Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 614 | 13th December 2019

Light Lunch

In this week's edition...

CLINKS NEWS: meet the team

We have recently welcomed a new staff member to our team, Zahra Wynne. Zahra is Clinks’ Health and Justice Policy and Development Officer. Zahra leads Clinks’ work on health and justice in the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance. Zahra has extensive knowledge of health inequalities and health as a human right, including previous work on health inequalities in cancer care at Macmillan, and two years spent in India working with Rohingya refugee communities to improve their access to reproductive healthcare. She also previously volunteered in the now closed HMP Holloway to assist women on their day of release, and supported foreign national women in prison in their deportations hearings. Meet the team here

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: suicide in prisons

Samaritans has published its first report on suicide in prisons. This report, titled Unlocking the evidence: understanding suicide in prisons, brings together existing literature on why people in prison are at an increased risk of suicide and Samaritans’ own new data offering a unique insight into the emotional concerns of prisoners before and when they reach the point of crisis. Read the report here

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: Radio 4 appeal

Prisoners’ Education Trust will be featured on BBC Radio 4’s Appeal programme on Sunday 15th December, presented by columnist, broadcaster and novelist Grace Dent. Grace will be telling the story of Dalton, who was funded by Prisoners’ Education Trust in 2018. “Bullied at school and disillusioned with the education system, Dalton fell in with the wrong crowd and ended up in prison. But in amongst the chaos, Dalton found solace in the prison library. It was here he discovered the courses offered by Prisoners’ Education Trust.” Read more here

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: giving back award

Census Group/Census Life has won the 2019 European Contact Centre and Customer Service Awards in the ‘Giving Something Back’ category for its work in prison and the community. The category recognises the work that the customer contact industry does in supporting others and recognises the impact these initiatives have had. The judging panel cited: “This was the most powerful and emotional presentation this year; what these guys are doing is truly life changing.” Read more here

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: relationship counselling

Relate is offering relationship counselling in Sussex and Kent for parents who are due for release from prison, or are recently released or serving a community sentence, through its programme Being Parents First. The aim is to reduce potential conflict between parents and improve relationships for the benefit of the children. The programme is based upon a pilot which Relate delivered in HMP Ford prison working with 49 prisoners both whilst in prison and after release. Evaluation interviews found that 76% of participants said they understood their family relationships better and 84% felt their communication skills had improved. To refer, email beingparentsfirst@relate.org.uk or use the online form here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: probation caseloads

HM Inspectorate of Probation has commissioned Russell Webster and the Policy Evaluation and Research Unit (PERU) at Manchester Metropolitan University to conduct a rapid evidence assessment (REA) into probation caseloads. The split in caseloads between the National Probation Service and Community Rehabilitation Companies has been a cause of tension under Transforming Rehabilitation. As the government transitions to a new reunified probation model, concerns over probation caseloads remain, such as whether probation staff will have capacity to fulfil additional resettlement responsibilities from custody. Russell Webster and PERU will interrogate academic sources for evidence to shape the REA, but they also seek insight from practitioners who may have research or evaluations regarding probation caseloads or workloads. Find out how to feed into the REA here

FUNDING: women and girls in need

Grants of up to £1,000 from the Suffolk Community Foundation are available to support the work of voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations that are delivering work to support local women and girls in need across Suffolk. This fund particularly welcomes applications that are towards early intervention, crisis prevention and education for women and girls. Find out more and apply before 2nd January here​

FUNDING: opportunities and life chances for young people

Organisations may apply for funding from the Rothschild Foundation through its Impact Grants programme. The maximum grant size is £150,000 over three years. These grants seek to make a difference for those living in Buckinghamshire through addressing a number of priority areas within three broad funding themes: Art with social impact; Opportunities and life chances; and Resource sustainability. The Opportunities and life chances funding theme includes a focus on learning and skills for at risk young people and people in contact with the criminal justice system. The deadline for expressing interest is 15th January. Find out more including details of how to apply here

​FUNDING: victims of crime

The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner is offering funding to organisations across the West Midlands who support victims of crime. There is £200,000 available, with a maximum of £20,000 available per organisation. Groups can apply on their own or they can join together and form a consortium. Applications from small voluntary organisations who work locally within communities to respond to the needs of victims of crime are encouraged to apply. Find out more and apply before 17th January here

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: strengthening youth diversion

The Centre for Justice Innovation is hosting an event to launch a new briefing paper on how national government can strengthen youth diversion [15th January, London, free]. Youth diversion gives young people the chance to avoid court and a criminal record by completing community-based programming following a referral from police. Young people who comply with the conditions of the programme receive a lesser criminal justice disposal than they would have otherwise received. Speakers include Alan MacDonald, Head of Youth Inspections at HMI Probation, and Charlie Taylor, Chair of the Youth Justice Board. RSVP is essential. More information here

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: offender management

The Offender Management 2020 Conference from Inside Government [24th March, London, from £292.50] will offer leading insights into the latest initiatives and strategies around offender management. Attendees will assess the current state of offender management across the country, with speakers from the Ministry of Justice, HM Prison and Probation Services and several voluntary sector leaders including from Bounce Back, NACRO, Addaction, RECOOP and Catch22. Clinks’ CEO Anne Fox will speak on the changing role of the voluntary sector. Learn more and register here

OPPORTUNITY: social innovation fellows

The Year Here team are gearing up for the launch of their 12th cohort and are currently on the hunt for frontline and consulting project partners to host Year Here Fellows. Year Here is a full-time postgraduate course in social innovation based in London, designed to cultivate entrepreneurial approaches to entrenched social problems. Unlike a traditional Master's degree, it's immersive, action-oriented and grounded in the daily experience of those at the frontline of inequality. If you are interested in having a Year Here Fellow join your organisation, get in touch with Kirsty directly at kirsty.turnbull@yearhere.org by 10th January. Find out more here

CLINKS MEMBERS’ VACANCIES

Vacancies on the jobs board this week include: Visits Services Catering Worker with NEPACS [HMP Northumberland], Open Access & Assessment Worker with Humankind [Harrogate], Catering Assistant with Changing Lives [York], Project Worker with Women in Prison [Surrey], Criminal Justice Policy & Campaigns Officer with The Traveller Movement [London], Recovery Worker with EDP Drugs and Alcohol Services [HMP Exeter], Prison Support Volunteer with The Forward Trust [HMP Highdown], Trainer/Assessor with St Giles [London], Engagement Team Member with User Voice [Northumbria], Cluster Manager with Catch 22 [Bristol]. For more information about these vacancies, and many more, click here

TIPS OF THE WEEK

  • Tip I: Eight days in Bali from £749 per person. Details
  • Tip II: ‘Bat Car’ driving experience. £18.99. Details
  • Tip III: Café Rouge hot breakfast for two. 30% off. Details

EXTRA INFORMATION

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