Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 371 | 5th December 2014

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In this week's edition....

CLINKS RESPONSE: to Secure College consultation

Clinks responded to the Ministry of Justice's consultation on the Secure College rules with a letter supporting the Prisoner Learning Alliance's response and also highlighting some additional points. The purpose of the rules will be to set out the core parameters within which Secure Colleges will be required to operate to ensure that young people are detained safely and securely, and that their educational and rehabilitative needs are addressed. You can read our response here

CLINKS REMINDER: Clinks needs you

Over 600 organisations are now members of Clinks, but the more members we have, the more powerful the voice of the sector and the greater the impact of our work. Membership provides you with great benefits, such as the opportunity to promote your work and job vacancies in Light Lunch, receive free publications, access the GRANTnet funding database and much more. Click here to see if your organisation is a member, and if not, join us today

CLINKS EVENT: supporting people with multiple and complex needs

'Introduction to MEAM Approach' is a MEAM event [19th January, Reading, free] that will introduce the MEAM Approach and how it can support those working with people with multiple and complex needs to develop effective coordinated and flexible services. We will introduce MEAM, discuss the problems around multiple needs, highlight the impact of doing something different, and introduce how to design and deliver coordinated interventions using the MEAM Approach. Find out more and book your place here

CLINKS SURVEY: improving health outcomes for women offenders

How does your organisation help to improve health outcomes for women offenders? We have launched a survey to find out more about voluntary sector health services for women in the Criminal Justice System. We’ll use the findings to highlight and share good practice, identify any gaps in service provision and inform health and justice commissioners to address them. As a thank you for responding to the survey, you will receive a free copy of our recent report ‘Who Cares? Where next for women offender services?’ The survey is run in partnership with Action for Prisoners and Offenders Families and the Women's Health Equality Consortium. If you provide gender-specific health services to women offenders, please fill out the survey here

CLINKS BLOG: meeting the needs of offenders at a local level

If offenders' health needs are not included in a local area Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, it is highly unlikely they will be addressed by local services. Recent research by Public Health England (PHE) suggests there is a great deal of variety between areas: just under half the Joint Strategic Needs Assessments (JSNAs) produced by 147 local authorities across England included a direct reference to the health needs of offenders, although most included a reference to related issues, such as substance misuse or mental health needs. Do you agree?  Does your local authority take enough account of the health needs of offenders? Read more about PHE’s findings and let us know your views in this blog by Clinks’ Offender Health Coordinator, Hazel Alcraft. Read the blog here

CLINKS BLOG: PCCs - two years on and six months to go

Ellie Cumbo, Clinks Policy Manager, has written a blog discussing some of the findings from our report 'PCCs and the voluntary sector- two years on'. It covers the context of the report and poses key questions for politicians. Ellie says, "as of the middle of November, police and crime commissioners (PCCs) are half way through their first terms. There is also a General Election in less than six months' time, and it cannot be denied that PCCs remain a controversial subject in politics and the media, with the Labour Party having already committed to replacing them if they enter government. So we felt that this was an important point at which to take the pulse of the voluntary sector on how it has been able to engage with PCCs to date". Read the blog here

CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: families organisation on the move

Nithya Ajith of Pact wants Light Lunch readers to know: "Pact moved office on the 3rd December and our new address is Pact, 29 Peckham Road, London, SE5 8UA. Please send any future correspondence to this address. Our Central Office telephone number will not be changing, so please continue to contact us on 0207 735 95 35 if you have any questions. Our Prisoners' Families and Friends Service freephone helpline for those affected by imprisonment will also remain unchanged. Please contact info@prisonadvice.org.uk or call our office if you would like to know more."

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: prisons and the outside world

The latest Prison Service Journal has been published, and looks at the relationship betweens prisons and the outside world. It asks: how and in what ways are the internal and external worlds entangled? What are the effects of this upon prisoners, staff and the public? What are the values that are reflected in these exchanges and interfaces? How might these spaces be developed so as to ameliorate the pains of imprisonment? Download it here

COMMISSIONING: young people's homelessness services in Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire County Council is intending to procure a range of services to provide accommodation and support to young people aged 16-21. They are intending to offer longer term contracts to support vulnerable groups such as care leavers, teenage parents, those with an offending history and other young people who present as homeless in Nottinghamshire. They are seeking initial dialogue with interested suppliers to gain an insight into current market practices and issues which may help them shape their thinking of how to proceed with engaging suppliers to deliver the required services. Find out more here

COMMISSIONING: domestic violence services in Barking and Dagenham

The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham is inviting expressions of interest from suitably qualified and experienced organisations to provide Independent Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocacy Services to the Borough. The contract will include a specialist independent domestic violence service and specialist sexual violence service to all victims (male and female); provision of a young people’s outreach service; provision of a specialist domestic violence service to the identified Troubled Families who have domestic violence present; specialist children and families domestic violence support to the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH); witness and victim support during criminal justice and civil proceedings; and specialist support for those at risk of, or who disclose, Female Genital Mutilation or forced marriage. The three year, £1.2m contract has a closing date of 18th December. Find out more here

FUNDING: using nature to support vulnerable people

A total of £2,500 prize money is being offered to projects based in any London borough that use nature to enhance and improve local communities and the lives of vulnerable or socially excluded people. Entries for the Growing Localities Awards are invited from projects and initiatives that involve any one or a combination of the following categories: gardening and growing food; introducing young people to nature; keeping animals; nature themed arts and crafts; and reclaiming and developing wasteland. The closing date for entries is 17th December. Find out more and apply here

FUNDING: to support disadvantaged young people

The Ironmongers’ Company supports projects that provide opportunities for disadvantaged children and young people to fulfil their potential. Grants are only given to registered charities, and projects must be for children and young people under the age of 25 who are disadvantaged; consist of educational activities that develop learning, motivation and skills; have clear aims and objectives to be met within a planned timescale; and be within the UK. The average grant is £4,000 and the deadline for applications is 31st December. Find out more and apply here

FUNDING: making Dorset a safer place

Residents and community groups across Dorset are being offered the chance to bid for small grants of up to £1,500 for their projects that reduce crime or the fear of crime and make Dorset a safer place to be. The deadline for applications is 12th January. Find out more and apply here

FUNDING: for homelessness charities

StreetSmart provides up to £20,000 funding for homeless organisations that work progressively with their client group. Successful applications receive support for projects aimed at helping the homeless to make a better life for themselves, focussing on mental and physical health, employability and sustainable independent living. Grants are given to those who support people through the crucial stages in their progress from vagrant to valued community member. There is no formal application process, but charities should outline the aims and achievements of the organisation, and explain in detail the specific area of their work in need of financial support. Find out more and apply here

AWARD: national charity awards

The 16th annual Charity Awards, established in 2000 to celebrate the very best of charitable endeavour, are now open for entries. Entry is free and open to charities of all sizes throughout the UK, and provides the perfect platform to showcase the exceptional work you do. Alongside increased media exposure, last year's awards included expert advice and support from the Leadership Trust and RBS. There are numerous categories to enter, including social welfare, children and youth, and education and training. Find out more and enter your charity here

AWARD: tackling root causes

The Sheila McKechnie 10th Anniversary Campaigner Awards are open to nominations for people who demonstrate their commitment to and effectiveness in tackling root causes. Categories include Health and Social Care, Transport, People and Places, and Social Justice. The deadline for applications is 5th January. Find out more and apply here

CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: criminal justice solutions for the next government

'Criminal Justice: An Agenda for the New Government' is a Criminal Justice Alliance event [10th March, Cambridge, £30] that offers the opportunity to review what is effective and to recommend potential solutions for the new government to consider in order to achieve a fairer and more effective Criminal Justice System. The coming general election is an opportunity to offer a more cost-effective approach to delivering justice that empowers local communities and encourages innovative evidence-based solutions to prevent crime and reoffending. Themes covered on the day will include: desistance approaches, problem solving courts, and justice reinvestment. Book your place here

PUBLICATION: making courts fairer

The Criminal Justice Alliance has published 'To Be Fair', a new report promoting practical ways that courts can make court proceedings understandable and seem and feel fairer. The report situates procedural fairness within the wider discussion about the legitimacy of criminal justice institutions; defines procedural fairness, its key principles, and its research basis in various law and justice settings; explains how the principles have been applied in court reform to improve the experiences of defendants and others who come to the court; and recommends practical ways in which procedural fairness can be strengthened in the courts in England and Wales. Download it here

RESOURCE: supporting the families of offenders

The Quakers have published a briefing setting out how the families of people in prison can be supported. Based on interviews with people who have been affected by imprisonment, the Quakers believe that "greater understanding of the effect of judicial sentencing upon all concerned is a step towards creating change. It can then become possible to avoid the potential damage to individual lives and wider society, and to see what might be more constructive responses." Download the briefing here

CAMPAIGN: supporting colleagues who are victims of domestic violence

16 Days of Action Against Domestic Violence is aimed at businesses to support them to take action against domestic abuse and violence. Employers have a legal obligation to assess dynamic risk and support the health and safety and wellness of their employees. Companies can do more to aid their employees who endure domestic violence, to train those who witness it, and to protect staff as a whole, with the goal of securing safety and mitigating financial loss. Spanning across 16 days from 25th November to 10th December, a theme will be identified each day to explore the various forms of domestic violence. In doing so, the workplace will be better equipped to acknowledge the signs that indicate it may be going on. Find out more and get involved here

CLINKS MEMBERS' VACANCIES

Members' vacancies this week include: a Housing Casework Coordinator with Julian House [North Bristol/South Gloucestershire], 4 x Supervision and Surveillance Officers with Nacro [London], a Contract Manager with Pact [London], an Administator with CRI [Worthing], 2 x Prison Resettlement Advisers with Shelter [Merseyside/Manchester], a HR and Payroll Assistant with Blue Sky Development & Regeneration [Uxbridge], a Director of Delivery (maternity cover) with Leap Confronting Conflict [London], an IQA Manager and a number of Trainer Assessors with the St Giles Trust [Various locations, Midlands], and a Development Officer with Foundation [Leeds]. For further information about these vacancies, and many more, click here.  

TIPS OF THE WEEK

  • Tip of the week I: Christmas shopping online? Get free money in your bank account for shopping as normal. Details
  • Tip of the week II: Track Santa as he delivers presents around the world. Details
  • Tip of the week III: Get 50% off the award-winning slapstick comedy "One Man, Two Guvnors" at Sunderland Empire between 20th - 23rd January. Details

EXTRA INFORMATION

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