Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 315 | 11th October 2013

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In this week's edition....

CLINKS EVENT: offender health

‘Understanding the health & care landscape for offenders & their families’ is a joint Clinks, Nacro and APF event as part of the NHS Health and Care Voluntary Sector Strategic Partners Programme [3rd December, London, free]. Changes in the NHS’s core structure – including health and care commissioning for offenders - have affected who makes decisions about NHS services, how these services are commissioned, and the way money is spent. This conference – targeted at VCSE organisations working with offenders and their families; service users; family members - seeks to explain those changes.  Speakers from NHS England, Public Health England (PHE), and the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector will also help identify how to influence commissioning and provision as well as how to access services. Book your place here

CLINKS TRAINING: last few places on volunteering with offenders course

There are a few places remaining on our popular ‘Volunteering with Offenders in the Community’ training course [13th & 14th November, London, from £220]. Does your organisation work with offenders in the community?  Would you like to learn how to support and train staff and volunteers working with offenders in the community?  Our very successful two day ‘train the trainer’ course is designed to support trainers and/or volunteer co-ordinators, managing and supporting volunteers. The training of mentors also features extensively. Secure your place by booking here

CLINKS RESPONSE: Sentencing Council’s guidelines on fraud, bribery and money laundering

We have formally responded to the Sentencing Council’s guidelines on fraud, bribery and money laundering. We chose to focus our response on the disproportionate amount of women convicted of these crimes, and aimed to highlight some of our concerns around the definitions of mitigating circumstances. Our response should be a useful resource for organisations supporting women offenders. Download it here

CLINKS BLOG SERIES: Transforming Rehabilitation so far

In the first of a series of blogs called 'TR So Far', Jess Mullen looks at the ‘known unknowns’: questions that the Transforming Rehabilitation documents released at the opening of the competition stage have raised, but not really answered.  Jess’s blog highlights six key questions for the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Sector that remain only partially answered. Read it and share your opinions here

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: report into treatment of older prisoners

Clinks Member RECOOP contributed to the evidence presented in the recently published Justice Select Committee report into the treatment of older prisoners. RECOOP are interested in exploring service developments with partner organisations in line with the service gaps and recommendations outlined. Download the report here and get in touch with RECOOP here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: delays to ROA

Clinks Member Unlock was left disappointed by news this week that the Ministry of Justice has delayed changes to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. MoJ said “Whilst the Government was aiming to commence the reforms by November this is not going to be possible but it remains committed to seeing these reforms in place, which will be to the benefit of many ex-offenders, and it will give a firm timetable on commencement as soon as it can.” Unlock said: “The initial implementation date of Spring 2013 led to many people planning their lives on these changes. Sadly, while it’s frustrating that it is no longer going to be November, the situation is undoubtedly made worse by the lack of a specific future date. We are continuing to do all that we can so that the Government implement the reforms as soon as possible.” Find out more at Unlock

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: inspection of adult offending work

HM Inspectorate of Probation will be inspecting work in Kent, with a focus on protecting children, during the weeks commencing 2nd December and 16th December.  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

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: NAPO on Transforming Rehabilitation

Ian Lawrence, General Secretary of NAPO, the probation service union and professional association, spoke to Russell Webster last week in the second in a series of interviews about the MoJ's probation reform programme: Transforming Rehabilitation. Ian outlined his concerns about the privatisation of probation and his predictions of increased risk to public safety. Watch the short video here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: new crime agency launched

On Monday the Home Secretary announced wide-ranging plans to tackle the threat of serious and organised crime as the government’s new Serious and Organised Crime Strategy was published. The strategy, launched alongside the replacement of the Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) with the National Crime Agency (NCA), focuses on preventing people from getting involved in organised crime, improving Britain’s protection against serious and organised criminality and ensuring that communities, victims and witnesses get the support they need when serious and organised crimes occur. Critics have spoken out about a costly rebranding exercise in a time of austerity. Read the official launch information here and an argument for good local policing, rather than an NCA, here

FUNDING: increasing the number of disabled people playing sport

Revenue grants from £10,001 are available to non-profit organisations for projects that increase the number of disabled young people (aged 14+) and disabled adults taking part in sport in England. A wide range of not-for-profit organisations can apply, including fully constituted clubs, associations, trusts, community amateur sports clubs, community interest companies, industrial provident societies, foundation schools and colleges, independent schools and colleges, and institutes of further education and higher education. Find out more here

FUNDING: for people facing severe and multiple disadvantage

LankellyChase Foundation is looking for project ideas that will radically change the way people facing severe and multiple disadvantage are treated and valued by society or existing services and structures.  Find out more here

COMMISSIONING: drug and alcohol treatment in London

The London Borough of Barking & Dagenham invites expressions of interest to tender for the provision of Structured Drug Treatment Programmes & Aftercare for Adults in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham. The contract has a value of £300,000 - £350,000. The new service must be willing to be adaptable and flexible to meet and respond to service users needs and add value to service users'/carers' recovery journey. This is an opportunity to shape the future of drug treatment in the borough which is currently performing in the top quartile for successful completions for opiate and non opiate clients. The deadline for expressions of interest is 15th October, find out more here

AWARD: for disabled entrepreneurs

The Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs in the UK identifies and celebrates business ability by recognising an exceptional disabled entrepreneur. The competition is open to disabled entrepreneurs on the management board, and with ownership, of any business in the UK. Eligible businesses must have an annual turnover above £10,000 and have been trading for between one and five years. The Award carries a prize of £50,000. This money is to be reinvested in the winner's business. The deadline for applications is 25th October. Details here

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: cost of imprisoning women

‘The Price of Justice: The true costs of imprisoning women’ is a Commonweal Housing event [17th October, 6pm-8pm, London, free] to continue the debate about how we can better support women in the criminal justice system and specifically women exiting custody. Its is to be chaired by BBC Women’s Hour’s Jane Garvey, and will feature guest speakers including Helen Grant MP, Vicky Pryce, and Fiona Mactaggart MP. To attend, email office@commonweal.org.uk

NON MEMBER’S EVENTS & TRAINING

  • ‘Trustees' Week seminar: Surviving in hard times‘ | 4th November, 4pm-9pm, London, free | Details
  • ‘Trustees’ Week online webinar: Volunteering; adding value’ | 7th November, online, free | Details
  • ‘NHS England: Improving General Practice – A Call to Action’ | 15th October, London | Details
  • ‘Erwin James in Conversation with Jane Davies’ | 14th October, Durham, 6pm – 7.30pm | Details

TRAINING: free evaluation training for non-London organisations

Thanks to funding from the Lankelly Chase Foundation, Charities Evaluation Services (CES) is able to offer a bursary scheme to small, registered charities, based outside of London who wish to attend their training. The bursary scheme offers participants heavily reduced training fees (£25 for a one day course, £50 for a two day course), a contribution towards travel costs and/or accommodation, as well as giving participants free CES publications once they have attended a course. For full information about the bursary scheme visit their website

TRAINING: free training for small South Yorkshire charities

The FSI is bringing two days of free training to Sheffield so that small charities in the area can build the skills they need to become self-sustaining. Sponsored by Charity Bank, the event offers courses on key fundraising skills such as Major Donor fundraising, Developing Earned Income and Corporate Partnerships. There is also training on Fundraising Strategy, Building your Case for Support and Demonstrating Your Impact. It fills up fast, so book your free 1 or 2 day place today to access this fantastic training opportunity. For more information and bookings click here

OPPORTUNITY: contribute to the Transforming Rehabilitation evidence base

Light Lunch reader Professor Paul Senior of Sheffield Hallam’s Centre for Community Justice is compiling a resource of Transforming Rehabilitation discussions, research, commentary and publications. The British Journal of Community Justice has decided that the next issue will be entirely dedicated to comments on Transforming Rehabilitation. Articles and thought pieces will be subject to peer review in the normal way but they do not want to discourage new writers, so a Thought Piece will not require the same level of referencing and academic rigour as an article. The challenge is to produce this by mid-November, though if you can get something in prior to that it will help them with production. Please send completed contributions to BJCJ by November 15th at the latest. Find out more here

PUBLICATION: collaboration in London

Locality have published their final report on collaboration in London. Charities are under increasing pressure causing many to scale down their services. This development has given rise to a demand among charities, particularly the smaller ones, to form consortia that enable them to secure contracts they could not have won and delivered individually. The report presents the findings from a piece of research that Community Links undertook for Locality to investigate the appetite for Locality members to work collaboratively with other members and to understand how Locality can best facilitate the process of setting up consortia among members. Download it here

RESOURCE: cost-benefit analysis of youth justice interventions

The Social Research Unit's Investing in Children website provides free and independent advice on competing investment options in children's services including youth justice. Users can search over 100 interventions to find those that match their criteria and then compare the costs and cost-benefit of different interventions. The interventions listed focus on the health, educational attainment, emotional well-being, behaviour and relationships of children and young people aged 0-22 years. The model takes an approach to cost-benefit analysis that is consistent across policy areas, cautious in its estimates and relevant to the real world of public and private sector investments in child health and development. Find out more here

CONSULTATION: effectiveness of youth courts

A parliamentary inquiry has been launched into the operation and effectiveness of the youth court system, under the chairmanship of Lord Carlile CBE QC. The inquiry is being coordinated by the National Children’s Bureau with support from the Michael Sieff Foundation. Organisations and individuals are invited to make written evidence submissions to the inquiry by 18th November 2013. A number of oral evidence hearings will also be convened in late 2013 and early 2014. The inquiry will publish its report in spring 2014. Further details on how you can get involved in the inquiry are available here

CLINKS MEMBERS’ VACANCIES

Vacancies this week include: a Caseworker with Prisoners Abroad [London], an Administration and Communications Officer [West Midlands], 2 x Family Support Workers [HMP Holloway] and a Project Support Worker [flexible location] with Spurgeons and an Office and Administration Manager at User Voice [London]. For further information about these vacancies and many more, click here

TIPS OF THE WEEK

  • Tip of the week I: Train tickets to London from Manchester (£12.50) or Birmingham (£6) each way with Chiltern Railways. Details
  • Tip of the week II: Stay at a Hertfordshire country manor for £119 for two. Deal includes 3 course dinner, breakfast and a comedy evening. Details
  • Tip of the week III: For £129 per room stay a night at a 4 star Norfolk hotel. The deal includes room upgrade, breakfast and two course dinner. Details

EXTRA INFORMATION

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Joe Gardham

Clinks

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