Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 294 | 5th April 2013

 

LIGHT LUNCH NOTICE: new platform

Light Lunch is being sent from a new platform, so you might notice a few very subtle changes in this week's edition. If you have any feedback or issues with this week's Light Lunch, please email joe.gardham@clinks.org

CLINKS PUBLICATION: event report published

The report from our event 'Research and evaluation in the criminal justice Voluntary and Community Sector: a conversation' is now available on the Clinks website. This roundtable event was convened and funded by the University of Leeds and Clinks to explore some of the key themes and issues arising from research and evaluation in the criminal justice Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS). Download the report here.

CLINKS PUBLICATION: final evaluation of our Safer Future Communities project

The final evaluation report of the Safer Future Communities project has now been published. It outlines that although the strength of local networks varies, the networks have engaged local VCSE criminal justice and community safety organisations, often linking them for the first time with local VCSE infrastructure organisations and providing a single point of contact for them. We hope that these positive findings will be recognised by police and crime commissioners and will encourage them to continue engage with, work in partnership and support their local Safer Future Communities networks. The full report can be read here.

CLINKS PUBLICATION: report from our women in the CJS event

On 10th December 2012, Clinks and partners hosted a national event entitled 'Breaking the cycle of women’s offending: where next?’  The conference was chaired by Dame Anne Owers with keynote addresses from Baroness Helena Kennedy QC and Professor Michele Burman. Attended by over 125 delegates from the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS), the Statutory Sector and academics, discussions during the event focused on what the future should look like for women and girls at risk of offending and how real change can be achieved.  Clinks have published an event report, detailing key recommendations formulated during the conference. Download the report here.  

CLINKS BRIEFING: the MoJ's strategic objectives for women in the CJS

Clinks is pleased that the Ministry of Justice has now published its strategic objectives for women and girls in the Criminal Justice System, which may be downloaded here.  The priorities include enhanced provision in the community for female offenders, a review of the women’s prison estate and the implementation of a ‘whole systems approach’ for women caught up in the criminal justice system.  The document also announces the creation of a new Advisory Board for female offenders.  Clinks’ briefing on the new strategic priorities may be found here.  

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Justice Data Lab launched

Last year Ministry of Justice and NPC asked Clinks to survey Light Lunch readers, to scope the amount of interest in a tool that would give accurate reoffending data. And this week the Justice Data Lab, a tool based on your feedback, has been formally launched by Ministry of Justice. This will help you better understand the impact of your work and design more effective interventions to stop people returning to a life of crime. To use the service organisations will need to supply the Justice Data Lab with details of the offenders who they have worked with and information about the services they have provided. The Justice Data Lab will then supply aggregate one-year proven re-offending rates for that group, and that of a matched control group of similar offenders. Get started here.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: inspection of work in Merseyside

HM Inspectorate of Probation will be inspecting work in Merseyside during the weeks commencing 20 May and 3 June. Local providers who work with people supervised by the Probation Trust, or with victims, may be contacted by a probation inspector to discuss their work.  If you have any queries about this, please contact HMI Probation admin mailbox at admin.hmiprob@hmiprobation.gsi.gov.uk

COMMISSIONING: one-stop shop service for women offenders

West Yorkshire Probation Trust is commissioning delivery of an evidence-based, gender-specific service for all women offenders that reduces reoffending and improves positive outcomes for women offenders and their dependents.  The provider must operate women-only centres that offer ‘one stop shop’ and multi-modal approaches. The provider must also offer a Through The Gate service. The provision should be in: Leeds, Bradford, Keighley, Halifax, Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Wakefield and Pontefract and the centres must be easily accessed by public transport. For details please register here.

COMMISSIONING: preparing offenders for release

HMP The Verne are seeking the provision of a dormitory based co-operative living programme that prepares offenders for resettlement on release or progress to open conditions. The aim is to empower offenders to progress, and become valuable members of society, offering them the opportunity to build on their skills of independent living and social responsibility in a unique environment. The contract duration will be 2 years plus 2 x 12 month contract extension options. The total budget allocated for the service is £110,000 per annum, and the deadline for submitting a proposal is 7th May. For full details click here.

FUNDING: for youth volunteering in Wales

GwirVol is a uniquely Welsh, diverse partnership between the voluntary and public sectors, designed to promote, support and drive forward youth volunteering initiatives. As well as providing advisory assistance and signposting services, the partnership delivers grants, through local grant panels of young people, to encourage youth volunteering projects in their local area. The scheme has grants available up to £30,000 for volunteers' expenses, training, core costs, and equipment. The deadline for applications is 5th June, find out more here.

FUNDING: for coastal communities

The Coastal Communities Fund (CCF) is supporting the development of coastal areas, promoting sustainable economic growth and jobs, so that people are better able to respond to changing economic needs and opportunities. The Government has committed £27.8 million across the UK to support the CCF in 2013-14. Individual funding awards of over £50,000 (in England) and £300,000 (in Wales) are available for projects lasting up to two years. The funds can be used to support both capital and revenue projects and communities will be encouraged to match funds with other pots of money. Innovative bids will be welcomed from businesses, social enterprises, local enterprise partnerships, charities, voluntary groups and local authorities supporting economic development within the community. The deadline for project proposals is 13th May in England, and 17th May in Wales. Full details here.

FUNDING: for projects in Tower Hamlets

Grants are available to not-for-profit organisations in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets for projects and activities that focus on employment and training; education; or community wellbeing and inclusion. Funding is available as £800 one-off grants for equipment, events or training; and grants of up to £10,000 for project costs, including core costs. The next deadline for applications is 3rd June. Full details here.

FUNDING: EU criminal justice programme

The European Commission has launched the 2013 Call for Action Grants under the Criminal Justice Programme. A total budget of €15.2 million is available. Proposals should target one of the following priorities: Supporting victims of crime; Procedural rights for suspected and accused persons, including legal interpretation and translation; European Judicial training of European legal practitioners; Networking and exchanging best practice among practitioners, including implementation of existing cooperation instruments, procedural rights, victims' rights, restorative justice, mediation and detention; Improving conditions relating to detention; and e-Justice. Grants are available for up to 80% of overall eligible project costs, for projects lasting up to two years. The minimum size of grant available is €75,000. The deadline for submissions is 30 May 2013. Details here.

AWARDS: community programmes

The Howard League for Penal Reform is looking for the country’s best and successful community programmes which help cut crime and rebuild lives.   They want to hear about outstanding schemes working up and down the country.  Do you know of any community programmes, which you think they should be considering? Deadline for nominations is Tuesday 23 April 2013.  For more information and how to enter visit their website.

EVENT: the seperation of migrant families

'Fractured childhoods: the separation of migrant families' is a BID UK event [17th April, London, free] that looks at the removal of migrants and the harm caused to children when families are split by immigration control. Speakers include Dr. Maggie Atkinson, Children’s Commissioner for England; Lisa Nandy MP, Shadow Children’s Minister; A mother who was separated from her children by immigration detention; and Sarah Campbell, author of a report on this subject, Bail for Immigration Detainees. Book your place here.

EVENT: non-Member events and training

  • 'Inside Out: Art by ex offenders' | 11th - 28th July, London | Details
  • 'Birds Eye View Film Festival: Celebrating Arab Women Filmmakers' | 3rd - 10th April, BFI Southbank, London, from £8.50 | Details
  • 'Whose future is it anyway?' | 16th April, London, free | Details
  • 'Mental Health Support working with Looked After Children and young people who are offending' | dates in April, May, June across England, free | Details
  • 'Writing Freedom' | 25th April, London, £7 | Details

OPPORTUNITY: free arts course for women in Bristol

Clinks Member Creativity Works are running a free eight week arts course [starts 22nd April, Bristol] for women with a need for positive mental health support, at risk of offending and/or within the Criminal Justice System. Courses are run in parallel across five settings and are eight weeks long. Project partners include: Teign Ward (a women’s medium secure unit), Eastwood Park prison (mother & baby unit), One 25 (reaches out to women trapped in street sex work), Rethink (women affected by mental illness), Bristol Drugs Project and cultural partners Arnolfini and Light Box. A resource developed with participants will allow the sharing of artwork across the courses, creating connections and communications between the women. Visits are arranged to cultural centres in the city, allowing women to feel a stronger sense of community. To refer women you work with, or for more information, email dj@creativityworks.org.uk

PUBLICATION: ETE pathways for ex-offenders

'Opening the gates of opportunity: Developing education, training and employment pathways for ex-offenders' is a paper from Gwalia Care and Support that brings together research that highlights examples of education, training and employment best practice within the third sector, with particular focus on housing associations. It also focussed on the ways in which housing associations could begin to work with ex-offenders not just as clients, but to examine their own internal policies and practices and review the possibility of making changes to ensure that doorways were also open for ex-offenders to become employees. Download the report here.

PUBLICATION: young people's experiences of custody

'Young People and the Secure Estate: Needs and Interventions’ is a comprehensive report on young people's experiences of custody, their needs and the interventions they receive. Download the report here.

PUBLICATION: Northern Irish inspection of VCS involvement in criminal justice

Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJI) has published its review of VCS involvement in the Criminal Justice System. The report tracks the progress and changes that have occurred in the seven years since the Inspectorate first examined the contribution of the VCS in this area. "Inspectors are pleased to report that, while the context has changed significantly with devolution of justice and the recession, many of the positive features we observed in 2006 are still evident today," said Brendan McGuigan, Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland. "In many instances there have been further improvements and in particular, the VCS continues to attract substantial monies into the criminal justice system from other sources to supplement local statutory funding." Download the report here.

RESOURCE: latest NOMS ezine published

The latest edition of 'Changing Lives Together', the quarterly ezine from NOMS, is now available. This edition includes Transforming Rehabilitation consultation update; Prison and probation in TV spotlight; Serco implements London Community Payback changes; Youth justice consultation puts education in focus; New women offenders' hubs in Northumbria; Probation trust launches smartphone app; Inside Parc Prison's Family Interventions Unit; and How the NOMS Co-Financing Organisation works. Download it here.

RESOURCE: free legal advice for charities

Working with the local CVS and similar partners in the South West Region, Avon & Bristol Law Centre has had funding from the Social Action Fund to enable them to offer free legal advice to new or small voluntary organisations, community groups or new and emerging charities based in the region. Services include court advocacy, legal representation, property law, one-to-one advice clinics, contract dispute resolution, and commercial law. To find out more, phone 0117 9167732 or email communitygroups@ablc.org.uk

VACANCIES IN THE CJS

Vacancies posted recently include a Mental Health Advocate and a Through the Gate – Domestic Violence Specialist at Women in Prison [Islington, London], a Services Coordinator at Unlock [Kent], and a National Secretary at Community Chaplaincy Association [London or home-based]. View these and loads more CJS vacancies at: Clinks Members' vacancies

TIPS OF THE WEEK...

TIP OF THE WEEK I: It's Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day on Tue 9 Apr 2013. Just turn up at any participating scoop shop,(mostly based inside cinemas) and mention Free Cone Day to get free ice cream

TIP OF THE WEEK II: Go via the special Ascot raceday link to get a 'free' £13 grandstand admission ticket (not Royal Ascot unfortunately) valid on Wed 1 May 2013 - just pay a £3.50 booking fee per transaction. You'll also get a free racecard (worth £3.50) and free car parking (worth £6).

TIP OF THE WEEK III: Sign up for a myWaitrose loyalty card and get a free regular tea or coffee in-store every day.

EXTRA Information...

Get involved Become a Member | Join VCS Network | Follow Clinks | Join Mailing List

Contact Us www.clinks.org | info@clinks.org | 0207 248 3538

 

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