Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 933 | 22 May 2026

Light lunch

 

 

In this issue...

 

Clinks is delighted to announce Patsy Joyce, Director of Mokkha CIC, and Dion Lee, Director of Change Lanes and Lived X Futures as the new small organisation seat holders on the Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RR3). 

As the founder of Mokkha CiC, Patsy has developed innovative peer-led programmes supporting people leaving prison, women affected by trauma and abuse, and individuals facing multiple disadvantage. Her work focuses on creating sustainable pathways towards recovery, belonging, wellbeing and long-term resilience.

Dion founded Change Lanes and Lived X Futures, bringing lived experience and over a decade of frontline work to designing and delivering interventions across custodial and community settings. He champions lived experience leadership and culturally competent, relational approaches to support marginalised young people, particularly those transitioning from youth to adult systems, by strengthening engagement, identity, and positive outcomes.

We look forward to working with Patsy and Dion as they champion small organisations in our bid to build a stronger and more effective partnership between the voluntary sector, the Ministry of Justice and HM Prison and Probation Service.

We are delighted to welcome Sarah-Jane to Clinks as our new Area Engagement Officer for the Midlands. Sarah-Jane will be working with voluntary organisations across the region, supporting them to connect, share learning and engage with Clinks’ work. If you are based in the Midlands and would like to get in touch with Sarah-Jane, please do reach out via the Clinks website

The next Clinks Women’s Network Forum will bring together professionals, practitioners and people with lived experience to explore health and wellbeing for women in prison. The full-day in-person programme will include insights from lived experience on what truly works in supporting women’s health, updates on progress in health and social care in women’s prisons, and a panel discussion covering mental health, substance use, self-harm, recovery and culturally competent care. Sessions will also focus on chronic health conditions and ageing, pregnancy, maternity and midwifery care in prison, and new research on addressing self-harm. This is a free event for members of the Clinks Women’s Network. [16 June | 10:00 - 15:00 | HMP Askham Grange, York | Free | Clinks Women’s Network members only] Register here

Clinks is inviting voluntary sector organisations working in the criminal justice system in the South West and South Central to join their next Area Engagement Forum. These online forums bring together people and organisations from across the region to share experiences, swap ideas and tackle challenges together. Whether you want to showcase your organisation’s work, hear how others are navigating similar challenges, or simply connect with peers who understand the realities of working in criminal justice, all are welcome. Clinks members and partners are also welcome to present at the forum. If you would like to do so, contact rachel.austinfrancis@clinks.org. [9 June | 10:00 - 11:30 | Online | Free] Register here

The next Clinks Families Network Forum will focus on the untapped potential of family contact in prisons. HM Inspectorate of Prisons will present the findings and recommendations of their recently published Families Thematic Review, Safety, Well-being and Hope, with an opportunity to hear directly from the team and to consider how the findings can help shape future services. There will also be an opportunity to discuss the impact of the Sentencing Act on families. The forum provides support, information and networking opportunities for those supporting families in contact with the criminal justice system, as well as a broader network of agencies, academic institutions and community support services with an interest in the needs of families. Please note that Families Network Forums are only open to network members. [23 June | 10:00 - 12:00 | Online | Free] Register here

MEMBER FOCUS: Big Life Services

Big Life Services is a community-focused organisation working to tackle inequality and support people facing multiple disadvantages across Greater Manchester. Part of the Big Life Group, they take a holistic approach rooted in the belief that public services too often focus on single issues, leaving people who face multiple challenges to navigate a fragmented system, repeat their stories and sit on waiting lists. 

Big Life starts with what matters most to the individual, helping them identify their own strengths and the assets already available to them before working together to remove the barriers to positive change. This approach, known as the Big Life Way, underpins all their services, including those commissioned by the NHS, and is built on partnerships with communities, decision-makers and public services to widen opportunities, grow resilience and maximise impact.

Find out more here

The Weavers’ Company has announced a £500,000 investment in NEST (Nurture, Empower, Support, Thrive), a new two-year pilot designed by Her Insights Collective to provide early, trauma-informed, community-based support for young women aged 14 to 25 who are at risk of entering the criminal justice system. Launching later this year in Leeds and London, NEST will provide dedicated advocates and wraparound support across education, housing, health and justice services, helping participants build stability, confidence and long-term opportunities. 

The programme will cost approximately £5,000 per participant, compared to around £79,000 a year to imprison a woman, £129,000 for a Young Offender Institution place, and over £299,000 for a secure children’s placement. The pilot brings together a consortium of leading organisations including Advance, Together Women, The Daddyless Daughters Project CIC, Birth Companions, Anawim, One Small Thing and Clinks. Read more here

Fine Cell Work, the rehabilitation charity and social enterprise that provides paid needlework activity to people in prison, has been granted a Royal Warrant from HM The Queen as Supplier of Hand Embroidered Products. As one of very few charities to hold a Royal Warrant, Fine Cell Work is the only British charity providing purposeful, paid activity to people in prison that can be undertaken in their cells. The Royal Warrant recognises the quality, integrity and excellence of the embroidery work produced by prisoners, and marks a significant milestone for the organisation and for the wider case that meaningful activity in custody supports rehabilitation. Read more here

Claire Hubberstey, CEO of One Small Thing, gave evidence to the Justice Select Committee’s inquiry into Rehabilitation and Resettlement: ending the cycle of reoffending. She made a powerful case against what she described as “avoidable custody”, arguing that women who do not pose a risk to the public should not be sent to prison and should instead be supported by well-funded community alternatives. Claire highlighted that risk is badly understood for women, who are generally at risk to themselves and from others rather than to the public, and that many women enter the prison system due to a lack of community provision to address mental health, substance use, unsuitable accommodation and domestic violence. She argued that women are too often sent to prison as a place of safety rather than because the custodial threshold has been met, and that this makes no economic sense given the costs of custody and reintegration.

Listen to the full session here

Find out more about One Small Thing

This free webinar explores the barriers older people face in accessing benefits, with a particular focus on those with caring responsibilities. The session is aimed at professionals working with older people and will look at how practitioners can better identify and support hidden carers to access the financial support they are entitled to. [17 June | Online | Free] Register here

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: Every Story Starts Here - The Power of Reading in Justice Settings

As part of the National Year of Reading 2026, this online event brings together senior leaders from HMPPS, the Ministry of Justice, and the Prison, Probation and Youth Custody Service alongside lived experience leads to explore the evidence on how reading and literacy contribute to desistance. Keynote speaker Jayne Finlay, Lecturer in Librarianship at the University of Sheffield, will be joined by Sarah McKnight, Deputy Director of Employment, Skills and Education at HMPPS, and an expert panel. The session will look at how anyone working across the justice system can become a leader in championing and embedding reading by unlocking momentum, resources and partnerships to improve outcomes for people in contact with the justice system. [16 June | 12:00 - 13:15 | Online | Free] Register here

The College of Policing has launched a consultation on updated guidance for stop and search in England and Wales, responding directly to the Criminal Justice Alliance’s 2021 super-complaint into section 60 stop and search and the subsequent HMICFRS investigation. The CJA is holding an online consultation session to gather views from organisations working with communities or individuals affected by policing, particularly those who are disproportionately stop and searched. The CJA’s response will focus on ensuring forces are held accountable for complying with the updated guidance and that community scrutiny of stop and search is meaningful and effective. [16 June | 10:30 - 11:30 | Online | Free]

Register here

Read the CJA’s previous work on stop and search

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Youth Justice White Paper

The government published its Youth Justice White Paper, Cutting Youth Crime, Changing Young Lives, setting out a comprehensive programme of reform to modernise the youth justice system in England and Wales. The White Paper establishes a clear direction toward earlier intervention, improving consistency and ensuring custody is used only where necessary. Key proposals include a reduction in custodial remand, piloting new Youth Intervention Courts that bring together judges with health, education and social support, expanding Parenting Orders, and exploring the end of lifelong disclosure for childhood criminal records. The government acknowledges that the children who now come into contact with the system often present with more complex needs, and that existing arrangements have not kept pace. A Youth Custody Transition Plan is expected in Autumn 2026. Read more here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Crime and Policing Act 2026 Factsheets

The Home Office published updated factsheets on 19 May detailing the measures in the Crime and Policing Act 2026, including those relating to child criminal exploitation, cuckooing and anti-social behaviour. The factsheets provide accessible summaries of the new offences and their implications for practitioners and commissioners working across the criminal justice sector. Read more here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: HMP Buckley Hall and HMP/YOI Brinsford inspections

HM Inspectorate of Prisons published two reports on 20 May. At HMP Buckley Hall, inspectors found excellent staff-prisoner relationships and good support for young adults and care leavers, but noted the prison was not fulfilling its core function as a training prison due to insufficient education and work spaces. At HMP/YOI Brinsford, inspectors reported improvements in culture and safety since the last inspection, but highlighted ongoing issues with education attendance, poor shower conditions and weak governance around the use of PAVA spray. Read more here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: HMP Aylesbury and HMP & YOI Downview inspections

HM Inspectorate of Prisons published full inspection reports for HMP Aylesbury and HMP & YOI Downview. At Aylesbury, inspectors found improvements since the previous inspection but highlighted persistent concerns around high drug use and self-harm. At Downview, the prison was found to be safe and well-run, but staff shortages were hampering women’s progression and too many women were being released without accommodation secured. Read more here

NON-MEMBERS’ EVENTS OR TRAINING: St Martin’s Charity Frontline Network Annual Conference 2026

St Martin’s Charity is inviting frontline workers who work with people experiencing homelessness to its eighth annual Frontline Network Conference. The conference supports frontline workers across the UK and across sectors, bringing together diverse speakers and sessions on topics including mental health and homelessness, frontline worker wellbeing and supporting traveller communities. The event will recognise frontline worker voices and experiences from across the four nations. The conference takes place entirely online, with ten interactive sessions running throughout the day. Participants can register for between one and four sessions depending on what works best for them. [23 June | Online | Free] Read more here

OPPORTUNITY: Community Accommodation Services Framework - Now Open

The Ministry of Justice has opened an Invitation to Tender for a new Community Accommodation Services Open Framework, offering an exciting opportunity for organisations interested in delivering community accommodation services. The framework is designed to remain accessible, allowing new suppliers to join not only at the outset but also at planned reopening points throughout its duration, meaning organisations that may not yet be ready can still participate in the future. Any organisation that meets the required Conditions of Participation and award criteria for the relevant service lot is eligible to apply. Successful suppliers will be admitted to the framework and become eligible to compete for future contracts as they arise.

To get involved, access the full details via the MoJ Jaggaer eSourcing Portal: log in or register, navigate to “ITTs Open to All Suppliers”, and search for ITT_10565 – Provision of Community Accommodation Services. Express your interest to unlock the full tender documentation. [Deadline: 12 June] Access the portal here

OPPORTUNITY: New Mental Health Strategy for England

The government launched a call for evidence to shape a new ten-year cross-government mental health strategy, focusing on prevention, early intervention and community-based support. The strategy aims to transform mental health care in England and will draw on responses from across the sector. The consultation closes on [10 July 2026]. Voluntary organisations working at the intersection of mental health and criminal justice are encouraged to respond. Read more here

OPPORTUNITY: Chair of Trustees, Revolving Doors

Revolving Doors is seeking an ambitious new Chair to lead its Board of Trustees. This is an opportunity to help drive the success of an increasingly influential charity working at the intersection of multiple disadvantage and the criminal justice system. The ideal candidate will be well-respected with active networks in policy, public affairs and/or business sectors, including philanthropy, and will have a proven track record of setting and attending to an organisation’s strategy. A passion for the work of Revolving Doors and an appreciation of the unique insights brought by lived experience are essential. The Board meets four times per year plus one strategic away day, with an overall time commitment of around one day per month. The position is voluntary, with reasonable expenses reimbursed.

To apply, send a CV and covering letter addressing the person specifications to recruitment@revolving-doors.org.uk with “Chair of Trustees” in the subject line. For queries about the role, contact jasmine.tonge@revolving-doors.org.uk. [Deadline: 22 June at 17:00] Find out more here

Engagement & Support Worker with Community Led Initiatives CIC [£26227, Greater Manchester, full time]; Team Leader with Community Led Initiatives CIC [£27000 to £29998, Greater Manchester, full time]; Housing Support Worker with Nacro [£27807, Ashford, part time]; Team Manager with Phoenix Futures [£34585, N7 8TT, full time]; Traveller Equality Caseworker with Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas (ICPO) London [£30000, Office Located in London with regular travel across England & Wales. Hybrid / flexible working arrangements may apply, full time]; Support Worker - Criminal Justice with Julian House [£26200, Taunton, Somerset, full time]; Substance use practitioner with Phoenix Futures [£26298, IP25 6RL, full time]; Team Lead (Justice Services) with The Wise Group [£29077 to £31500, North West England, full time]; Mentor Advocacy (Finance, Benefit & Debt) with The Wise Group [£25664, North West England, full time]; Project Officer (Restorative Justice Practice) with Restorative Justice for All International Institute CIC [£28598 to £31022, RJ4All Rotherhithe Community Centre, 30 Plough Way, SE16 2LJ, part time].

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

READS OF THE WEEK:

EXTRA INFORMATION:

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