Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 379 | 20th February 2015

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In this week's edition....

CLINKS NEWS: volunteering newsletter

Our Justice Involving Volunteers in Europe (JIVE) project’s latest newsletter highlights examples of good practice from organisations working with volunteers in Italy and Hungary, the experiences of ex-offenders in Portugal, a mentoring programme in the UK, volunteers working with sex offenders in The Netherlands, and a brief update on progress of the project. The latest edition is available to download here. Our newsletter is disseminated across Europe, so if you would like to have an article included please email Robert.Price@clinks.org

CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: national day of safeguarding action

#StopLookListen15 is NCVYS' National Safeguarding Day of Action taking place on Friday 27th February. NCVYS want all children and youth organisations to Stop what they are doing, Look at their safeguarding practices and Listen to young people, empowering them to take an active role in managing their own safety. By focusing collective attention around one day of action they aim to shine a greater spotlight on good practice, and send a powerful signal to others that the youth sector is stepping up and taking a leading role in safeguarding children and young people. Find out more and get involved here

CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: new CEO for Circles UK

Circles UK, the national charity that involves volunteers to reduce sexual reoffending, has appointed Liz Brown as its new Chief Executive. Liz, who succeeds Stephen Hanvey, has an extensive background in leading charities which provide advocacy and community-based practical and emotional support, principally through volunteers, in the hospice, health and social care, and military welfare sectors. Circles UK Chair, Gerry Marshall, said: “We are delighted to welcome Liz to Circles UK ... The key priority will be to further develop the infrastructure we need to achieve our goal to be the UK’s recognised leader in rehabilitating high-risk sexual offenders.” Download the press release here

CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: state of the sector report published

DrugScope's State of the Sector survey 2014-15 has been published, featuring responses from 189 organisations from across England. They reported an average net reduction in funding of 16.5%, and over half reported reductions in frontline staff. Around half of the respondents said they were using more volunteers, whilst one in five said they believed access to mental health services had worsened over the last year. The biggest gaps in provision were housing/housing support, support for dual diagnosis/complex needs and services for older clients. Download the full report here

COMMISSIONING: young people’s mental health in detention

The EHRC is looking to carry out a short scoping study to inform possible work to examine how to improve the life chances of children and young people (under 18) with mental health conditions at risk of detention. The focus of this study is on understanding the factors that cause children and young people with mental health conditions to be detained in the secure youth estate. It will also aim to explore the effectiveness of preventative services and alternatives to detention. The study will cover England, Scotland and Wales. The deadline for the return of completed quotations is 23rd February. To request a full quotation pack please send an email to tenders@equalityhumanrights.com quoting EHRC 073-1415 in the subject line.

FUNDING: continued funding for North East organisations

The Government will provide £1m a year from Libor fines levied on banks to the newly created Virgin Money Foundation, which will provide funding to groups in the North East after the closure of the Northern Rock Foundation this year. Clinks will keep you updated with any future funding opportunities arising. View the official announcement here

FUNDING: for small South Coast organisations

Grants of £500 - £1,000 are available for small organisations in the Dorset area working with a deprived or disadvantaged community. The deadline for applications has been extended to 27th February. Find out more and apply here

FUNDING: for small organisations in East Yorkshire

Grants of between £500 and £1,000 are available for small organisations in East Yorkshire and Hull that are doing great work to help local people who are disadvantaged through low income, rural or social isolation, age, disability, race, sexuality or gender. Organisations must have less than £100,000 turnover, and grants can be spent on a variety of things, including running costs, project costs, or equipment. The deadline for applications is 2nd March. Find out more and apply here

FUNDING: increasing employability of young people

Ambition Giving will offer grants of up to £2,000 throughout the year to groups or individuals to help deliver activities to young people in their community. Ambition has three overarching outcomes for all of its programmes: improved educational attainment, improved health and increased employability for the future. Any project funded must address one of these outcomes. The deadline for applications is 2nd March; find out more here

FUNDING: for organisations in the North East

Grants of between £10,000 and £30,000 are available for charitable organisations based and/or working in deprived areas in Tyne & Wear, Northumberland, County Durham and Tees Valley. To be eligible, organisations must be charities, community groups or not-for-profit organisations with an annual income of between £50,000 and £250,000. Community Interest Companies and other social enterprises are also eligible to apply providing that the work that they are applying for is legally charitable and allowed by their constitution. Applications from organisations that have identified effective ways of responding to the needs of their local communities are particularly welcomed, be they innovative or pre-existing and tested. The deadline for applications is 12th March; find out more here

CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: increasing participation of young people

Mencap's Raising Your Game are running a series of free, one day interactive workshops across England [23rd February – 24th March, free] to help professionals in the Criminal Justice System increase the participation of young people (14 – 25) with a learning disability/communication difficulty in their services. The workshops have been co-produced by, and will be co-delivered by, young people in Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, London and Plymouth. The day includes a session on understanding barriers created by communication difficulties, learning disability awareness and participation sessions. Find out more and book your place here

CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: restorative justice play

'After the Accident' is a Cube Theatre production [22nd - 28th February, across Cornwall] that "takes you on a highly charged journey where forgiveness and redemption are set against guilt, rage and despair: A stolen car, a joy-rider, and an accident that takes the life of a little girl. Four years on, three people come together to pick apart their feelings about each other, themselves and the event that tore apart their lives. Through brilliant storytelling and recognisable characters, experience a fascinating insight into Restorative Justice; a process which tries to repair something of the damaging consequences of crime. Can we ever truly forgive those who harm our loved ones? This unmissable and riveting drama lets you decide for yourself…" Find out more and book your tickets here

CLINKS MEMBER'S TRAINING: gender sensitivity in the asylum process

'Gender Sensitivity in the Asylum Process' is an IARS CPD accredited training event [25th February, London, free] that will focus on the impact of gender-based violence, including FGM, on refugee and asylum-seeking women and is suitable for legal professionals, health professionals and anyone who is working directly with refugee and asylum-seeking women. Find out more and book here 

NON-MEMBER’S EVENTS & TRAINING

  • ‘Managing Public Sector Outcomes: Making a Real Difference’ | 18th March, Manchester, from £135 | Details
  • 'Criminal justice since 2010. What happened? What next?' | 23rd March, London, donations | Details
  • 'Cymorth Cymru Annual Conference' | 24th & 25th March, Cardiff, from £195 | Details
  • 'Prison Research Network Launch' | 28th April, Leeds, free | Details

PUBLICATION: the future of desistance

'Prospects for a Desistance Agenda' is a Criminal Justice Alliance report that draws on interviews with over twenty policymakers, and analysis of official publications, to consider where desistance stands at present, the barriers that may limit its further progress and the opportunities and risks afforded by current developments. The findings suggest that desistance has made its way directly and indirectly into UK policy and practice and it would appear that its influence is growing. However, the political focus on risk and public protection alongside the appetite for imprisonment may at times conflict with a desistance agenda. Download the full report here

PUBLICATION: effective resettlement for girls and young women

'Developing a gender-sensitive approach to resettlement' is a recent Beyond Youth Custody policy briefing that identifies gender-sensitive lessons that can be applied to resettlement practice for girls and young women. With females comprising less than 5% of young people in custody, most knowledge about effective resettlement and reducing reoffending comes from work with young men. In order to identify how lessons from the research can be embedded into policy and practice, a roundtable – bringing together stakeholders, policy makers and practitioners, including Baroness Jean Corston and Nick Hardwick CBE – was convened, with discussions and recommendations presented in the briefing. Download it here

PUBLICATION: women facing criminalisation are failed by society

'Empower, resist, transform' is a new essay collection that highlights how women facing criminalisation and gender based violence are repeatedly failed by society. Helen Mills, Rebecca Roberts and Laurel Townhead describe the shortcomings of criminal justice approaches that often replicate and reinforce inequalities rather than tackle the root causes of harm and violence. The document offers a critical and gendered analysis to the challenges of radically scaling back criminal justice. Download the report here

PUBLICATION: sharing experiences of payment by results

Community Links share their experiences of working with Payment by Results (PbR) contracts in a recent policy briefing that they hope will be useful to voluntary sector organisations considering PbR and commissioners. The main issues they highlight are: contract financing needs to be carefully addressed; the size and structure of PbR contracts can determine the role that different organisations play; and PbR contracts risk forcing providers to focus on a narrow range of outcomes rather than working holistically. Download the briefing here

RESOURCE: toolkit for working with foreign national offenders

'Tracks' is an electronic toolkit, commissioned by NOMS, that provides useful resettlement information for foreign national offenders and prison and probation staff working with them. This resettlement resource will also be relevant to the voluntary sector working with foreign national offenders in prison and the community. Find out more here

RESOURCE: chargeable criminal justice articles available for free

Centre for Crime and Justice Studies have provided free access to the ten most popular articles from their Criminal Justice Matters magazine. Article titles include: 'The hall of mirrors: criminal justice myths uncovered', ‘The theory and politics of criminalisation', and ‘Getting real about gangs’. Download them here

OPPORTUNITY: Chair for Lay Observers' National Council

The Lay Observers’ National Council is seeking a Chair for its Prisoner Escort and Custody Services (PECS). The role is on a voluntary basis and is unremunerated. Reasonable travel expenses are payable. The Chair will be expected to commit two or three days each month to attend meetings which will be held in London, and will be expected to read and consider papers outside meetings. The closing date for applications is 9th March. Find out more and apply here

CLINKS MEMBERS' VACANCIES

Vacancies this week include: a Deputy Director of The Prison Reform Trust [London], a Restorative Practice Manager with Restorative Solutions CIC [London], a Network Coordinator with Safe Ground [London], a Playworker with Spurgeons [HMP Pentonville], a Project Coordinator with Nepacs [Teesside], an Operations Manager with Spark Inside [London], a Co-ordinator, Restorative Justice Practitioner, and Administrator with Remedi [TBC], and a CEO with Shannon Trust [London] For more information about vacancies, and others, please click here

TIPS OF THE WEEK

  • Tip of the week I: Get a free pint or cocktail at Pitcher & Piano. Details
  • Tip of the week II: Enter the code 'HALFTERM10' for £10 discount on a Family & Friends Railcard. Details
  • Tip of the week III: Spend a night at Esseborne Manor in Hampshire for £125. Deal includes breakfast, 3 course dinner, tea and scones on arrival, and a round of golf. Details

EXTRA INFORMATION

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Contact Us www.clinks.org | info@clinks.org | 020 7383 0966

 

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