Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 364 | 17th October 2014

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In this week's edition....

CLINKS REQUEST: help to strengthen Clinks

Clinks have been providing our flagship weekly newsletter, Light Lunch, to professionals working with offenders since 2006. In eight years its readership has continued to grow from 100 to almost 10,000 subscribers, making it one of the most popular reads for those with an interest in the voluntary sector and criminal justice. Each issue of Light Lunch is packed full of essential information and resources, saving you time and making sure you never miss out on what you need to know. To ensure we can continue to help you make a difference, we’d like to ask readers to make a small yearly contribution of £20. Help us out by donating here

CLINKS RESPONSE: to a domestic violence consultation

Clinks has submitted a brief response to the Home Office’s 'Strengthening the law on domestic abuse' consultation and would support a change in the law that would help ensure all cases of domestic abuse are recognised and addressed. The response highlights that women's offending is often one of the longer-term potential consequences of coercive control in intimate relationships and have urged the Home Office to recognise this. We have also outlined the essential need for gender-specific services to be in place to provide support to women in the Criminal Justice System who are experiencing or have experienced coercive control. To access the full response, click here

CLINKS BLOG: innovation in China

Nathan Dick, Head of policy and communications at Clinks, was invited to Shanghai recently to visit a reasonably new system of community sentences in China. Nathan has written a blog detailing his visit, which looks into China's emerging voluntary sector, and their role in developing new community solutions to crime. He also writes about their willingness to explore good practice and debate different models, concluding that a blank canvas might be the best place to start. Read Nathan's blog here

CLINKS NEWS: volunteering in criminal justice across Europe

The third newsletter from our Justice Involving Volunteers in Europe (JIVE) project has been published. This issue explores some of the motivations and good practice of involving volunteers which have been identified by our project partners in their respective countries. Read about recruiting ex-offenders as volunteers in Hungary; a prison listening centre in Italy; developing a volunteer programme toolkit in Portugal; and the limits and challenges of involving volunteers in Romanian prisons. Download Issue 3 here

CLINKS REMINDER: update your Directory of Offender Services profile

We want to make sure that our Directory of Offender Services is as up to date and relevant as possible in order to help service users and professionals locate the services they need. If your organisation is included in the directory, please make sure that your details are up to date. Search for your entry on the directory here, and if any changes need to be made, you can find instructions here or email luke.martin@clinks.org

CLINKS GUEST BLOG: negotiation skills - preparation

Mike Harvey, a Director at Candour Collaborations, has written a series of blogs focussing on how organisations, as potential Tier 2/3 sub-contractors, should negotiate with Tier 1s when agreeing contracts. The blogs, published every Monday in October, will cover the different stages of a negotiation, things you should consider, and key points to keep in mind throughout the negotiation process. This week's blog is focussed on preparation. As Mike explains: "Preparation is the most critical part of negotiation, not least because if you get that wrong you might not make it to the other stages, or worse, you’ll waste a lot of time and energy on something that’s never going to work out." Read Mike's latest blog here

CLINKS GUEST BLOG: helping the police to use restorative justice

In our latest guest blog, Jon Collins, CEO of Restorative Justice Council, talks about a new resource they've launched to help practitioners explain the benefits of restorative justice to police. Jon talks about the benefits of the police using restorative justice in place of cautions and in response to lower level crimes. In an attempt to bolster the police service’s understanding of restorative justice generally, the Restorative Justice Council has produced an information pack providing information for all forces, from those hoping to introduce restorative justice to those who have extensive experience and wish to ensure that their use of restorative justice is carried out to the highest standards. Find out more and download the pack here

CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: members merge to support through the gate rehabilitation

Clinks members RAPt and Blue Sky Development announced they'd merged this week. Mike Trace, CEO of RAPt, said: "Three factors informed this ground-breaking merger. First, drug and alcohol abuse is the greatest driver of crime in the UK. Second, having a stable job reduces the probability of re-offending by up to 50%. Finally, the best rehabilitation takes place both sides of the prison gate: Blue Sky and RAPt each have highly-targeted and evidence-based models for helping offenders and, by working together, we are creating something wholly unique that can generate even stronger results." Read the full story here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: consultation on plans for Secure Colleges

The Ministry of Justice has launched a consultation on plans for Secure College rules. The rules will be part of the legal framework for the operation of Secure Colleges, a new form of youth detention accommodation. Secure Colleges are being designed to provide a fully integrated, multi-agency approach to tackling the offending of young people aged 12-17. The rules will set out the areas which Secure Colleges will be required to comply with so that young people are held safely and securely, and are educated and rehabilitated effectively. A Secure College Pathfinder is due to open in the East Midlands in 2017. Find out more and take part here

FUNDING: tell the funder what you need instead of filling out forms

The Golden Bottle Trust and the Bulldog Trust Funding Initiative aims to provide charities with a criteria-free grant-making scheme, offering small to medium sized charitable organisations the chance to access funding of between £1,000 and £30,000 without a complicated and time consuming application process. They want to make grants which really make a difference to the organisations supported; enabling charities to take a step forward in their development and do something they were not able to do before. The next deadline for applications is 14th November. Find out more here

FUNDING: supporting the criminal justice voluntary sector

NOMS are inviting expressions of interest for a grant award to support infrastructure work directly connected with the reduction of reoffending and with the rehabilitation of adult offenders, or improving related outcomes that improve public protection, reduce the likelihood of harm to others or otherwise contribute to successful offender management and desistance. The deadline for expressing an interest, via a Request for Information form, is 21st November. Find out more and apply here

FUNDING: innovative horticulture

Operating as an annual bursary programme, the English Garden Future Fund is rewarding projects that will inspire gardeners and promote horticulture in the UK. Each year for at least the next five years, the English Garden Magazine will award one recipient up to £5,000 to help fund or part-fund an innovative project, initiative, event, product, idea, research or development. The sponsor is particularly interested in projects where the award will be able to make a marked, notable difference and show obvious improvement, gains or some sort of completion within eight months of receiving the award. The closing date for applications is 28th November. Find out more here

FUNDING: improving London's high streets

The Mayor of London has launched a £9 million High Street Fund, for places that have potential for growth and where there is commitment and capacity for significant long-term change. The aim is to support projects that will create vibrant, attractive places that underpin good growth and address the interrelated challenges of accommodating new homes on London's high streets while also nurturing businesses and enhancing civic life. Individual grants of up to £2 million will be provided. The deadline for applications is 1st December. Find out more and apply here

AWARDS: getting young people into employment in London

The Mayor’s Fund for London Awards – Employment for Young Londoners seek to acknowledge both individuals and organisations that have demonstrated initiative and enterprise, innovation and creativity, and shown an understanding and commitment to the improvement of employment opportunities for young Londoners, that goes above and beyond the day-to-day work of the organisation/individual. The deadline for entries is 5th December. Find out more here

CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: criminal justice forum on the South Coast

Bournemouth Council for Voluntary Service are hosting a 'Criminal Justice Forum' [28th October, Bournemouth, free] that will include presentations by the police and crime commissioner for Dorset and the Head of Dorset National Probation Service. Find out more and book your place here

CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: mentoring artistic ex-offenders

The Koestler Trust's 'Scholarships mentoring programme' will be launched [3rd November, London, free] by Dr Leonidas Cheliotis, who was commissioned to conduct an independent evaluation of Koestler's innovative mentoring scheme to support ex-offenders to continue with their creative practices post release. Dr. Cheliotis will present the key findings from his research, followed by a screening of a film about the mentoring scheme and a panel discussion. Find out more and book your place here

CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: transforming liaison and diversion services

'Commissioning to Transform Liaison and Diversion Services' is an Academy for Justice Commissioning evening seminar [5th November, London, free] that will give an overview of the new liaison and diversion (L&D) model and the benefits it provides to the Criminal Justice System. You will hear from the London L&D trial scheme on how they are implementing the model in police custody and courts and how they work in partnership with health and justice agencies. You will also hear from a service user who will discuss the benefits of this new model and how it is improving the health and wellbeing of those in need. Find out more and book your place here

CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: early intervention for women in the CJS

'Early Intervention in the CJS - The Women's Way?' is a NoOffence! and Together Women conference [18th November, York, from £90] that aims to examine the need for early intervention with women in the Criminal Justice System (CJS), igniting a discussion around multi-agency, community, alternative and preventative solutions. Richard Rowley explains: "Early intervention for women in the Criminal Justice System is an economical and effective solution to reducing the overall number of women in the CJS as well as preventing the inter-generational nature of offending. There are particular issues that put vulnerable women at greater risk of committing crime including a history of abusive relationships, substance misuse, mental health needs, poverty and the social inequalities that women experience." Find out more and book your place here

CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: knife crime awareness

Turn your back UK are hosting a 'Knife crime awareness workshop' [20th November, Wareham, free] to coincide with the launch of their new Educational Package. You will hear about the organisation, it's work and visions for the future. You will also hear from a victim of knife crime and a knife crime offender, with opportunities to ask questions. Find out more and book your place by emailing turnyourback@live.com

PUBLICATION: Lobbying Act briefing

Homeless Link have published a briefing on the Lobbying Act; sharing what they do (and don't) know about how the Act will be put into practice. Introducing the briefing through his blog, Paul Anderson of Homeless Link outlines what has changed; whilst the briefing itself explores what the Act might mean in practice for you. Find out more here

CLINKS MEMBERS' VACANCIES

Members’ vacancies this week include: a Clinical Supervisor and 2 x Multiple and Complex Needs Specialist Workers with CRI [East Sussex], an ESOL Trainer with Changing Lives [Doncaster], a Women’s Development Programme Coordinator [Manchester/London] and a Treasurer [London] with Safe Ground, a Prison Outreach Worker with Certitude [HMP Brixton and Pentonville], a Weekend/Relief Chef with The Kenward Trust [Kent], Board Trustees with Vision Housing Consultancy Services [London], a Women’s Services Link Worker with POPS [Oldham], a Support Worker with PACT [Reading], and a Programme Facilitator with Kainos Community [HMP Guys Marsh]. For further information about these vacancies, and many more, click here

TIPS OF THE WEEK

  • Tip of the week I: From now until 28th February 2015 there are thousands of Travelodge rooms available for £29 or less. The sale excludes London though. Details
  • Tip of the week II: For £67.50 you can enjoy a two course meal and top-price tickets for the multi-award-winning 'The Phantom of the Opera' at Her Majesty's Theatre, London. Details
  • TIp of the week III: For £179 two people can stay two nights at Guyers House Hotel & Restaurant, Wiltshire. Deal includes accommodation, a 2-AA-Rosette dinner, breakfast, champagne cocktails and canapés on arrival, plus late checkout. Details

EXTRA INFORMATION

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