Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 341 | 2nd May 2014

In this week's edition....

CLINKS OPPORTUNITY: researchers needed for arts in criminal justice

Can you develop ground-breaking research to explore the impact of arts in criminal justice? The Arts Alliance want to develop a large-scale research project that explores a co-ordinated programme of arts activity to help them further understand how and in what way arts interventions can contribute to offenders' lives and the wider community. The overall aim of this proposed programme of activity is to bring about a step-change in both the credibility and the reach of arts projects within the Criminal Justice System. The deadline for proposals is 31st May. Find out more here

CLINKS EVENT: learning from a year of the Justice Data Lab

Clinks and NPC are hosting 'Justice Data Lab: one year on' [12th June, London, free] to allow you to find out more about using the Justice Data Lab and to hear views from practitioners, policy makers and academics about what the Justice Data Lab results can or cannot tell us about reducing reoffending and supporting desistance. Topics discussed will include: What is the value of the Justice Data Lab? Are we in danger of focussing on what can be measured rather than what should be measured? Is transparency of results helping or hindering its usage? Book your place here

CLINKS VACANCY: closing next week

The closing date to apply for the position of Clinks Head of Policy and Communications is next Friday, 9th May! This new opportunity comes at a time when the rehabilitation of offenders is poised to go through a period of significant change. We are looking for someone with experience in a senior policy role in an organisation which is involved in turning high level policy objectives into organisational activity. You will need good knowledge of current public service reforms and the changing relationship between government and the voluntary sector. For more information, click here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: prime looking for partners in four CPAs

Sentinel Offender Services intends to tender as a prime contractor for Transforming Rehabilitation. They would like to notify potential supply chain partners that they are bidding for Contract Package Areas 12-15, which includes Warwickshire and West Mercia; Gloucester, Wiltshire, Avon & Somerset; Devon, Dorset & Cornwall; and Hampshire. They are welcoming expressions of interest from all parties wishing to be considered as part of their supply chain, and look forward to hearing from organisations with experience of working with offenders in the community or in custody, or with a desire to deliver services to offenders for the first time. Download the invitation and form here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Social Impact Bond reports a drop in reoffending rates

Figures published by the MoJ last week suggest that short sentenced offenders receiving through-the-gate support on release from HMP Peterborough, as part of a payment-by-results Social Impact Bond pilot, are less likely to reoffend than those outside the scheme. Before the pilot, for every 100 prisoners released from Peterborough there were 159 reconviction events annually. Under the scheme this figure has fallen to 141 — a fall of 11 per cent. Nationally that figure has risen by 10 per cent over the same period. Read the full story here

COMMISSIONING: directory of victim support services in the South West

Devon & Cornwall Constabulary are inviting expressions of interest to be part of a directory listing support services to victims of crime in the region. They want to encourage all organisations to register an expression of interest. This includes those that work directly with victims of crime, provide a service that meets their needs across the victim care pathways, or those that feel they could work to support victims of crime in the future. Find out more here

COMMISSIONING: a model to support female offenders in Wales

MoJ are seeking proposals to provide services that will support and encourage the development, piloting and testing of a coordinated, responsive, innovative approach across voluntary sector organisations in relation to supporting welsh female offenders and reducing their offending and re-offending. The contract value is up to £150,000 and the deadline for applications is 9th June. Find out more here

COMMISSIONING: addressing barriers to offender employment

MoJ has published a Tentative Contract Notice setting out its intention to seek prime providers for a contract under the European Social Fund (ESF). The focus of the contract will be to help offenders to move towards mainstream provision or into employment by addressing barriers to work and facilitating appropriate and comprehensive support mechanisms. Emphasis will be on those furthest from mainstream activity, with an additional focus on a number of specific hard-to-reach groups within each ESF Contract Area. Find out more here

COMMISSIONING: wrap around support for female offenders in London

London Probation Trust are seeking a wrap around support service to address the specific resettlement needs of female offenders across the South London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark, Croydon, Sutton, Merton, Wandsworth, Kingston and Richmond. Full coverage of all these target boroughs is not expected. The value is up to £100,000 and the deadline for expressing an interest is 13th May. Please note, despite the advert saying this opportunity isn't suitable for the voluntary sector, we've been in touch with London Probation Trust and they've assured us it is open to the sector. Find out more here

FUNDING: for small organisations in Hackney

The Hackney Council Grants Programme enables the voluntary and community sector to deliver services to local people in line with the Mayor's priorities for the borough and to support the delivery of Hackney's Community Strategy which aims to reduce inequality and poverty in Hackney. Funding of up to £5,000 is available for not-for-profits with a turnover of less than £250,000. The deadline for applications is 23rd May. Find out more here

NON-MEMBERS' EVENTS & TRAINING

  • 'DSC Volunteer Fair' | 20th June, London, £150 | Details
  • 'Women and the Criminal Justice System: Evening seminar' | 15th May, London, free | Details
  • 'Faith and Criminal Justice' | 15th May, London, free | Details

PUBLICATION: factors in gaining employment on release from prison

'The impact of experience in prison on the employment status of longer-sentenced prisoners after release' is an MoJ report that shows those in employment before custody are most likely to gain employment on release from prison. Other factors directly associated with gaining paid employment on release were: participation in paid work in custody; vocational training in custody; accredited programmes to address offending behaviour and reduce drug or alcohol use in custody; and qualifications gained before custody. Read the full report here

PUBLICATION: police response to domestic abuse

'Everyone’s business: Improving the police response to domestic abuse' is an HMIC report which found that, while most forces and police and crime commissioners have said that domestic abuse is a priority for their areas, this isn’t being translated into an operational reality. HMIC is concerned to find that, despite the progress made in this area over the last decade, not all police leaders are ensuring that domestic abuse is a priority in their forces – it is often a poor relation to other policing activity. Download it here

PUBLICATION: improving the Ministry of Justice

Ministry of Justice have published their latest Improvement Plan, which sets out how the department is doing at the moment, where it needs to get to, and the actions that it will take to get there. Download it here

OPPORTUNITY: evaluator needed for migrant ex-offender project

Detention Action is commissioning a formative and summative evaluation of an innovative new alternative to detention for ex-offender migrants aged 18-30 at risk of long-term immigration detention. The project aims to demonstrate that, with reintegration support, ex-offender migrants rarely abscond or reoffend, and therefore that the long-term detention of ex-offenders with barriers to removal is unnecessary when provided with approriate community support. The evaluation is subject to a maximum budget of £14,000, and will begin around June 2014 and end in April 2017. Find out more here

OPPORTUNITY: for adult learning practitioners

EPALE is a new multilingual community of adult learning professionals! It aims to help people work together to improve the quality and provision of adult learning in Europe, establish a strong pan-European Adult Learning sector and enable adult education professionals to reach out to all adults. If you are involved in adult learning as a professional or volunteer, or you are a policy maker or academic, find out more here

OPPORTUNITY: criminal justice funder seeks new Chair

The Pilgrim Trust is looking to appoint a new Chair to be responsible for the strategic direction, governance and development of this well respected grant making charity. The Trust gives grants totalling approximately £2 - £2.5 million each year to charities, and one of its current priorities is support for women and girls who have been or are at risk of being involved in the Criminal Justice System. Further details and a job specification are available by emailing recruitment@thepilgrimtrust.org.uk

CLINKS MEMBERS' VACANCIES

Member vacancies this week include: an Approved Premises Manager with Elizabeth Fry Charity [Reading], a Performance and Monitoring Manager with User Voice [London], a Project Coordinator with Changing Lives [Chester-le-Street], an Operations Assistant with Changing Lives [Newcastle], a Team Administrator with Foundation [Doncaster], a Children & Families Support Worker at St Giles Trust [London], a Mentoring Coordinator with In2Out [Leeds], a Communications Manager with Lankelly Chase [Central London], 3 x Classroom Support [Brighton] and 6 x Project Workers [Lincolnshire] with Nacro, and a Specialist Services Manager and 2 x Project Workers with 1625 Independent People [Bristol]. For more information about these vacancies and many more, click here

TIPS OF THE WEEK

Tip of the week I: Bus group Arriva's offering a free day's regional travel on its routes if you download its app by Sunday 4th May, though you can use the ticket on any day until the end of the year. Details

Tip of the week II: Oxfam has 70% off in its vintage Spring sale. Details

Tip of the week III: Get 15% off at Homebase this bank holiday weekend. No voucher needed, it's applied automatically at checkout.

EXTRA INFORMATION

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Joe Gardham

Clinks

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