Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 327 | 17th January 2014

In this week's edition....

CLINKS BLOG: Justice Data Lab pilot results so far

With just three months to go in the Justice Data Lab pilot, Clinks’ Senior Policy and Projects Officer Jess Mullen summarises the results so far and asks what they mean for organisations considering submitting data in the future. The Justice Data Lab allows organisations access to reoffending data for their service users and provides a comparison with a 'matched control group' of offenders with similar characteristics who did not receive the organisation’s service. The pilot has been running since April 2013 and will run to the end of March 2014. Read the blog here

CLINKS RESPONSE: Young adults in custody

In November 2013, Ministry of Justice launched a consultation on proposals to change the management of young adults in custody, most notably moving them from YOIs into mixed institutions. The MOJ believes this will allow offenders in this age group to be managed more effectively, and improve their access to support and services. Clinks has responded to the consultation, giving our view that there is not as yet a convincing case that this is the best way to promote resettlement. We recommend that a comprehensive approach to young adults in the Criminal Justice System, as championed by Transition 2 Adulthood Alliance, should be developed as a precursor to engagement and support for these proposals from the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Sector. Read the full response here

CLINKS PUBLICATION: Older offenders guide

Clinks and RECOOP have published a 'Do it Justice' guide for VCSE Sector organisations on the needs and rights of older offenders. Over 50s make up 12% of the prison population and are the fastest growing age group within prison. Clinks Member RECOOP promotes the care, resettlement and rehabilitation of older offenders, and runs a capacity building project supporting prisons, probation trusts and VCSE Sector organisations. Isabel Livingstone from Clinks’ Local Development Team has written a blog drawing out 5 top tips for working with older offenders. Read the blog and download the publication here

CLINKS PUBLICATION: Practical help with research

A new guide has been produced by Clinks and NPC’s Improving your evidence project to help VCSE Sector organisations working in criminal justice improve their capacity to identify, produce and use good quality evidence and evaluation. Asking service users and partners to be involved in evaluation may be both costly, time consuming and probably not even feasible - so the next best approach is to speak to some of them – also known as ‘sampling’. If an organisation does decide to sample, they (and their stakeholders) will still want to be confident that the findings are representative and valid. The guide summarises the different approaches, and aims to help organisations choose which method to use. Download it here

CLINKS EVENT: Improving Prisoner Literacy 

The Arts Alliance is hosting two free events [6th March, London & 12th March, Manchester, free] to take forward the learning points of the Write to be Heard project and to explore how arts organisations can work with prisons and education providers to improve offenders’ literacy and life skills. The Write to be Heard project, run by the Arts Alliance, delivered 28 creative writing workshops in prisons across the country, working with Geese Theatre Company, Prison Radio Association and creative writers. The workshops successfully targeted prisoners who were not confident writers, including those with little or no literacy. For further information and bookings, click here

CLINKS EVENT: Evaluating creative interventions

Evaluating Enrichment is the fourth and final seminar [21st February, Leicester, free] in the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) series, supported by the Arts Alliance, exploring arts and enrichment activities within the Criminal Justice System. The seminar will focus on best practice in evaluating and evidencing creative interventions with offenders. It will also draw together ideas learnt from previous sessions, and will consider how to reconcile differing theories and methods of evaluation for activities that don’t conform to traditional output and outcome models. The seminar will include: current debates in social science research methodology, information on the MoJ Justice Data Lab and contributions from NOMS. For more information and bookings, visit Arts Alliance

CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: MBE awarded

Faiza Khan, Deputy CEO and Director of Policy and Communications at National Council for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS), has been awarded an MBE in the New Years Honours List 2014 for her services to young people. Speaking about the award, Faiza said "receiving the honour feels very special to me personally. It also recognises the importance of services to young people and I hope it will be a boost to the wider staff team, young people and the charities we work with. There is still much to do to help young people get the outcomes they deserve and I look forward to continuing to work for a better deal for all our young people." To read more, click here

CLINKS MEMBER'S REQUEST: Restorative justice case studies

Sycamore Tree is a restorative justice course based in prison and run by Prison Fellowship exploring the impact of crime on the victim, offender and wider community. Prison Fellowship are updating the film materials used on the course and are looking for case studies that show examples of restorative justice. Do you know of any offenders and victims who have taken part in restorative justice conferencing or similar processes and would be willing to share their story on film? In return for providing contributors, they would be happy to share the resource with your organisation. If you can help or would like to find out more, contact Naomi Delap at naomid@insidejobproductions.co.uk or call 0207 033 2170 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Concern for loss of Probation networks

In the latest in a series of video interviews on Transforming Rehabilitation, Russell Webster speaks to Mark Ormerod, Chief Executive of the Probation Association. Mark welcomes the focus of the reforms on rehabilitation, the provision of services for short term prisoners, and the opportunities for new providers. However, he expresses concerns for the loss of networks built up in the Probation service, and the speed at which the reforms are progressing. Watch the short video here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE: TR workshops for VCSE Sector 

Booking is now open for the next Ministry of Justice funded regional events to support the VCSE Sector through the Transforming Rehabilitation (TR) competition. The free events cover Unit Cost and Impact Measurement, TUPE and Pensions and Negotiation Skills with expert advice tailored to Transforming Rehabilitation. The events are delivered in a partnership between ACEVO, NCVO and Candour Collaborations. To find out more and book onto events in your local area click here. You can also register your interest in forthcoming Contract Package Area specific networking events here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Adult offending inspection in Northamptonshire

HM Inspectorate of Probation have published reports for their inspections into adult offending work in Northamptonshire. The purpose of the inspections is to assess whether the sentence of the court is delivered effectively, and whether work with the individual offender protects the public, reduces the likelihood of reoffending, and provides a high quality service to courts and victims. Download the reports here 

FUNDING: Nottinghamshire TR capacity building

The Nottinghamshire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner are seeking to develop up to five voluntary sector led consortia working to support the rehabilitation of offenders in the areas of: education; training and employment; housing; mental health and substance misuse. The Commissioner’s Transforming Rehabilitation (TR) Capacity Building Fund aims to support the consortia to develop and engage with potential prime contractors who will bid to deliver offender management services in Nottinghamshire for the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire Contract Package area. Up to £5,000 is available to develop each consortium. The application deadline is 22nd January 2014, find out more here 

CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: BAME voluntary sector in TR

Black South West Network is holding a conference [6th February, Bristol, free] to provide an overview of the outsourcing of probation services and explain the relevance of this to small-medium sized, specialist Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) organisations. Speakers include John Long, Deputy Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Constabulary; Jeremy Crook, BTEG; and a representative of Ministry of Justice. The event is supported by a grant from Clinks’ NOMS-funded project supporting innovation in BAME services. To read the programme, and for bookings, click here

CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: Music in Prisons

Music in Prisons are to present a night of music featuring the bands ‘Police Dog Hogan’ and ‘Platform 7’ [20th February, London, £10], the latter of which was formed on Music in Prisons’ Sounding Out programme. All profits will go towards The Irene Taylor Trust Music in Prisons, supporting their inspirational work with people of all ages inside prisons throughout the UK, young people at risk of offending in the community, and ex-prisoners rebuilding their lives on the outside. Book your ticket here

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: Re-imagining youth justice – call for papers

‘Re-imagining youth justice’ is a Howard League for Penal Reform conference [2nd April 2014, London, from £135] that will aim to address the following issues: How can we re-imagine youth justice at a time of straitened resources?  What have young people themselves decided must change?  What will government plans to reduce reoffending and improve resettlement mean for both young people and practitioners? They are looking for papers from academics, policy makers and practitioners from within the youth justice, sociology, criminology and legal disciplines. Submissions are welcomed of theoretical, policy and practice-based papers. To find out more and to submit papers, click here

NON-MEMBERS EVENTS

  • ‘Public Law Project course: How to do Judicial Review’ | 13th February, Sheffield, from £90 | Details

OFFENDER HEALTH: Who’s who in clinical commissioning

To support VCSE Sector organisations in making contact with people in the new health and care structures, Regional Voices have produced a 'Who's Who' guide to key people working in health, wellbeing and care in each region. The guides include relevant people from clinical commissioning groups, health and wellbeing boards, CQC, NHS England area teams, commissioning support units and local Healthwatch, and will be updated periodically as they become aware of changes. Browse the guide here

OFFENDER HEALTH: Champion service users in NHS England 

NHS England is seeking to recruit up to three Patient and Public Voice Representatives for the Quality and Clinical Risk Committee. This is an opportunity for staff/volunteers of patient groups, and charities supporting patients and service users, to represent patients and the public and champion service users. There will be an honorarium of £150 per day for an estimated time commitment of 9 days per year for individual patient or public members who join as individuals. The closing date for applications is 3rd February. More information is available here

RESOURCE: Online learning for VCSE employers

New resources have been added to the Offender Management Learning Network developed by Skills for Justice. This online learning resource has been designed to support employers across the public, private and voluntary sectors by encouraging them to share their learning and development materials online and encouraging offender management employers to work together more closely in their quest to reduce reoffending. Skills for Justice is inviting organisations to become members of the network and provide their opinions of the network using the feedback functionality on the website here

OPPORTUNITY: Volunteer mentors in London and Hampshire

Khulisa Milestones is a mentoring project based at HMP/YOI Isis and Finsbury Park and recently Hampshire Probation Trust. They are looking for new volunteer mentors based in London and Hampshire to work with young men aged between 18 and 24 who are nearing release from custody or are currently supervised by Hampshire Probation. Mentors will meet their mentee typically once a week prior to their release, and again once back in the community, to provide practical and emotional support. Full training is provided and they ask for a minimum commitment of six months. Applicants must be aged 23 or over. They also ask that all candidates with an offending history be two years clear of the end of their licence period. For more information email Annabel Davies at adavies@khulisa.co.uk

CLINKS MEMBERS' VACANCIES

Member vacancies this week include: a Recovery Worker at CRI [Brighton & Hove], an Assistant Operations Director [Leeds] and an Area Manager [Various] with Foundation, a Peer Mentor Programme Manager [Essex] and a Development Intern [London/South East] at User Voice, a WIRE Caseworker [Borough] and a Through the Gates Caseworker [Cardiff] at St Giles Trust, a Circles of Support and Accountability Coordinator and a Circles of Support and Accountability Volunteer at Respond [Central London], a Restorative Justice Intern with Restorative Justice for All [London] and 2 x Housing Officers with Langley House [Croydon]. For further information about these vacancies and many more, click here

TIPS OF THE WEEK

  • Tip of the week I: Stay a night in an 18th century gothic castle near Edinburgh for £99. The deal includes a 2-course à la carte dinner. Details
  • Tip of the week II: Stay for four nights in a five star hotel in Marrakesh for £159 per person. This bed and breakfast deal includes return flights from London, Bristol and Manchester. Details
  • Tip of the week III: Save up to 54% on West End shows in their January sale. The deal expires on 23rd January. Details

EXTRA INFORMATION

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Joe Gardham and Ben Watson

Clinks

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