Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 342 | 9th May 2014

In this week's edition....

CLINKS EVENT: key issues for the criminal justice voluntary sector

'Joined up justice' is a Clinks conference [1st July, London, from £50] that will ask: How does the voluntary sector join up our justice system and transform resettlement and rehabilitation? This conference will ask what the role of the voluntary sector is, including its role in delivering to diverse client groups, supporting communities, and providing flexible and quality services. It will consider the relationships with new probation providers, changes to our prison system, and the cross-over between other departments. This event will be chaired by Baroness Lola Young, alongside senior keynote speakers from the Government, charitable funders, and voluntary sector leaders. Find out more and book your place here

CLINKS GUEST BLOG: the purpose of prison learning

Nina Champion, Head of Policy at Prisoners' Education Trust has written a guest blog exploring the purpose of prison learning, in which she asks: Is it all about making prisoners employable? Is it about changing attitudes and behaviours? It is about promoting desistance?  Is it about reducing reoffending? Is it about helping people cope with their sentences? Is it simply about keeping people busy? Or all of the above? Read Nina's blog and have your say here

CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: offender employability campaign

'Unlock your Future' is a No Offence! campaign that will focus on identifying and breaking down the barriers to employment for people with convictions, to bring employers and employees together. A simple key discreetly placed on a job advert will indicate that this employer will consider all applications on their merit and not their past. No Offence! are aiming to create a network of champions to raise awareness of this project and support employers to use the key. Find out more and get involved here

CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: award for sex-worker project

Congratulations to One25 in Bristol who has won the Best Communicator title in the South West Impact Awards. One25 reaches out to women trapped in, or vulnerable to, street sex work, supporting them through night outreach work, a drop in centre and one-to-one casework support to break free and build new lives away from violence, poverty and addiction. Judges remarked how outstanding impact processes were embedded across One25’s services and conveyed through strong communications material – from hard hitting and engaging annual reports to media based case studies. Find out more here

CLINKS MEMBER'S REQUEST: office space in Ipswich

St Giles Trust are looking for office space in Ipswich. Carole Brown from St Giles explains: "We have a new 3 year project funded by Big Lottery there but are struggling to find suitable, cost-effective, office space in the town. We are temporarily out of town in a small office. We are looking for space that could either be independent or be within another like-minded organisation. We need a room to run workshops in for up to 12 learners, and space for about 8 or so desks for staff and clients." If you can help, email Carole.Brown@stgilestrust.org.uk

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: update on police and crime commissioners

The Home Affairs Committee has published its progress report on police and crime commissioners (PCCs). The Committee concluded that it is still too early to determine whether the introduction of PCCs has been a success, and that given the low turn-out for their election, the concept of police and crime commissioners is still on probation. Rt. Hon Keith Vaz MP, Chairman of the Committee, said: "Some commissioners have fallen well short of the public’s expectations and urgent reforms are needed to ensure that this concept does not put at risk public trust and engagement in the police, the very objectives for which PCCs were brought in." Download the report here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: conference on veterans in prison

'Veterans in the UK Criminal Justice Conference' is a one day conference [30th June, London, £55] that aims to form a ground-breaking alliance to provide specialist support and rehabilitation services for Veterans in the Criminal Justice System. The Government is ‘transforming the way offenders are rehabilitated’ and their official inquiry into Veterans in the Criminal Justice System is currently being undertaken by the Rt Hon Rory Stewart MP. This event is a chance for professionals working in the Criminal Justice System and those with experience to openly discuss and debate a national way forward. Download the agenda, flyer and booking form here

COMMISSIONING: improving outcomes for BAME prisoners

Ministry of Justice are seeking proposals from organisations to improve equality, safety and decency for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) prisoners. Proposals must outline how you plan to utilise the grant to develop models/interventions that would be effective in reducing the disproportionality seen in some of the country's prisons. Those models will need to consider resource implications in prisons and ensure lessons learnt are transferable (wherever possible) to other protected characteristics beyond race. The deadline for proposals is 11th June. Find out more here

COMMISSIONING: specialist victims' services

In order to prepare for victims' services commissioning, police and crime commissioners (PCCs) need to ensure they can access the services they need and that potential service providers have the capacity and capability to respond to the commissioning process. In Surrey and Sussex, the PCC wishes to commission an organisation to engage at an early stage with potential service providers and work with them to stimulate a confident, innovative and cost-effective marketplace across the public, voluntary and independent sectors. The service provider is expected to stimulate and help develop the marketplace for victims' services and to give feedback and advice to the PCC. The deadline for expressions of interest is 22nd April. Find out more here

COMMISSIONING: ensuring compliance on community orders

Salford City Council are seeking a provider for their Transport and Compliance Service. The service provides the ability to ensure offenders are taken to where they need to be as part the requirements of their Community Order. This cohort of young men have a poor history of compliance and it is important that at the start of their order they are helped to comply until they have developed the motivation and maturity to be able take responsibility for meeting the obligations of their sentence. Some of these young men are themselves vulnerable and the service needs to be sensitive to this. The deadlne for applications is 2nd June. Find out more here

FUNDING: for money/debt advice services

Grants of up to £5,000 are available for self help groups and innovative projects that will help educate people about money/debt/consumer issues. Projects must assist people to improve their quality of life through knowledge and understanding of how to manage and take control of their own financial situation. Projects must also provide outcomes that will benefit their wider communities. Not-for-profit constituted groups/organisations within the UK that have an annual income of less than £500,000 and whose unrestricted reserves are less than six months of their running costs are eligible to apply. Applications are being accepted until 31st May. Find out more here

FUNDING: innovation across the NHS

A Regional Innovation Fund of £2.5m is available to support and promote innovation and best practice across the NHS. Bids must be led by an NHS organisation but may be in partnership, including voluntary sector organisations. Partnership bids may be for a maximum of £200,000. The deadline for receipt of applications is 30th May 2014. Awards made through the fund will be allocated in July 2014 and must be spent before 31st March 2015. Find out more here

CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: supporting homeless people

'Long-term well-being and resilience for homeless people' is a Lemos and Crane conference [26th June, London, from £222] that will bring together leading experts, experienced front-line practitioners and innovative practitioners to consider how homeless people can be supported to build long-term resilience and well-being to move away from homelessness for good. Find out more and book your place here

CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: reading in prison

Prison Reading Groups is hosting a Reading in Prison Day [13th June, London, free] with panel discussions on Reading and Family Life, Emergent Readers and Poetry in Prison, Reading Group Roundup and presentations from user voices, including reading group members, librarians and volunteers. To book your place, email prg@roehampton.ac.uk

CLINKS NON-MEMBERS EVENTS & TRAINING

  • 'Policing, Prisons and Probation: Current and Future Agendas' | 21st May, London, free | Details
  • 'An introduction to Shame & Violence' | 13th June, London, £142.80 | Details

PUBLICATION: participatory approaches for young people in resettlement

Beyond Youth Custody has published a practitioner’s guide on participatory approaches for young people in resettlement. Participatory approaches involve young people in determining the services that are delivered to them and enable young people to express their views, share decision-making and influence the delivery of services to ensure that provision reflects their interests and needs. This briefing reports on research undertaken by Beyond Youth Custody on developing participatory approaches in resettlement services and considers the implications for work with young people leaving custody. Find out more here

CONSULTATION: the future of local infrastructure

In March NAVCA launched an independent Commission to look at the future of local infrastructure. From March - October this evidence-based inquiry will examine existing local voluntary and community infrastructure and the challenges and opportunities it is likely to face in the coming years. The Commission will gather evidence from current infrastructure providers, charities and community groups, public sector bodies, the private sector, academics and other interested parties. Find out how you can get involved here

CONSULTATION: new sustainability fund

The Office for Civil Society (OCS) are consulting on a new sustainability fund to support the voluntary sector. The consultation seeks views on the design and delivery of a proposed new fund, which will aim to support these organisations to plan for and start to deliver the change they need. The working aim for the fund is 'to identify VCSE sector organisations delivering vital services to vulnerable people in our communities, but struggling to adapt to their changing environment, and to put them on the right pathway to securing the long term future of their services'. It is envisioned that the OCS will be able to start communicating the fund design in early autumn 2014, launching the fund for applications by Christmas. The OCS intends to be able to start awarding funding early in April 2015. The closing date for responses is 24th July. Find out more here

CLINKS MEMBERS' VACANCIES

Member vacancies this week include: a Performance and Monitoring Manager with User Voice [London], Trustees at Elizabeth Fry Charity [Reading], an Employment Caseworker with PLIAS [London] and a Housing Support Worker with Foundation [Bradford]. Information about these vacancies, and many more, can be found here

TIPS OF THE WEEK

  • Tip of the week I: Get a free two month Family Railcard. Details
  • Tip of the week II: Get half price tickets for 'Ghost Stories' in London's West End. Details
  • Tip of the week III: Use the code 'GIFT' online at Body Shop and get 35% discount plus a £10 free gift. Details

EXTRA INFORMATION

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Joe Gardham

Clinks

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