Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 703 | 1st October 2021

Light Lunch

In this week's edition...

CLINKS BLOG: 30 years of listening to people in prison

This guest blog, from Samaritans’ Fran Deschampsneufs, celebrates 30 years since the first prison Listener scheme in HMP Swansea. Now, almost every prison in the UK and Republic of Ireland has a Listener scheme and Samaritans’ support to people in prison is as vital as it has ever been. Samaritans’ volunteer Listeners provide non-judgmental peer support and an outlet for people to truly be listened to, enabling them to process their thoughts and emotions, and find a positive way forward. A crucial element of marking the 30th anniversary is raising awareness of the scheme to people in prison and encouraging them to seek support. Further information on how to access support and how to help others who are struggling is provided in the blog. Read it here

CLINKS NEWS: Covid-19 in prisons

Notes from the latest meeting of the Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RR3) Special Interest Group on Covid-19 have been published. The RR3 is a formal advisory group to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), consisting of senior voluntary sector leaders. In this meeting, the group were joined by Milosz Bruski, HMPPS, who provided updates on HMPPS Covid-19 Gold Command and the Stage 1 framework, and Lana Bracewell, MoJ who discussed structured on wing activity. Read the notes here

CLINKS EVENT: collaboration and commissioning in Wales

The Probation Service in Wales, in conjunction with Clinks, is establishing a Wales Collaboration and Commissioning Forum, in recognition of the Probation Service in Wales’s commitment to strengthen collaboration with organisations across the voluntary sector in order to inform future commissioning intentions. The forum will be held every two months, for two hours, and will include representation from the Probation Service, Offices of the Police and Crime Commissioners and other commissioners as deemed appropriate. The forum aims to harness experience and innovation within the voluntary sector to meet the needs of people in contact with the criminal justice system. To register an interest in joining this forum please contact Bryn Hall at Bryn.hall@clinks.org by 15th October.

NATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE ARTS ALLIANCE NEWS: Chair of Advisory Board

Could you be the next Chair of the National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCJAA) and play a leading role in promoting arts in criminal justice? We’re looking for an enthusiastic and experienced leader with a track record of achieving positive change, developing strategies, and achieving effective collaboration across agencies [voluntary, part-time, London]. The Chair of the NCJAA will be passionate about the role the arts can play in the criminal justice system and the transformative power of the arts as a springboard for positive change. We are particularly interested in hearing from racially minoritised people and people with lived experience of the criminal justice system. Find out more about this voluntary role and express your interest here

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: UK Civil Society Almanac

NCVO has published its annual overview of the voluntary sector, the UK Civil Society Almanac, showing early indications of a decline in the sector’s income as well as a decrease in the number of voluntary organisations. However, it also finds that the number of people employed in the voluntary sector has continued to rise, even during the pandemic, with a 3% increase in 2020. First published in 1996, the UK Civil Society Almanac is the essential source of insight on the voluntary sector. Drawing on a range of sources, the Almanac provides a snapshot of what voluntary organisations do, their income and spending, workforce, volunteering and impact. Read it here

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: stop sending pregnant women to prison

Women in Prison, Birth Companions and Level Up have launched a campaign to end the imprisonment of pregnant women. The campaign calls on the government to introduce a statutory duty for courts to consider the health of pregnant people and the best interests of children in sentencing decisions, to ensure prison sentences are a last resort. In the last two years, two pregnant women have given birth inside UK prisons and their babies have died. When a pregnant woman or mother is supported in her community, she’s able to get the support to give her child the best start in life, including easy access to antenatal and postnatal healthcare. The organisations have written a petition to the Secretary of State for Justice, Dominic Raab MP. Read more and sign here

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: helpline during Covid-19

StandOut has published a report detailing learnings from its helpline service which ran during the pandemic. StandOut launched the helpline service to offer critical support to men leaving prison when Covid-19 prevented delivery of its four-week programme. The helpline ran for 15 months and received more than 4,000 calls. The report highlights the importance of safe accommodation, basic essentials such as clothing and mobile phones, and long-term holistic support through a relationship based on trust. The report found that only when these markers of stability are in place can someone start to consider employment or training. Read more here

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: awards for crime reduction in the North East

Professionals working with prisoners, ex-prisoners or those sentenced to community sentences in the North East have been presented with awards by Nepacs for their efforts to reduce re-offending. The awards have been running since 2004 and in 2018 were renamed in honour of long standing Nepacs patron Ruth Cranfield. Each year the Nepacs Ruth Cranfield Awards highlight and celebrate examples of exceptional work by people in the North East in the cause of rehabilitating prisoners into society and helping to cut the risk of re-offending. Read more here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: lived experience engagement – accredited programmes

As part of its Next Generation of Accredited Programmes change programme, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is looking for organisations to deliver a series of consultation workshops to ask service users about their experiences of accredited programmes. HMPPS wants to hear from service users about their experience of assessment processes for accredited programmes and their experiences of undertaking a programme. HMPPS also wants to hear from people who didn't take part in a programme who may have been assessed/referred but not subsequently eligible. A list of HMPPS accredited programmes can be found here. If you are interested in this opportunity please contact AccreditedProgrammesNextGen@justice.gov.uk for more information and a presentation providing more details.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Ministry of Justice ministerial responsibilities

Following the reshuffle, the responsibilities of each minister in the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) have now been made public. The Rt Hon Kit Malthouse MP retains his joint role as Minister of State at both the MoJ and Home Office, but now holds wider responsibilities, including for probation policy and operations, reducing reoffending and drugs. Victoria Atkins MP, appointed Minister of State in the MoJ, has responsibilities including women in the criminal justice system; prisons operations, policy and reform; youth justice; and health. Tom Pursglove MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the MoJ, leads on the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill and James Cartlidge MP, also Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, leads on race, courts and sentencing. Read the full responsibilities for each minister here.

FUNDING: criminal justice in the West Midlands

Grants with an average value of £20,000 are available from the William A Cadbury Charitable Trust to UK registered charities based in Birmingham and the West Midlands in the areas of social welfare, medical and healthcare, education and training, conservation, penal reform and the arts. Penal reform includes restorative justice, prison based projects and work with people with convictions, aimed at reducing re-offending. Find out more and apply by 8th October here

FUNDING: Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire

Grants up to £1,000 are available from The Gordon Trust for registered charities working in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire in the areas of disability, social deprivation, homelessness, substance and alcohol abuse and prisoner education and rehabilitation. Please note that the Trust does not normally support applications for every day running expenses and prefers to support one-off revenue costs or capital expenditure. Find out more and apply by 15th October here

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: elderly men in prison

Journeymen Theatre, in collaboration with Recoop, is touring its production of ‘Back Door Parole’ in various locations around the UK [10th October-27th November, various locations, free]. The play explores the complexities of the UK criminal justice system and how these impact both prisoners and those who work within it. In particular, it exposes the pressures and stresses caused by the increasing number of elderly men who will see out their days in prison cells. Details of future performances can be found here

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: lessons for contemporary penal policy

The Howard Journal of Crime and Justice is 100 years old this year. To mark the occasion, The Howard League for Penal Reform has commissioned a special centennial issue which includes articles from an international line-up of academics and practitioners reflecting on the issues and pre-occupations found in the journal’s first issue. At the online launch event [14th October, online, free] panellists will be asked to consider how their paper in the centennial issue speaks to current challenges in penal policy and reform. Get tickets here

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: self-harm and early intervention

At this Academy for Social Justice event, in conjunction with HMPPS Insights, We are With You will discuss its Mind and Body Programme which provides early intervention for 13-25 year olds struggling with wellbeing and self-harm [2nd November, online, free]. Representatives from We are With You will discuss how they identify young people who would otherwise be “under the radar” and how they ensure positive outcomes continue beyond the end of delivery. They will also give insight from a practitioner's perspective and provide resources to share with young people, including some examples of activities used within the Mind and Body Programme. Please note you must be a member of the Academy to attend an event. Membership is free and you will be prompted to join when registering.  Register here

RESOURCE: which charities get government grants?

This Civil Society article takes an in-depth look at the government's latest grants data and what it tells us about the voluntary sector's statutory funding. It explains the difference between a grant and a contract, how much the government spends on grants, and how much voluntary organisations are getting. Read it here

FEATURED VACANCY: Circles Co-Ordinator

Humbercare Ltd is looking for a Circles Co-ordinator [£31,400 FTE, Hull, part time] to establish and coordinate Circles of Support and Accountability, train and support local volunteers, and work closely with public protection agencies to ensure the safe integration of people who have sexually offended. This opportunity requires a talented, experienced individual who is self-motivated and flexible in approach. The position is contracted at 24 hours over three days (with potential to be a hybrid role) and requires occasional travel across the Humberside region. Your risk management expertise will be informed by your substantial experience in working with people who present a significant risk of sexual harm. Find out more and apply by 8th October here

FEATURED VACANCY: Director

The Hardman Trust is looking for a Director [£55,000, from home, full time] to take overall responsibility for all aspects of the charity including: delivery of the Hardman Awards and the Hardman Directory; managing all aspects of the charity’s day-to-day operations; maintaining and developing donor relations; and maintaining and building the external profile of the charity with all stakeholders. The Director will be managing a small, dedicated team of three staff, and there will be some need for travel across the UK. Find out more and apply by 18th October here

FEATURED VACANCY: Criminal Justice Trustee

Julian House is looking for a Criminal Justice Trustee [voluntary, Bath, part time] who can provide the right balance of support and constructive challenge as it makes tough decisions that will help the organisation continue to thrive in an ever-changing environment. Julian House is seeking an excellent, well-rounded board member with management experience, strategic leadership and vision, as well as a passion for social justice. Julian House is particularly interested in hearing from candidates with expertise in criminal justice. The initial term is three years (and may be extended to a maximum of nine years) and the average time commitment involved for meetings, training, events and preparation is estimated to be around six hours per month.  Find out more and apply by 1st November here

CLINKS MEMBERS’ VACANCIES

Community Keyworker with ADVANCE [Kent], Female Mental Health Recovery Practitioner with Imagine Independence [Salford], Audit and Compliance Officer with Social Interest Group [London], Visits Services Play Worker with NEPACS [HMP Kirklevington], Accommodation Support Officer with Seetec [Norwich], Connecting Community Coordinator with Humankind [Morpeth], Women’s Community Project – Team Leader with Alana House – Parents and Children Together [Reading], Link Workers with Mental Health Concern [Northumberland], Routes2Change practitioner with Prison Advice and Care Trust [Plumstead], Project Officer with Foundation [Scarborough]. For more information about these vacancies, and many more, click here

TIPS OF THE WEEK

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EXTRA INFORMATION

 

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