Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 818 | 02 February 2024

Light Lunch Clinks

In this issue...

CLINKS NEWS: Making race and justice everybody's business

Read our latest blog as Clinks reflects on our annual conference 2023: Making race and justice everybody's business. The event delved into topics of racism, inclusion, cultural competence, and meaningful change within the criminal justice system. Workshops addressed sustainability, trauma-informed support, and influencing the criminal justice system to achieve better outcomes for racially minoritised people. Discussions emphasised collaboration, understanding trauma, and advocating for justice.

Conversation and collaboration must continue. To find out more about Clinks’ work on race or to get involved, please get in touch with our Race and Justice Manager Lorraine Maher. Read the blog here

CLINKS NEWS: The Charity Awards 2024 open

The Charity Awards 2024 are open for entries. Take this opportunity to showcase your work and your efforts over the past year.

The Charity Awards are judged by a respected panel of voluntary sector heavyweights, each of them leaders in their own fields with years of experience of leading and managing civil society organisations. The judges assess each entry against "Hallmarks of Excellence" – attributes that should be present in any successful project. 

Awards are given out in ten categories, and an overall winner is chosen from the winners in each category. Completed entries need to be submitted by [29 February]. Find out more here

CLINKS NEWS: RR3 recruitment 

We are seeking seven senior leaders with criminal justice voluntary sector expertise in/with - Families, Mental Health, Youth Justice, Arts in criminal justice, Women, and Organisations led by and focused on racially minoritised people - to join The Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RR3). The group works closely with senior officials in the Ministry of Justice and HM Prison and Probation Service to reduce reoffending and to build a more effective partnership between government and the voluntary sector. For more information, click the links below.

Families application: Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group – Families Specialist | Clinks 
[Application deadline - 5 February]

Mental Health application: Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group – Mental Health Specialist | Clinks 
[Application deadline extended - 12 February] 

Youth Justice application: Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group – Youth Justice Specialist  | Clinks 
[Application deadline extended - 12 February]

Arts Specialist: Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group – Arts Specialist  | Clinks
[Application deadline - 12 February]

Women’s Specialist: Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group – Women’s Specialist | Clinks
[Application deadline - 12 February]

Organisations led by and focused on racially minoritised people seat​: Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group – Organisations led by and focused on racially minoritised people seat | Clinks
[Application deadline - 12 February]

If you have any questions about any of our RR3 vacancies please contact Sam.Julius@clinks.org

CLINKS NEWS: could you be the next Chair of the Board of Trustees

Do not miss out on this opportunity to help shape Clinks moving forwards! Our new chair will be committed to voluntary action, our organisation, our values, and anti-racism. This role is pivotal in creating the conditions for overall board and individual director effectiveness, both inside and outside the boardroom. We aim to onboard our new chair as a trustee from April 2024 to ensure efficient handover, ahead of the AGM. We welcome applications from across society and we aim to have a diverse board representative of the communities impacted by criminal justice and the challenges they face. The deadline for applications is [5 February]. Find out more and apply here

CLINKS NEWS: become a Clinks trustee

Clinks is seeking two committed people to join its board of trustees.

To ensure we have a range of experiences and skills within our board we are particularly interested in hearing from people with experience in prison and probation, income generation and business development. Additionally, people who are skilled in communication, influence, and networking. We especially encourage applications from groups of people that are under-represented on trustee boards, including those with lived experience of the criminal justice system, first time trustees (including young people), and racially minoritised people. One trustee will be appointed from April 24 and will be required to take a seat on Clinks F&HRC and board, and the other will be appointed in November 2024 at our AGM. The deadline for applications is [5 February]. Find out more and apply here

MEMBER FOCUS: No Excuse for Abuse CIC

No Excuse for Abuse CIC aims to affect cognitive and behavioural change by working with perpetrators (male and female) to end the cycle of domestic abuse. By holding them accountable for their actions, changes in their attitudes have been seen, which have had significant effects on family dynamics and has kept survivors safe. The Respect programme and the Freedom programme are completed over 12 weeks on a 1:1 basis. These programmes help by raising awareness, supporting behavioural change, and increasing accountability by focusing on interventions in the early stages of abuse. They also focus on improving deficits in conflict management and poor communication by promoting the social skills and training to reduce violent behaviour. Find out more here

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: disclosure - England & Wales v the US 

Transform Justice has evaluated and compared the criminal records disclosure system in five US states with that of England and Wales. The research, Land of the free?,  reveals significant disparities in opportunities for individuals with past convictions. While one in six people in England and Wales has a criminal record, 27% of UK employers would not hire someone with a conviction. The study examines scenarios in which a person with a previous conviction seeks employment, finding that the England and Wales system is often more punitive than the US states, hindering individuals' chances of finding stable work. Recommendations include a review of the disclosure system and policy changes to address the enduring impact of criminal records. Read the research here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: mental health needs and the use of "seg"

The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) has published; Segregation of men with mental health needs - A thematic monitoring report, which highlights concerns over the use of segregation in prisons as a way of managing severe mental health needs due to a lack of alternative provision. Mentally unwell prisoners often spend lengthy periods in isolation, leading to deteriorating mental health. The 28-day target to transfer severely unwell individuals from prison to secure hospitals is frequently not met, with delays occurring at referral, assessment, and transfer stages. The IMB calls for appropriate mental health provision in the community and tighter monitoring of transfer timelines to address the ongoing crisis. The proposed Mental Health Act reform, including a 28-day transfer target, is no longer progressing. Read more about the report here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: criminal legal aid lawyers to receive pay boost

The UK government plans to allocate £16 million to enhance fees for solicitors working in police stations, addressing outdated fee schemes that fail to reflect the complexity of legal work. The Criminal Legal Aid Independent Review (CLAIR) highlighted the need for differentiation in fees based on case complexity. The proposal aims to simplify the fee structure, ensuring fair pay for solicitors across England and Wales. Additionally, £5.1 million will boost pay for solicitors handling Youth Court legal aid cases involving serious offences, encouraging specialisation in this area. The funding increase, part of the second phase of systemic reform, takes effect from summer 2024. Read more here

RESOURCE: a new toolkit for schools

Pact (the Prison Advice and Care Trust) has created a new toolkit for schools, which provides advice and support for teachers who have children in their classes with a parent in prison. The toolkit, which was created with the support of two schools, seeks to foster understanding about the issue in schools and to ensure that young people affected by imprisonment know that there is help available for them.

The toolkit was launched in Wales this week and will be launched in England later in February. View the toolkit here

FEATURED VACANCY: Fundraising Lead

StandOut are looking for a Fundraising Lead [£30,000, full time, London/Hybrid] to work alongside their Fundraising and Development Manager to ensure StandOut has the funding needed to navigate the next stage of its development. StandOut have an ambitious strategy and plan for growth over the next three years; they need a talented fundraiser to help them get their transformative programme of coaching and practical support to people in prison. You will be self-motivated and proactive to support the development of fundraising approaches, identify new opportunities and drive engagement with stakeholders. You will generate sufficient income to meet fundraising targets, across a range of campaigns and sources. Part-time, flexible hours will be considered for the right candidate. Find out more and apply here by 12 February

FEATURED VACANCY: Research Manager

Revolving Doors Agency are looking for a Research Manager [£39,270, full time, Hybrid/London] to drive forward their successful research function, which includes several innovative research projects. They are looking for someone who lives and breathes their values and is keen to push forward their expanding portfolio of independent research to support their user research, academic partnerships, client-funded evaluations and policy programmes and campaigns. You will have some experience of securing research funding, be a skilled project manager, and passionate about bringing lived experience insight into all aspects of the research process. You will enjoy building partnerships and working collaboratively, seeking out academics that share Revolving Doors' values and research interests. Find out more and apply here by 20 February

CLINKS MEMBERS’ VACANCIES:

Independent Monitoring Board volunteers with IMB Secretariat [voluntary, nationwide, part time]; ID Essence Prison & Community Worker with Imago Dei Prison Ministry [£25,000 - £27,500, London and Sutton, full time]; SOS Caseworker with St Giles Trust [£23,000 - £25,500, Leeds Media Centre with travel across West Yorkshire, full time]; Experiential Advisor - Engaging with People on Probation (EPOP) with St Giles Trust [£27,000, Nationwide, part time]; Educational Psychologist with Seetec [£42,930 - £47,000, Kent, full time]; Alana House Administrator with Alana House, Parents and Children Together [£20,972 - £25,632, Reading, part time]; Accommodation Support Officer with Seetec [£23,088 - £24,801, Preston, full time]; Accommodation Support Officer with Seetec [£23,088 - £24,801, Cambridgeshire, full time]; Accommodation Support Officer with Seetec [£23,088 - £24,801, Elmley, full time]; Accommodation Support Officer with Seetec [£23,088 - £24,801, Bristol, full time]

For more information about these vacancies, and many more, click here

READS OF THE WEEK:

EXTRA INFORMATION:

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