Prison Education seat holder - RR3 Leadership Board

Clinks is seeking an expert from the voluntary sector to sit on the Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RR3) as the seat holder for Prison Education.

This person will be a senior leader working for an organisation which focuses on providing education services for people in prison.

This person will have extensive knowledge regarding the delivery of education-related services in prison, and a subsequent understanding of the challenges faced by organisations in this space, as well as the policy context.  

Background

The main purpose of the RR3 is to build a stronger and more effective partnership between the voluntary sector, and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).

The Chair for the group and its secretariat is provided by Clinks, the infrastructure organisation supporting voluntary organisations in the criminal justice system in England and Wales. 

The role

Members of the RR3 are senior leaders from the voluntary sector working in criminal justice. Members of the Group sit as individuals, and they act as a representative of the wider voluntary sector.

Please read the guide to the RR3 for further information and the full terms of reference. The RR3 meets quarterly to: 

• Advise on and support the development, and implementation, of policy by the MoJ and other government departments, and other related issues, as and when they arise  

• Provide advice and feedback on the development of commissioning strategies and practice, with a focus on ensuring opportunities for small, specialist organisations  

• Contribute to identifying gaps in the provision of services to people in contact with the criminal justice system and recommend how these might be filled. 

Members of the RR3 also, from time to time, sponsor, lead and/or take part in special interest groups (SIGs) on specific issues, which are to set up to explore specific policy areas in greater details.

In 2024-25, two SIGs were established – on community provision and on tackling racial disparities in the criminal justice system. RR3 seat holders are automatically eligible to attend these meetings. 

They also attend six-weekly meetings with ‘nominated lead’ officials from the MoJ and HMPPS. 

Person specification 

1. Commitment 

• Able to attend quarterly RR3 meetings (which are held for approximately 2 hours, between 10am and 2pm, and held online, with one in-person meeting per year in Central London) 

• Where appropriate, lead or contribute to Special Interest Groups (time-limited groups to advise and develop recommendations on specific areas of policy and practice) 

• Attending regular (six-weekly) nominated lead meetings with senior officials at the MoJ and HMPPS  

• A willingness and ability to act as a representative for, and advocate of, the voluntary sector working in criminal justice (with a focus on organisations which provide education-related support to people in prison). 

2. Experience and knowledge 

We want to ensure that the RR3 has a wide breadth of knowledge and experience.

We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of the criminal justice system who now work in the voluntary sector.

The experience and knowledge we are seeking includes, but is not limited to: 

• Broad understanding of the criminal justice system, including the role and responsibilities of the range of relevant departments, bodies and agencies  

• Policy and/or operational expertise of delivering education services for people in prison 

• Understanding of evidence-based practice in supporting desistance for people in contact with the CJS, and wider research within the field of criminal justice  

• Knowledge relevant to the commissioning of services in the criminal justice system, as well as funding models  

• Expertise in working with people with characteristics protected under the Equality Act (2010) and knowledge of the specific needs of individuals in the CJS with protected characteristics and the unequal outcomes they face  

3. Skills and abilities 

• The ability to take part in meetings and decision making of a representative group  

• Excellent communication skills that allow for the clear representation of key issues to senior government officials 

• The ability to contribute to RR3 special interest groups by chairing events and meetings, and contributing to briefings and reports 

• The ability to draw on a network of relationships across the voluntary sector working in criminal justice, with a focus on organisations providing education-related support in prisons 

• The ability to feed information from the wider sector back to the RR3 group.  

4. Attitudes and values 

• A strong belief in the positive role of the voluntary sector in supporting people on their desistance journey  

• A willingness to act as a champion for equality in the context of criminal justice 

• A commitment to improving outcomes for people who are or have been in contact with the criminal justice system.  

Please note this is a non-renumerated position but reasonable travel and subsistence expenses will be reimbursed.