Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RR3) – seat holder for organisations led by and focused on racially minoritised people

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. 

This person 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. 

They will be able to reflect the reality of delivering support services for racially minoritised individuals and reflect the opportunities and strengths of, as well as the challenges to, providing these services.  

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 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 organisations run by and focused on racially minoritised people. 

• 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 can take various forms including roundtable meetings, reviewing documents and producing briefing papers. 

In 2025-26, two SIGs were established on a Whole Systems Approach to women in contact with the criminal justice system and on non-funded partnerships with HMPPS. Across 2026-27, there will be a focus on the effective implementation of the Sentencing Act 2026, through which a specific session will be held on race. RR3 seat holders are automatically eligible to attend these meetings. 

The seat holder will also be appointed to the HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) Professional Standards External Advisory Board (PSEAB) in order to represent the views of a wider collective of organisations led by and focused on racially minoritised people.  

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 the potential for one in-person meeting per year in Central London) 

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

• Attending regular nominated lead meetings with senior officials at the MoJ and HMPPS (meeting schedule to be determined by seat holder in partnership with Clinks) 

• Work collaboratively with and be accountable (see appendix 1) to a new ‘race collective’ being established by Black Men 4 Change as part of the HMPPS Infrastructure Grant  

• 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 run by and focused on racially minoritised people). 

• Provide regular summary updates about their representative role and respective impact to the new BGM newsletter being established as a by and for communication mechanism by Black Men 4 Change  

   

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 support services for racially minoritised people in the criminal justice system. 
• 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, especially in relation to peers from by and for organisations within or outside the new By and Forcollective. 

• The ability to work collaboratively with other organisations working to provide people with experience of the criminal justice system with targeted support services, to facilitate information sharing, and 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.  

• A commitment to working in service and in allyship with peers from other by and for organisations, especially the new collective. 

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