Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 822 | 1 March 2024

Light Lunch Clinks

In this issue...

CLINKS NEWS: New Charity Commission CEO announced

The Charity Commission has announced the appointment of its new chief executive, David Holdsworth. Holdsworth will take up the role in July 2024, when Helen Stephenson’s seven year term comes to an end. The Minister for Civil Society, Stuart Andrew, said: 

"David’s wealth of experience as Deputy CEO at the Charity Commission, and most recently as chief executive of the Animal and Plant Health Agency, make him brilliantly placed as CEO to oversee the 170,000 registered charities in the coming years."

CLINKS NEWS: Health and Wellbeing Alliance resource library.

As a member of the VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance, we are delighted to share the new Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Health and Wellbeing Alliance resource library. Hosted by National Voices, joint coordinator of the Alliance, the library showcases health inequalities focused projects undertaken by members of the Health and Wellbeing Alliance. Topics include mental health and suicide prevention, maternal health, social prescribing, primary care, and many more. Designed and delivered in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, UK Health Security Agency, and NHS England, the projects aim to address issues of importance to the people and communities members work with or represent.

CLINKS EVENT: Third Sector Adult Ethnic Disproportionality Steering Group

The next meeting of the Third Sector Adult Ethnic Disproportionality Steering Group [11 March 12:00-13:30, online, free] will discuss the role judges in London’s criminal courts can play in promoting fairer treatment of individuals from minority ethnic groups. The Equal Treatment Bench Book (ETBB), which aims to increase the understanding amongst judges of the different circumstances and backgrounds of people appearing in court, will be examined; and the role of other elements such as Pre-Sentence Reports will be explored.  

The Steering Group is a joint initiative between Clinks and the London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) giving voluntary organisations in the capital a platform to discuss their work with minority ethnic groups and share insights on how to reduce ethnic disproportionality in the London criminal justice system.

Please email matthew.uberoi@clinks.org to register for this online event and receive the Microsoft Teams link and materials that will be discussed.

CLINKS EVENT: Clinks London Forum

All voluntary organisations working in the London Criminal Justice System are warmly invited to attend our next online London Forum [21 March, 13:00-14:30, online, free] The London Forum aims to connect voluntary organisations working across London, facilitating the sharing of best practice and insight. Decision makers and commissioners from London criminal justice agencies including London Probation, MOPAC, London Prisons and the Met Police also regularly attend and provide the latest updates relevant to voluntary organisations working in the capital. Please register your place to attend this online event by clicking here.

MEMBER FOCUS: MEM Academy CIC

M.E.M Academy CIC uses sports as a tool to provide at-risk and vulnerable children and young people, aged 11-21, with inclusivity and equal access to physical activity, improving their physical and mental wellbeing, reducing social isolation and anti-social behaviour. They also provide support to access accredited courses, work placements, and employment opportunities for those identified as NEETs. Their services extend to providing tailored workshops in prisons to support offenders aged between 16-24 who are due for release and aspire to become fitness trainers once released. Find out more

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: Howard League for Penal Reform SPOTLIGHTS: International Women’s Day

The Howard League for Penal Reform is hosting an online event [7 March, 13:00-14:00, online, free] to lift the lid on women’s prisons. An expert panel will share their expertise and answer questions about the reality of life for women in prison, highlighting problems that are being exacerbated and how the criminal justice system is failing women and girls.

Facilitated by Andrea Coomber, Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, the panel will include Jules Rowan (Host of the Life After Prison podcast), Paula Harriott (former prisoner, mum and Head of Prisoner Engagement at Prison Reform Trust) and Sonya Ruparel (Chief Executive, Women in Prison). For more information and to register your place, please click here.

CLINKS MEMBER’S TRAINING: the impacts of parental imprisonment

Children Heard and Seen is offering a range of face to face, one day, CPD accredited training that focuses on the impacts of parental imprisonment. The offer includes, Introduction to Parental Imprisonment, Children Heard and Seen Workbook, Safeguarding, Supporting Children who have Witnessed Domestic Abuse and Supporting Children When a Parent is Imprisoned for a Sexual Offence.

Dates and locations will vary depending on interest. There are a variety of packages that include two training days and a range of other benefits that [start at £100]. There is flexibility with pricing dependent on the needs of the individual or organisation. Contact cara@childrenheardandseen.co.uk 

CLINKS MEMBER’S TRAINING: finance and benefits training

Society Matters CIC provides a range of courses that will help you and your staff to better understand the often complex world of benefits and support. Most of the courses are CPD Accredited and start [from £69+VAT].  You can find a full listing of the Society Matters Courses here, or jump to the specific topic through the links below:

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Commissioned Rehabilitative Services update

His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) would like to thank everyone who has taken part in their engagement to date on recommissioning rehabilitative services for people in prison and on probation.  

Having listened to various feedback they have decided to commission future services as combined, whole-person services, rather than services as separate pathways, to support easier user journeys and referrals. The services will still focus on addressing the same set of criminogenic needs in collaboration with local partner services, including co-commissioning where relevant.  

Please see the Dynamic Framework portal and/or grants portal for more information relating to this decision and future communications. HMPPS will continue to engage on further details about how they will commission these services and will announce future events and provide another update by end April. 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: an update on fixed term recalls

The Government has now mandated Fixed Terms Recalls, in the majority of cases, for sentences of less than twelve months. Anyone recalled whose sentence was less than 12 months (and meets the eligibility criteria) will be subject to a Fixed Term Recall and automatically released after 14 days.  This is as opposed to a Standard Recall, where release is subject to a review and approval by the Parole Board or officials acting on behalf of the Justice Secretary. The change will not apply to:

  • Those who less than 18 years old at the point of recall
  • Those managed on multi-agency management plans
  • Those charged with a serious offence (murder/any offence listed in Schedule 18 of the Sentencing Act 2020)

Those who are excluded from the change will continue to be considered for either a Fixed Term or Standard Recall. If approved by Parliament, this will come into force on [2 April 2024]. For more information, see the statutory instrument: SI 2024 - Statutory Instruments - UK Parliament

FUNDING: HMPPS Grant Opportunities - Regional market engagement events

HMPPS are running online market engagement events over the next few weeks for a Rehabilitation and Age Probation Service grant available in the North West, South Central and Yorkshire and The Humber Probation regions. Further details on the eligibility, objectives and timeline for the grants can be found on the Find a Grant website. Details of the market engagement events along with the links to join are below.

North West
[7 March, 14:00 - 15:00] Click here to join the meeting 
Meeting ID: 318 335 416 662 Passcode: fLjeZq

South Central
[14 March, 9:30-10:30] Click here to join the meeting 

Yorkshire and The Humber
[14 March 12:30-13:30] Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 382 524 342 750  Passcode: vBGU7V

FUNDING: VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme

The VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme was launched in December and eligible organisations can apply for an independent energy assessment and a capital grant of up to £150,000 to install energy efficiency measures.

The Scheme is open to frontline voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations across England. It is specifically targeted at small and medium organisations, with significant concerns around energy, and who are directly supporting individuals and communities with critical needs, particularly those related to the rising cost of living. Examples include services which aim to:

  • support people experiencing poverty, including by providing food, warmth, emergency supplies or personal grants 
  • provide shelter, accommodation and housing for those most in need 
  • provide advice for people experiencing financial, housing or legal challenges
  • offer services that address specific physical and mental health issues 
  • provide education, training and employment services that improve employability

Eligible organisations may also be community hubs or centres, where a number of the above services operate.

PUBLICATION: Exploring holistic housing first outcomes

Homeless Link have published new research exploring holistic Housing First outcomes. This work has found that offending behaviour among people experiencing complex needs is substantially reduced by an intervention typically championed by the homelessness sector. Homeless Link’s research shows that the percentage of residents engaged in offending or anti-social behaviour fell sharply from 84% to just 45% after three years of support. There was also a massive reduction in engagement with the criminal justice system, from 71% to 39%, thereby reducing pressure on and cost to services. The research points to an opportunity for the criminal justice sector to work with sectors including mental health and homelessness on Housing First, as a cost-effective whole-systems approach to addressing the significant cohort of people with complex needs. Read the research here

PUBLICATION: Her Story, Her Justice

Advance has launched a new report - ‘Her Story, Her Justice: making criminal justice work for women and girl survivors of domestic abuse.’ The report examines how the criminal justice system fails to effectively respond to survivors of domestic abuse, and draws on 25 years' evidence from Advance's services to show how the system could work better to secure more arrests, prosecutions, and convictions of perpetrators. 

CLINKS MEMBERS’ VACANCIES:

Advocate (Substance Misuse - Through the Gate) with Women in Prison [£29,110, Across South London, full time]; Advocate (Substance Misuse - Through the Gate) Part Time with Women in Prison [£29,110, Across South London, part time]; Senior Support Worker with St Giles Trust [£28,000 - £31,500, Havering, East London, full time]; Routes2Change Family Practitioner with Prison Advice and Care Trust (Pact) [£29,775, HMP Isis, full time]; Family Support Worker - HMP Chelmsford with Ormiston Families [£21,840, Chelmsford, part time]; Business Administor with Achieve [£22,670 - £23,882, 44 Peter Street, full time]; Prison Facilitator - HMP Whitemoor with Shannon Trust [£27,584, March, full time]; Visits Centre Assistant - 7.5 hrs with Prison Advice and Care Trust (Pact) [£23,400, HMP Hewell, part time]; Personal Wellbeing Advisor - 21.5 Hours with Prison Advice and Care Trust (Pact) [£26,775, Mainly Huddersfield, Dewsbury and West Yorkshire, part time]; Trauma Informed Mentor with Prison Advice and Care Trust (Pact) [£25,500, HMPYOI Feltham, part time]

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

READS OF THE WEEK:

EXTRA INFORMATION:

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