Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 941 | 17 July 2026

Light lunch

 

 

In this issue...

 

This is your last chance to apply! Clinks is seeking a senior leader from the voluntary sector to sit on the Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RR3) as the seat holder for organisations led by and focused on racially minoritised people. The RR3 builds a stronger and more effective partnership between the voluntary sector and the Ministry of Justice and HM Prison and Probation Service. The successful candidate will be a senior leader at a voluntary organisation that is both led by and supports racially minoritised people involved in the criminal justice system, and will be able to reflect the reality of delivering support services for racially minoritised individuals. This is a voluntary role. Interviews for shortlisted candidates will be held online during the week of 20 July. Don’t miss this opportunity! [Deadline: Monday 13 July 2026 at 17:00]

To apply, send a CV and covering letter outlining your reasons for applying and how you meet the person specification to lisa.chandler@clinks.org 

Find out more here

The Bell Foundation has published a new article following an interview with Sue Wardell from Suffolk Law Centre, a partner organisation supported by The Bell Foundation to provide legal support to the local Roma community in Suffolk, one of the largest in the UK. Now in its third year, the project addresses the discrimination and language barriers that many Roma people face, which can result in accumulative school fines, arrest and workplace prejudice. Sue Wardell discusses the steps Suffolk Law Centre has taken to make legal support more accessible to this community by building partnerships and trust, and the real difference this can make.

Read the article here

The National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCJAA) and the Royal Literary Fund are hosting a free, practical online workshop on fundraising bid writing, delivered by professional writer Dr Shanta Everington. The session is suitable for fundraisers of all experience levels, from those new to fundraising to those looking to improve their success rate. It will cover understanding what funders are looking for, interpreting funding criteria, clarifying aims and outcomes, developing a structured approach to writing and editing applications, and improving the clarity and impact of bids. The workshop is free and open to Clinks members who work or volunteer for a small and specialist organisation within one of Clinks’ thematic networks (Arts, Families, Race and Justice, or Women), or who are independent or freelance arts practitioners. [Tuesday 21 July 2026 | 10:00 to 12:00 | Online | Free]

Book here

MEMBER FOCUS: Servol Community Services

Servol Community Services provides a range of supported accommodation for individuals with enduring mental health conditions who are in recovery and require short- to medium-term support, as well as residential services for people with long-term, acute mental health needs. The organisation is seeking to expand its work to support individuals with learning disabilities and, in the longer term, to provide accommodation for people with mental health needs who are involved in the criminal justice system.

Find out more here

The Alliance for Youth Justice (AYJ) has publicly launched its new strategic approach, Building our Movement for Change, following the conclusion of its Annual General Meeting. As an alliance of over 70 non-profit organisations, the AYJ pools collective knowledge, evidence and youth voices to champion a rights-based, trauma-informed response for children in conflict with the law. The refreshed strategy sets out a vision of a society that prioritises healing and support over criminalisation, with core goals focused on keeping children safe through early prevention and diversion, achieving racial justice across the system, and ensuring custody is used only as a last resort. The new strategy is designed to be agile and flexible, allowing the AYJ to pursue traditional advocacy alongside new approaches that address deep-seated power dynamics and shift public mindsets. The AYJ has also announced that Dr Poppy Harrison has officially taken up the role of Chair of the Board of Trustees, succeeding Lesley Tregear.

Read the strategy launch blog here

Read more about the new Chair here

Five members of the Worshipful Company of Weavers are cycling 380 miles from Durham to London over six days, visiting ten of the country’s twelve women’s prisons to highlight the impact of imprisoning women and mothers on short sentences. Most custodial sentences for women are under 12 months, often for non-violent offences, yet short sentences destabilise lives without addressing underlying causes such as coercive relationships and mental health issues. Maternal imprisonment also creates profound intergenerational harm, affecting 15,000 to 20,000 children each year. Every donation will fund trusted advocates to support 216 young girls and women who have had convictions or suspended sentences, with the aim of diverting them away from custody. The first £12,500 raised is being match funded by philanthropists.

Donate here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Chief Inspector of Probation keynote speech - harnessing the third sector

In a keynote speech for StandOut, Chief Inspector of Probation Martin Jones highlighted the scale of the current challenge: 87,342 people in prison, 248,568 on the probation caseload, and a staffing gap of approximately 25%. He emphasised the need to “better harness the expertise, innovation and resources within the third sector” and called for continued realignment and investment in community provision.

Read the speech here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: UN calls on UK government to end IPP sentences: Prison Reform Trust responds

UN Experts have renewed their call on the UK government to undertake an urgent review and resentencing exercise for individuals still subject to Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences. Around 2,400 people remain in prison who have either never been released or are subject to indefinite recall. Responding, Mark Day, Deputy Director of the Prison Reform Trust, said the UN’s intervention “should be a wake-up call to the government to redouble its efforts to eradicate the stain of the IPP sentence.” He noted that the government has already rejected options to introduce a resentencing exercise or a sunset clause, which he described as the only definitive ways to bring the sentence to an end for the 800 people in prison who have never been released. The UN also expressed concern that the IPP regime lacks an effective review mechanism or referrals to psychological services outside of prison.

Read the full comment here

NON-MEMBERS’ EVENTS OR TRAINING: Community Engagement Training from Talk Action

Talk Action is offering online community engagement training for staff from charities, the public sector, community groups and social enterprises. The full-day course covers community development and engagement, theories behind engagement, asset-based and co-production approaches, equality, diversity and inclusion, power, participation and communication, and exploring place and power in your work. The session is fast-paced, with group work, lively debate and practical exercises, and participants will leave with the beginnings of their own community engagement plan. Subsidised places are available for those who are unwaged. [Wednesday 17 September 2026 & Thursday 12 November 2026 | 10:00 to 15:00 | Online (Zoom) | £199 smaller charities / £299 large charities and public sector / £399 corporate]

Book here

FUNDING: Lloyds Bank Foundation: Good Place to Live New Beginnings Fund now open

Lloyds Bank Foundation has launched its new homelessness prevention fund, the Good Place to Live: New Beginnings Fund, which is now open for applications. The Foundation will make between 40 and 50 grants across England, Wales and the Isle of Man. Full details, including an eligibility quiz and FAQs, are available on the Foundation’s website. A pre-application webinar will be held on Wednesday 29 July from 10:30 to 12:00, with a recording available on the Foundation’s YouTube channel shortly afterwards for those unable to attend. Organisations with further questions after reviewing the guidelines can also book a one-to-one meeting with a member of the grants team before submitting an application. [Pre-application webinar: Wednesday 29 July 2026 | 10:30 to 12:00 | Online | Free]

Find out more and check your eligibility here

Register for the webinar here

Book a meeting with the grants team here

FUNDING: Democratic Engagement Fund: grants for community-rooted organisations

The government has launched the Democratic Engagement Fund, offering grants of around £25,000 (up to £50,000 in exceptional cases) to organisations rooted in their communities. The fund prioritises groups less likely to engage in democratic processes, including young people, ethnic minority communities, disabled people, people experiencing homelessness, frequent movers, and people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Funding can be used to test a new idea or scale what already works, with projects that remove practical barriers, build knowledge and confidence, strengthen trust, or create new ways for people to have a voice in local decision-making, using approaches that feel relevant to everyday life.

Find out more here

PUBLICATION: Lived Experience of the Law - new report from Revolving Doors and ICPR, Birkbeck

Revolving Doors and the Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research (ICPR) at Birkbeck have published Lived Experience of the Law, the culmination of three years of Nuffield-funded research. The report offers insights into how the law is understood and experienced by people personally involved in criminal and family court proceedings, showing how contact with legal authorities over a lifetime helps to shape expectations of fairness, effective participation and access to justice.

Read the report here

PUBLICATION: Desistance After Imprisonment Abroad: new research from Prisoners Abroad and the University of Cambridge

Prisoners Abroad and the Institute of Criminology at the University of Cambridge have published a new research report, Desistance After Imprisonment Abroad, authored by Dr Caroline Lanskey and Angelique Mulholland. The largest UK study of its kind, the report explores the resettlement and desistance experiences of British citizens deported to the UK at the end of a foreign prison sentence, drawing on the experiences of 151 participants. Key themes include what it means to return to the UK, the enduring impact of an overseas imprisonment and the stigma that remains after release, how citizenship status shaped experiences of prison and sense of belonging post-release, and the power of human relationships, including the support provided by Prisoners Abroad.

Read the report here

PUBLICATION: Reducing Deaths Among Prison Leavers: new report from Nacro

Nacro has published a new report finding that more than one person dies every day in the year after leaving prison. Someone leaving prison today is more likely to die within three months of release than a person aged under 75 is over the course of an entire year, and is 72% more likely to die within two weeks of release compared with someone released in 2019/20. Drug-related deaths account for around 40% of all deaths in the year after release, and homelessness is a major risk factor. The report calls on the government to improve healthcare and drug treatment for those leaving prison, including ensuring everyone who needs Opioid Substitution Therapy receives it from the day of release, and to set out a plan to halve the proportion of people leaving prison homeless.

Read the full report here

Find out more here

Koestler Arts is seeking a passionate individual as a new Chair of Trustees to lead our Board as we continue our work unlocking hope, talent and potential in the lives of people in the criminal justice system. [Part time, Voluntary, Remote]. We are a national charity, based just outside HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs in East Acton, London, Our Board of 11 Trustees, including two Vice-Chairs, brings together expertise from the arts, criminal justice and business sectors, and meets four times a year (two online, two in person). The Chair works closely with the Vice-Chairs, fellow Trustees and our CEO to provide strategic leadership, ensure strong governance, and champion the organisation's mission externally. Find out more and apply here by 14th August 2026

FEATURED VACANCY: Mentor Coordinator - Midlands 

In2Out is seeking a motivated individual with excellent attention to detail to join our team; this person must be passionate about working with vulnerable young people leaving prison. [£27,600 FTE, Part time/Full time, Midlands]. In this role you will work across the region with young people both pre and post release to improve their ability to successfully manage their lives back in the community, providing mentoring and practical support and encouragement. You will also help build a network of contacts, volunteers and partner organisations to better enable successful resettlement for programme participants. You will liaise with other agencies and professionals involved with a young person's welfare to support their successful resettlement. Find out more and apply by 14th August here

Sessional Community Keyworker - Thames Valley with ADVANCE (Advocacy and Non-Violence Community Education) [£26040 to £29760, Reading, Oxford, Thames Valley region, Part Time]; Mentor with The Wise Group [£25664, County Durham, Full Time]; Mentor with The Wise Group [£25664, County Durham, Full Time]; Mentor Coordinator - Midlands with In2Out [£27600, Midlands, Part Time]; Service Manager HMP Brixton with The Forward Trust [£37433 to £46951, HMP Brixton, Full Time]; Community Network Coordinator with Unlock - for people with criminal records [£26228, Remote - with occasional travel to Maidstone and other locations, Part Time]; Probation Pathway Manager with GamCare [£42450 to £46185, Home working with expectation to travel to the London office up to once a month and within England as per requirements of the service., Full Time]; Assistant Key Worker, Women's Community Project with Alana House, Parents and Children Together [£25878 to £28557, Alana House in Reading, Full Time]; One Wales: Women’s Keyworker – Female with The Nelson Trust [£27000, Cwm Taf, Full Time]; Lived Experience Peer Volunteer with St Giles Trust [West Midlands Area – based around local treatment services, Full Time].

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

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EXTRA INFORMATION:

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