transform services for people with multiple and complex needs to help prevent people falling through the gaps between mental health, substance misuse, housing and criminal justice services. MEAM estimates that at any one time 60,000 people are experiencing complex problems and ineffective contact with services; keeping them trapped in a cycle of offending, homelessness, substance misuse and unmet mental health needs. In this blog, Isabel Livingstone shares three tips from a training course on ‘systems change’. She says: “we need to find a way to identify the solutions that will make a difference, rather than just describing how complicated the problem is!” Read and comment here
CLINKS EVENT: innovative evaluation
Arts Alliance are hosting 'Evaluation and innovation in arts & criminal justice settings – demonstrating impact in a new commissioning landscape' [21st Feburary, Leicester, free] as part of the ESRC seminar series. The seminar will focus on best practice in evaluating and evidencing creative interventions with offenders, and will include contributions from both MoJ and NOMS. Clean Break’s recent graduates will be performing ‘Stepping Off the Edge of the World’ – a production exploring the lives of three female offenders with very different stories. This event aims to enable delegates to consider how to evaluate activities with non-traditional output and outcome models. For more information and bookings, visit Arts Alliance
CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: will long term offenders lose services through TR?
Charlie Weinberg, Director of Clinks member Safe Ground, has contributed to Russell Webster's video interviews on TR. Charlie says there is potential for the resettlement prisons to be a major factor in helping prisoners maintain contact with families. However, she questions whether more offenders might end up in prison because of TR and is particularly concerned about the fate of long term prisoners - will they lose services and interventions to help fund the new resettlement work? Watch the short (7 minute) video here
CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: restorative justice quality mark launched
The UK’s first ever national standards and quality mark for restorative services has been launched by Clinks member Restorative Justice Council. The launch is a big step for the sector – ensuring that service commissioners and users can be confident of effective practice whenever victims and offenders are brought together to address conflict. The Restorative Service Quality Mark, which is backed by the Ministry of Justice, requires organisations to show that they are consistently meeting six Restorative Service Standards. Find out more and apply for the Mark here
CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: acknowledgement for restorative justice work in Wales
Clinks member The Forgiveness Project was runner-up in the recent Robin Corbett Award for Prisoner Rehabilitation 2014 for its preparatory restorative justice work undertaken as part of its national RESTORE programme at HMP-YOI Parc in Wales. Congratulations to all their staff and volunteers! Find out more about them here
FUNDING: NOMS grants will continue next year
The NOMS Grants Programme will continue for the next financial year, and they are holding two events [21st February, Manchester & 28th February, London] for potential applicants. The events will be focused on providing information on the background and overview of the Grants Programme for 2014/15, the application process, procurement process, gathering evidence, up date on the Transforming Rehabilitation Programme and wider Policy Developments. NOMS have asked Clinks to alert you to these dates, and we will provide more information when NOMS supply it; for now, just hold the date if you're interested.
FUNDING: to improve local neighbourhoods
Active Communities is a funding programme for local people with great ideas about how to help create fairer places to grow, live, work and age well. They are looking for ideas which will create stronger connections between people and help make their local neighbourhoods even better. Not-for-profit groups with an income of less than £350,000 a year can apply for between £5,000 and £50,000 for projects lasting up to two years. Applications are currently being invited from organisations in Cheshire, Warrington, and Halton (deadline 19th February), Norfolk (deadline 26th February), and North Yorkshire and York (deadline 12th March). Find out more here
FUNDING: innovation and development of learning opportunities
The Edge Foundation's new £1m grant programme will support innovation and development within technical, practical and vocational learning. The fund will support projects that create best practice models that have the potential for being scaled up or are suitable for replication through dissemination across the sector. Applicants from the voluntary sector can apply for funding between £50,000 and £100,000. The deadline for applications is 7th March. Full details here
FUNDING: to improve your services and create new jobs
The Social Investment Business (SIB) is encouraging ambitious local partners to register their interest for the next Local Impact Fund 'round table' which will take place in London at the end of March. Local Impact Funds attract social investment to enable charities and social enterprises to create new jobs and improve services in their communities. It is expected that around 15 to 20 Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) will want to launch a Local Impact Fund by 2016. The funds are expected to be around £5 million to £10 million initially. All five of the LEPs in the North West of England have already committed to setting up a Local Impact Fund. Other interested LEPs include Coventry and Warwickshire, Heart of the South West (which covers Devon and Somerset), Humber, Leeds City Region and Northamptonshire. Register your interest here
FUNDING: loan finance to support economic growth in the East of England
The Growing Places Fund offers loan finance for organisations in Greater Cambridge and Peterborough to finance creative and innovative approaches to support economic growth and create jobs. Funding is focused on unlocking jobs and accelerating economic growth. This could include: Facilitating drivers of growth e.g. through loans for SMEs to start up and grow; Construction of new office, training and general employment space; Access works to unlock commercial or mixed-used developments; Site servicing to support the creation of new employment space. Up to £100,000 is available per application, and the deadline is 7th March. Full details here
CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: challenging the race and gang nexus
'Becoming the other: Challenging the race and gang nexus' is a Centre for Crime and Justice Studies seminar [3rd March, London, free] at which Patrick Williams, Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Manchester Metropolitan University, will discuss how the term 'gang' has been appropriated and misused by criminal justice agencies. Find out more and register here
CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: information session for people with convictions
'Will it be spent now? Changes to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974' is an Unlock information session [6th March, Maidstone, 5pm-7pm] for people with convictions. Unlock will explain about the changes to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and have Helpline Advisors on hand to answer questions. Find out more here
CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: horizon scanning and learning from other sectors
'Linking Different Worlds: Looking Up, Looking Out and Learning' is a Cymorth Cymru conference [4th & 5th March, Cardiff, from £234] about horizon scanning, learning from other sectors and thinking about how we can work differently and collaboratively to achieve greater success. Find out more and book your place here
CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: fundraising run
The Bobble Hat run is Safe Ground’s second sponsored run event [8th March, Battersea Park, London]. The day will consist of a 10k run in the morning, followed by a post run event in Ethelburga Community centre, approximately 5 mins walk away. Tickets are £12.50 or £6.50 if you raise £50 sponsorship. For full details, click here
CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: the value of practitioner-led research
'Translating Practice into Policy: the value of practitioner-led research' is a Griffins Society event [24th March, London, free] to debate the challenges of bringing about meaningful change to criminal justice practice and policy. Why should we value practitioner-led research? What kind of research and for what purpose? What are the potential benefits and to whom? Evidence-based practice and policy has become the mantra, but with an increasingly volatile and fragmented landscape presenting enormous challenges, just how easy is it to influence either? For more information and to reserve a place, please e-mail chris.leeson@thegriffinssociety.org
CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: Women offenders and their families
Action for Prisoners' Families are holding a seminar [19th February, Peterborough, £75] on the effects on families of women going to prison. Women prisoners make up a very small proportion (less than 5%) of all prisoners and offenders. Women's needs are different to those of men, more varied and often more complex. The effect on families of women going to prison can be devastating: over 60% of women prisoners have children and Government figures show that fewer than five percent of children remain in the family home when their mother goes to prison. Can the Transforming Rehabilitation proposals offer a better future for women offenders? This seminar is also an opportunity to have your say on Barrow Cadbury’s new campaign for women prisoners. Find out more here
PUBLICATION: reducing the use of prison
'Follow the Money: Changing how we pay for prison could reduce its unnecessary use' is a blog from former Clinks Chair, Rob Allen arguing that structural change is needed in how we pay for prison if we are to achieve radical reductions in its use and the development of more humane and effective alternatives. Read it and download the accompanying report here
PUBLICATION: understanding the Disclosure and Barring Service
Clinks member NCVYS, Children England and the Disclosure and Barring Service have co-produced 'Our Decision', a package of support being developed to aid voluntary sector organisations working with children, young people and families with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) application process. Our Decision, which is also supported by Safe Network and the DBS, will provide organisations with a resource and capacity building opportunities to help organisations feel confident with the process and make effective decisions related to the level of supervision and checking required. Download it here
OFFENDER HEALTH: sustainability challenges in health and care
Public Health England (PHE) has published 'Sustainable, Resilient, Healthy People & Places', a strategy designed to show how the health and care system in England can adapt for a more sustainable future over the next five years and potentially save millions of pounds in the process. The Strategy encourages implementation at a local level where health and wellbeing boards play a key role through their needs assessments and strategies. Organisations can ensure they contribute by having a board approved sustainable development plan, measuring and reporting on progress, evaluating their approach and engaging with staff, service users and the public. Find out more here
OPPORTUNITY: evaluator needed for new pilot
Clinks member User Voice are looking to appoint an external evaluator to assess the impact of its Council 'through the gate' model in three pilot areas: the North East, West Midlands and London. Up to £70,000 is available for a year-long evaluation. This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced person or organisation to gain access to a unique service user-led approach to engaging people in the criminal justice in bringing about its reform. The deadline for responses is 3rd March. For more information click here
CLINKS MEMBERS' VACANCIES
Vacancies posted by our members this week include a Service Manager for Changing Lives [North Tyneside], Administration volunteer and Policy & Campaigns volunteer for Women in Prison [London] and an Interim Director (Maternity Cover) for Birth Companions [home-based]. View these and more vacancies here
TIPS OF THE WEEK
- Tip of the week I: Get 50% off Opera North's 'Macbeth' at Leeds Grand Theatre. Details
- Tip of the week II: Two people can stay a night in Weymouth at a boutique hotel with breakfast, snacks and cocktails for £49. Details
- Tip of the week III: How to have a romantic valentine's day on a budget. Details
EXTRA INFORMATION
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