Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 862 | 13 December 2024

Light lunch

In this issue...

CLINKS NEWS: last issue of Light Lunch for 2024

This will be the last issue of light lunch for 2024. Submissions received between now and the new year will be published on 10 January 2025. We wish everyone the best for the festive season.

CLINKS NEWS: The environmental crises and the prison system 

Clinks and NPC, supported by Barrow Cadbury Trust, are convening an online roundtable on the environmental crises and the prison system. The roundtable will be held on [16 January 2025, 10.30-12.30pm], for charities working in the criminal justice sector. It will help organisations to: understand how the climate and nature crises will affect people in prison; examine the actions already being taken in policy and practice to mitigate these impacts; take action to ensure further support is available to people in prisons where needed. Conversations will be informed by a newly published research report developed by NPC and supported by Clinks as part of NPC's Everyone's Environment programme. Register here.

MEMBER FOCUS: All Things Considered Theatre 

Since starting in 2013, All Things Considered have been creating socially engaged theatre that encourages honest and pertinent conversations between people through intimate, participatory and immersive performances. Much of their work is verbatim because they love chatting to people and discovering the funny, moving and unique stories that we all have inside us.

These hidden conversations are the starting point for the performances which, have explored various topics, from male suicide, parenthood and growing up skint in the 1980s. Audiences are invited to physically step into the world of the performances, to rub shoulders with the performers and to absorb first hand the weight of the words from the people engaged.  

The aim is to prompt the ripples of change though creative conversation as well as systemic change through informing policy and practice. The hope is that in this intimate space the audience will feel closer to the stories presented and this will prompt them to reflect, connect, change and understand both personally and communally. Find out more

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: Christmas ain't calling

Nacro and their representatives from Justice ExChange have produced a video about "Christmas in prison". Nacro's Justice ExChange and the people they support said that many in prison can't afford to call home at key times like Christmas. Together, Nacro and the Nacro Justice ExChange are calling for fairer phone charges, at Christmas and all year round. Please share their film #CalltoConnect

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: Spark Inside wins top prize

Spark Inside won the Zurich Municipal awards top prize of £10,000 for ‘The Black Hero’s Journey (BHJ)’ initiative. This innovative programme supports young Black and Mixed Heritage men in prison, providing a safe and empowering space for them to express themselves and reclaim their identities. 

Not-for-profit organisations were invited to enter online and share what they do to celebrate diversity and inclusion. Over 300 entries were received. Find out more here

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: UpCycle, it's in the name

The Margaret Carey Foundation is changing its working name to UpCycle — embodying their commitment to giving second chances, both to bikes and to people.

Through their bike maintenance workshops in Bradford and prisons across the UK, they provide hands-on training, fostering skills, confidence, and brighter futures for their trainees. Refurbished bikes, often saved from landfill, are then donated to individuals in need, locally and globally.

As part of their rebrand, they’re excited to share their new charity film! Watch it here.
Clinks Network members, please help spread the word! For more, visit their Linktree 

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: The MacDonaldisation of Restorative Justice

Join RJ4All’s latest webinar, "The MacDonaldisation of Restorative Justice", part of the “10 Years, 10 Lectures” series celebrating the 10th anniversary of CeSGReM at the University of Insubria. Featuring Dr. Theo Gavrielides as a European speaker and facilitated by Professor Grazia Mannozzi, this special episode delves into the history and evolution of restorative justice, the growing global business of restorative justice education, and strategies to advance the movement worldwide. Watch now for invaluable insights into raising standards for restorative justice education! Access the webinar here

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: how restorative practices reduce reoffending

Join RJ4All for the 26th episode of the Restorative Justice Webinar series, exploring the transformative role of restorative justice in offender rehabilitation and community building. Hosted by Dr. Theo Gavrielides, Founder and Director of RJ4All, this session features Josh Brettell, RJ4All's incoming UK Operations Director and CEO of Change for Good.

Drawing from Josh’s seven years of experience supporting individuals leaving prison in London, this webinar examines how restorative practices reduce reoffending, foster sustainable community development, inspire young people, and contribute to meaningful prison reform. Discover practical insights into creating safer, fairer, and more cohesive communities through restorative justice. Together, let’s root out power abuse and build resilience! 

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: Skills builder impact academy 2025-26

The Skills Builder Impact Academy 2025-26 Spring cohort is now open for applications!

Join a group of like-minded organisations, including those in the Criminal Justice System, enhancing their impact with essential skills [January-March 2025, online, £370]. A nominated Skills Leader will access training sessions with 1:1 support from the Skills Builder team to:

  • Earn an Impact Level accreditation and be added to the Impact Directory
  • Gain professional development and networking opportunities
  • Strengthen your impact, measure it, and build capacity

Learn about StandOut's journey to Impact Level 4 accreditation for their Pre-release Programme. Visit the prospectus or apply for the Impact Academy here, or message the Skills Builder team for more details. The deadline to apply for this cohort is [17 January 2025].

The Impact Academy is open to organisations with an annual turnover of <£500k. The cost of the programme is £370, which is subsidised by Skills Builder's partners and funders.

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: Trapped in the turnstile

Friends Families and Travellers are launching their Barrow Cadbury T2A project report in the new year, 'Trapped in the Turnstile' [6 February, 10.30 - 12:30, online, free].

The team spoke to young Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people in the criminal justice system about their thoughts and experiences and the impacts upon their families. Join the launch event to hear their voices, and hear about the findings and recommendations. Book here

NON-MEMBER’S EVENT: MP drop in session

Since the election there are 335 new MPs, many of whom will be unaware of what IPP sentences are.

On [15 January, 10:00 - 12:00, Room R, Portcullis House], the United Group for Reform of IPP (UNGRIPP) will be holding a drop in session for MPs in Parliament, where they can learn about the IPP sentence and ways they can help to push for further change.

Please help to raise awareness.  If you are in touch with any MP’s please pass this information along to them, the more MP’s who are informed the better.  

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: CRS Market Engagement Update

Further to previous communications at the recent market engagement event in October HMPPS intend to notify all organisations about the proposed route to market pending Ministerial approval.

There will be market engagement events in the New Year for the next generation of probation services contracts, and HMPPS recommend that you look out for upcoming communications that will be issued via Light Lunch and the Jaggaer platform

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Understanding modern slavery

This Justice Academy seminar [30 January, 16:00 - 17:15, online, free] will give an overview of what modern slavery is in the UK context, using case studies and the speaker's first-hand experience. Book your place here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Youth Custody Service update

The Youth Custody Service (YCS) has shared an update on several significant initiatives:

  • Independent Review on Girls in Custody: Susannah Hancock has been commissioned to lead a review on placement and care for girls in custody, with findings expected early next year.

  • Changes for 18-Year-Olds: The interim policy to hold 18-year-olds in the youth estate until their 19th birthday will end in January 2025, with youth justice services resuming supervision.

  • National Accommodation Standard: A new standard ensures robust planning for accommodation upon release, with child-first, trauma-informed approaches at the centre.

  • Use of Force Review: Consideration of PAVA deployment continues, with any decision to expand its use requiring thorough evidence review.

  • Children and Young People Strategy 2025–2029: Stakeholder engagement is shaping this forthcoming strategy, reflecting ambitions for custody and aligning with broader justice sector plans.

  • Safeguarding and safer recruitment: Last year the first safeguarding and child protection policy framework for the children and young people’s estate was published to make sure that everyone involved in the care and management of remanded and sentenced children in the YCS understand their safeguarding responsibilities.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Criminal courts reform

The Lord Chancellor has announced a landmark review of criminal courts, aiming to tackle record-high backlogs, reduce delays for victims, and ensure safer streets. Led by Sir Brian Leveson, the review will explore innovative reforms, including the introduction of “intermediate courts” for mid-level offences and expanded powers for magistrates to handle more cases.

With the Crown Court backlog now at 73,105 cases and some trials listed as far as 2027, the review will consider how technology and reclassification of offences can improve efficiency and free up capacity for serious crimes.

Initial recommendations from the review are expected by Spring 2025, as part of the Government’s commitment to Safer Streets and restoring public confidence in the justice system. Read more here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: 10-Year Prison Capacity Strategy

This week the government published their 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy, alongside an independent review of sentencing, is part of a wider strategy seeking to increase prison capacity. The strategy sets out how the Ministry of Justice will build 14,000 prison places to increase the capacity of the prison estate, and reform the planning system to reduce delays to prison builds. Key points from the strategy include:

  • £2.3 billion for prison building over next two years
  • Target of additional 14,000 places by 2031, which will include 6,500 places in four new prisons
  • 6,400 places to be built in ‘new blocks on existing sites’, with 1,000 rapid deployment cells and the refurbishment of 1,000 existing cells
  • Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has given planning permission for a new prison next to HMP Garth in Lancashire, which will total 1,700 prison places
  • The value for money of building and running new prison places will be reviewed at the upcoming Spending Review
  • The original 2021, 20,000-place prison building programme was estimated to cost £5.2 billion. Costings have now been revised upwards to between £9.4 billion and £10.1 billion

Read the strategy online and see our Chief Executive Officer, Anne Fox's statement below

“The voluntary sector has consistently stated that a prison-building programme is not the answer to the crises facing our criminal justice system. For large numbers of people serving custodial sentences, prison is not the answer. Instead, the solutions lie in addressing the underlying factors behind crime and then implementing an approach to tackle them. This requires a cross-government approach to public policy challenges including poverty, homelessness, and substance misuse and mental health issues. Resourcing interventions that address need, in the community, is a viable alternative. That is why we welcome the ongoing work of the Independent Sentencing Review, that will sit alongside this strategy, and that will explore how a reformed sentencing framework can significantly reduce the prison population. We are continuing to engage our membership with this review and look forward to presenting the breadth of ideas that the sector has to offer.” Anne Fox, Chief Executive Officer, Clinks

 

FEATURED VACANCY: Finance Lead 

Abandofbrothers is seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Finance Lead to join our team [£41,600, Part time, Remote]. In this role, you will oversee the charity’s financial operations, ensuring that our financial systems, reporting, and compliance continues to be in line with legal and regulatory requirements. Reporting to the General Manager, with a dotted line to the Treasurer, you will work closely with the Leadership Team and play a key role in managing budgets, monitoring financial performance, and providing strategic financial advice. Abandofbrothers is a volunteer led charity that works exclusively with men and supports young men aged 18-25 involved in, or at risk of entering, the Criminal Justice System.  [Find out more and apply here by 18th December 2024] 

CLINKS MEMBERS’ VACANCIES:

Mentor Advocacy with The Wise Group [£25,664, Cumbria and Lancashire, full time]; Support Worker / Information Advice and Guidance - Justice Service with The Growth Company [£27,500, Warrington, full time]; Support Worker / Information Advice and Guidance - Justice Service with The Growth Company [£27,500, Preston, full time]; Support Worker / Information Advice and Guidance - Justice Service with The Growth Company [£27,500, Blackpool, full time]; Support Worker with Imagine Independence [£22,372, Liverpool, full time]; Administration Officer with One Small Thing [£28,000 - £30,000, Southampton, full time]; Project Facilitator with Spurgeons [£26,033 - £30,361, Surrey (community-based role), full time]; Community Learning Network Digital Product Owner with Shannon Trust [£34,000, home-based, full time]; Caseworker with The RCJ And Islington Citizens Advice Bureaux [£36,820, England and Wales, full time]; Development Coordinator (maternity cover) with Clean Break [£27,000, Kentish Town, full time].

EXAMPLE JOB with Example organisation [£24,000, London, full time]

For more information about these vacancies, and many more, click here

READS OF THE WEEK:

EXTRA INFORMATION:

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