Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 499 | 25th August 2017

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In this week's edition...

CLINKS NEWS: have loans worked for you?

We’re looking for case studies from organisations who have successfully used loans or social investment. The voluntary sector working in criminal justice receives a lower level of social investment than the rest of the sector. Social investment is unlike grants or donations, being a loan usually received from a social investment fund rather than a bank or building society. We want to support the sector in exploring whether social investment could help you to strengthen your sustainability. We'd like your case studies to share at events and in presentations, to demonstrate how organisations have used the investment and for what. If you would be interested in providing a case study, please email rhiannedd.mclean@clinks.org by 1st September.

CLINKS BLOG: inspecting prisons

What are the expectations when inspecting prisons? In this blog Jess Mullen, Clinks' Policy Manager, discusses the recent Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons Expectations, which are the criteria they use for assessing the treatment of and conditions for men in prisons. The blog discusses how Clinks and our members fed into their development.  Read the blog here

CLINKS EVENT: criminal justice forums

Clinks is holding regional criminal justice forums [September 20th, Newcastle | September 27th, Preston | October 5th, Plymouth| from £15] to provide an opportunity for members to keep up to speed on new developments in criminal justice. These events allow you to step back from your crucial day-to-day frontline work to see the bigger picture and context in which you are working. The forums will give local and regional organisations the opportunity to hear the latest national developments in criminal justice, and also use their experience to inform Clinks’ national policy work. Find out more and book here

CLINKS EVENT: women's networking forum

Clinks is holding this Women's Networking Forum [September 21st, South Shields, from £15] with Women’s Resource Centre and Agenda for voluntary sector organisations offering specialist services for women in the criminal justice system. The meetings will provide an update on policy developments from Clinks, Women’s Resource Centre, Agenda and other women’s organisations. You will have the opportunity to network and discuss key issues with other organisations and enable Clinks to represent you to government and other key stakeholders. This includes the Advisory Board for Female Offenders hosted by the Ministry of Justice, and the Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RR3) which Clinks chairs. Find out more and book here

CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: family prison visits

Javed Khan, Barnardo’s chief executive, has written to the Prisons Minister, Sam Gyimah, calling for a change to prison visitation rules that impact negatively on children. Male prisoners are entitled to two hours a month to see their children under the Incentives and Earned Privileges system. They can earn more visiting rights by demonstrating motivation, seeking qualifications, or helping other prisoners or staff. The rules for women's prisons are different and disconnect behaviour from children's visitation rights. In a statement to the press he said: “Stopping fathers’ family visiting rights hurts the most vulnerable and innocent ones – their children. Restricting a child’s right to a family life by further limiting their relationship with their parent is cruel.” Find out more here

CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: inclusive universities

Nina Champion, Head of Policy at Prisoners' Education Trust, has written an article for the Guardian in which she recommends that UCAS should ban the box on forms which require disclosure of unspent convictions to allow former prisoners a chance at education and rehabilitation. She writes “Theirs is just the sort of resilience and ambition that we need in new university recruits, and it’s all the more remarkable because of their backgrounds: close to half the prison population left school with no qualifications”. Read the article here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: youth justice reforms

The Ministry of Justice has released an update on reforms to the oversight, commissioning and policy around youth justice. Changes will include: setting up the Youth Custody Service, a new distinct arm of HM Prisons and Probation Service that will be responsible for the placement of young people into custody and the delivery of secure services (public and contracted out); a new Director to be appointed on 1st September; and responsibility and accountability for commissioning youth custody services will transfer from Youth Justice Board to Justin Russel’s Directorate in the Ministry of Justice as of 1st September. The Youth Justice Board is now responsible for oversight of the whole youth justice system and independent advice to ministers. It will continue to manage grant payments for the provision of community youth justice services. Find out more here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: language portal

The Ministry of Justice has a language portal run by 'thebigword'. thebigword is providing all Ministry of Justice users with face-to-face and telephone interpreting support, along with translation and transcription services they need to effectively communicate in any language. Find out more here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: criminal justice statistics

The Ministry of Justice has published the Criminal Justice Statistics Quarterly bulletin covering April 2016 – March 2017. It reports that the number of people dealt with by courts is at an all-time low, but prison sentences are given more often and for a longer time. It found that people going to court for the first time were also more likely to receive a conviction rather than a caution. Find out more here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: inspection dates

HM Inspectorate of Probation will be inspecting work of the London Community Rehabilitation Company during the weeks commencing 16th October, 23rd October, 30th October, 20th November and 27th November 2017. If you have any queries about this, please contact HMI Probation at HMIP.Enquiries@hmiprobation.gsi.gov.uk

FUNDING: loans for new businesses

The Kent Council Innovation Incubator Investment Loan Scheme has £1.8m of loans for local businesses in 2017/18. The aim of the scheme is to develop innovation incubator spaces and other workspaces aimed at start-up and small businesses within the Kent and Medway areas. The scheme offers 0% loans between £100,000 and £500,000 and covers up to 50% of project costs. The deadline for applications is 11th September. Find out more here

FUNDING: young people

The European Social Fund has over £7million is funding for work aimed at supporting young people who live in Birmingham, Solihull, Redditch, Bromsgrove, and Wyre Forest who are identified as not in education, employment or training (NEET) between the ages of 15-24. There is an expectation that this call will also target and support young people aged 15-24 at risk of becoming NEET and also support marginalised (disconnected from mainstream activity) 15-18 year olds to re-engage with education or training. The deadline for applications is 5th October. Find out more here

CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: housing needs of women and children

Commonweal Housing is hosting a breakfast reception [11th October, Westminster, free] to mark the release of their report Re-Unite: Ten Year Review. The Re-Unite project centred on the housing needs of women within the criminal justice system and their children. The event will hear from speakers including the Rt.Hon. Baroness Jean Corston on the importance of Re-Unite and how best to support mothers in the criminal justice system and those exiting custody. The Ten Year Review assesses Commonweal’s experience working on the Re-Unite project over the past ten years. At the review’s centre are a series of conclusions and 10 recommendations for further action. For further details please contact Edward Lowe at EdwardL@commonweal.org.uk

NON MEMBERS' EVENTS AND TRAINING

  • 'Entry routes to the justice sector' seminar | 11th September, London, free | Info@justicesectortraining
  • 'Voices from the margins' | 9th September, London, £99 | Details

AWARDS: addressing poverty

The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) has opened its applications for its 2018 awards. CSJ award winners will receive £10,000 and be celebrated at a Westminster event in March 2018. The CSJ awards celebrate and reward the work of voluntary organisations who are implementing innovative ways to address and prevent the root causes of poverty. The award categories this year are social resilience (for charities tackling debt and addiction); education, enterprise and skills; family and social enterprise. Find out more here

CLINKS MEMBERS' VACANCIES

Vacancies on the jobs board this week include: a Family Engagement Manager with Pact [HMP Sudbury], a Visit Booking Worker with Jigsaw Visitors Centre [York], a Life Skills Coach with Adullam Housing [Bolton], an Administrator with Women In Prison [London], a Communication and Fundraising Assistant with Changing Lives [Gateshead], a Case Manager with Recoop [Gloucester], a Regional Manager with The Forward Trust [Kent], a Support Worker with Nacro [London], and a Senior Practitioner with Disc [Sefton]. For more information about these vacancies, and many more, click here

TIPS OF THE WEEK

  • Tip of the week I: Four nights in Rome from £79. Details
  • Tip of the week II: Three cinema tickets for £12.96. Details
  • Tip of the Week III: Virgin trains have a seat sale - up to 50% off. Details

EXTRA INFORMATION

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Contact Us www.clinks.org | info@clinks.org | 020 7383 0966

 

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Rhiannedd Mclean