Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 881 | 16 May 2025

Light lunch

In this issue...

CLINKS NEWS: Changes to recall policy

The Government has announced that legislation will be brought forward, shortly, that will enable the greater use of Fixed-Term Recalls, as a measure to relieve pressure on prison overcrowding. Clinks has published a blog which details the upcoming changes and outlines Clinks' ongoing concerns regarding the over-use of recall. Read the blog here

CLINKS NEWS: Funding the voluntary sector in criminal justice

In this blog, we highlight some of the particular issues raised by charitable trusts and foundations that participated in our 2024 State of the Sector research. The insights from our funder-specific focus group illustrated the “very challenging environment” that the sector is currently operating within. This included an acknowledgement of prison overcrowding, backlogs in courts, underfunding of probation services, as well as continued concerns about the new Labour government’s approach to criminal justice and whether they will be able to bring about meaningful change. Read the blog here

CLINKS NEWS: New Evidence Library review & webinar

Our latest Evidence Library review, Working with neurodivergent people in contact with the criminal justice system has been written by a number of members of the Neurodivergence in Criminal Justice Network (NICJN). 

NICJN Coordinators Dr. Tom Smith, Associate Professor in Law (UWE Bristol), and Dr. Nicole Renehan, ESRC Research Fellow (Durham University), will be hosting a webinar to discuss the latest evidence on working with neurodivergent individuals in the criminal justice system [11 June, 14:00-15:00, online free].

This session is part of our “A Matter of Fact: What the Evidence Tells Us” series, designed to complement our Evidence Library and provide you the opportunity to ask your questions to leading academics. Book your place here

MEMBER FOCUS: Christian Response Careline CIC 

Christian Response Careline CIC was created in 2020 by a group of Christian friends. The careline works with specially trained and vetted volunteers to identify and support the most vulnerable members of local communities across the UK. The available support is meticulously developed with community residents, leaders, and other organisations to meet the unique needs of each neighbourhood. By working in close partnership with the community, the right needs are identified, and the right care provided. Find out more about the Careline

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: Protect pregnant women and mothers in sentencing

Level Up, alongside Women in Prison and Birth Companions, is calling for an urgent amendment to the Sentencing Guidelines (Pre-Sentence Reports) Bill to protect pregnant women and mothers of young children.

Campaigners warn the Bill could remove current protections that ensure judges must obtain a pre-sentence report (PSR) before sentencing these women—despite the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and Ombudsman classifying all pregnancies in prison as high-risk. Without this safeguard, more women may face custodial sentences without due regard for the impact on their health or their children, often leading to traumatic separations and long-term harm. Level Up’s proposed amendment would ensure pregnancy and maternity remain grounds for PSRs.

For more, contact janey@welevelup.org or read the appeal for an urgent amendment to the Bill.

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: New Trustees appointed

Prisoners’ Education Trust (PET) has appointed three new trustees, including the Director of Communications at the Bar Council, a consultant with wide-ranging experience in the justice sector, and a Team Leader at St Giles Trust. Read here for more

CLINKS MEMBER’S NEWS: Weaving the Web, a new podcast series

The National Expert Citizens Group (NECG), supported by Revolving Doors, is currently releasing its new podcast series: Weaving the Web. Join them as they speak to individuals and organisations leading the way in good practice to tackle multiple disadvantage in England today. The first four episodes are available now wherever you like to listen, with three more to come! Listen here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Community Link Workers 

The MoJ will be holding a further Market Engagement (ME) session [8 July from 10:00-11.30, online, free] to present the findings of the Early Testing of the Community Link Worker role and provide people with the opportunity to ask questions. This will be the final ME event in relation to the early testing. The MoJ aim to share the full report one week in advance of the meeting. 

For further information please read this document that has been shared before: Early Testing of the Community Link Worker Service for the re-design of future rehabilitation services. 

You can register for the event using this link

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: HMI Probation Research: What, Why and How?

In this free online seminar [11 June, 16:00 - 17:15, online, free] speaker Dr Robin Moore, Head of Research & Data Analysis at His Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP) will cover how the inspectorate:

  • Develops and promotes an evidence-informed approach in probation and youth justice
  • Looks to maximise the knowledge, experience and skills across the research community
  • Seeks to overcome the challenges to building and utilising evidence.

Specific examples of influence and impact will be presented, and recent learning and tips for building and implementing the evidence base will be considered. Key discussion points include how to embed an evaluative culture, how to make research evidence as usable and practical as possible. Register here to attend

FUNDING: Support for young women and girls

The Triangle Trust 1949 Fund have a funding round open of grants between £10k-£80k for a duration of 12 months to two years. Their focus for 2025/26 is young women and girls who are already in contact with the criminal justice system or who are at high risk of being drawn to it. They support community and voluntary organisations who can demonstrate a track record of working with young people in contact with the criminal justice system or vulnerable hard to engage young people on the edge of the criminal justice system. [Applications will be accepted up until midnight on 21 May 2025]. Find out more here

FUNDING: Future Communities Fund programme

The Co-op Foundation has launched the second round of their Future Communities Fund programme. Through this £1.75 million programme round, they are looking to fund organisations which support young people with experience of the justice system to re-engage with their communities, following their time in custody. Grants will be awarded on an unrestricted basis and to a maximum value of £150,000 over five years.

As part of this round, they are looking to fund approximately ten organisations:

  • With an annual income of £250,000 or less
  • That are not-for-profit organisations, which are registered and operate exclusively in the United Kingdom
  • Have two or more unrelated directors or trustees on the Board
  • That primarily support justice-experienced young people aged 10-25 years old
  • Which have a sole purpose of supporting justice-experienced young people to re-engage with their community.

Find out more here

FUNDING: Rosa’s Rise Fund 2025

Rosa UK's Rosa’s Rise Fund invests in organisations led by and for Black and racially minoritised women and girls - organisations that provide essential support for individuals and communities. Yet many are on teetering on the brink of survival because of chronic underfunding.

Rise offers two-year organisational development grants of up to £40,000 to organisations led by and for Black and racially minoritised women and girls. Applications close [23 June, 16:00]. Find out more and apply here

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: The Forgiveness Café

The Forgiveness Project is excited to invite you to the Forgiveness Café, a new series of open, participatory online gatherings designed to explore forgiveness in a communal, discussion-based setting [22 May, 16.30–18:00, online, ‘donate what you can’ starting at £5].

These sessions provide a unique opportunity for compassionate conversations on forgiveness and its application to our relationships, friendships, and everyday life. Capacity is capped at 40 participants per session, and a total of six Forgiveness Cafés will be hosted throughout this year. You are welcome to attend several gatherings, just please make sure to buy a ticket to each of them.

Prior to each event, each participant will receive a set of guidelines. Please ensure you read these ahead of the gathering. The Forgiveness Project looks forward to welcoming you to the Forgiveness Café and growing this new community! Book your place here

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: Lollipop - exclusive screening 

Clean Break is delighted to invite you to an exclusive screening of Lollipop. 

Directed by Daisy-May Hudson and starring Clean Break Member artists, Lollipop [19 June, 19:00-21:30, Charlotte Street Hotel, London, £32.68] is a life affirming and timely story - check out the trailer here. When young mum Molly (Posy Sterling) is released from prison after serving four months, she assumes it will be a matter of hours before she can pick up her children from foster care. Instead, Molly finds herself in the mother of all catch-22s: she can’t get housing because she doesn’t have her kids living with her; but she can’t get them back without a roof over her head. When Molly reconnects with her childhood friend, and fellow single mother, Amina (Idil Ahmed), the two women join forces and take destiny into their own hands. Book your tickets here

NON-MEMBERS’ EVENT: Boxes - a poetic odyssey

Boxes is a poetic odyssey seeking shelter in an unstable world [15 & 16 May, 19:30, Canada Water Theatre, London, £7.50-£15]. Caught in the tides of homelessness, our protagonist, covets a box from her past. Fights, fleeting friendships, custard creams, cultural clashes, missed connections, red wine and the power of pounded yam, all lead to a transformative encounter in a Peckham hair salon, setting her on a path to reclaim the box she lost and, perhaps the self she abandoned.

“Boxes are usually really disappointing. Fluff filled, lacking sentiment and empty. But no, not this one.” Book your tickets here

PUBLICATION: Women's centres

The National Women's Justice Coalition's and UK Women's Budget Group have published a new joint briefing. The Women’s Centre Model - the Financial Case for Alternatives to Prison, consolidates the latest data, outlines why the Women’s Centre Model works and makes clear recommendations for how to improve commissioning and funding practices and sustainably invest in women’s organisations.

On the publication of the briefing, our Women's Network Coordinator, Jackie Lowthian, said:

"Clinks welcomes publication of this new briefing from the National Women’s Justice Coalition and the UK Women’s Budget Group. We support their call for long-term sustainable funding for women’s centres and specialist services. Without this, the Government’s goal of reducing the use of expensive and ineffective custody will fail. Women’s organisations provide cost-effective interventions for women in contact with the criminal justice system and those at risk of offending. They have the potential to address prison overcrowding and realise savings to the public purse from improved outcomes for women and their families. I urge a commitment to long-term grant funding for the specialist women’s sector, enabling their groundbreaking work to continue."

Read the briefing here

PUBLICATION: Housing needs for women leaving prison in London

The London Assembly Housing Committee has published its findings after its inquiry into housing for women leaving prison, to which our Director of National Influencing & Networks, Sam Julius gave evidence.

Breaking the Cycle: Housing Needs for Women Leaving Prison in London, details the challenges faced and provides recommendations to mitigate these, including; Commissioning a training programme for agencies in London that provide housing support for women leaving prison with the aim of standardising best practice across London, and councils and housing associations in London should ringfence a proportion of their supported housing units for women released from prison. Read the report here

CLINKS MEMBERS’ VACANCIES:

Head Of Finance with Imagine Independence [£50,000, Liverpool, full time]; Trustee Vacancies with Good Vibrations [voluntary, London (remote attendance possible), part time]; Employer Engagement Consultant with The Growth Company [£30,590, Blackpool, Blackburn and Preston CFO Activity Hubs, full time]; Recovery & Wellbeing Practitioner with Phoenix Futures [£9,854, HMP Littlehey, part time]; Chief Executive Officer with Back on Track Manchester [£57,000–£65,000, Manchester, full time]; Restorative Justice Programme Manager with Why me? [£35,000, hybrid with travel to London, Solihull and Glasgow, full time]; Serious Organised Crime (SOC) Caseworker with St Giles Trust [£23,000, Newport (Gwent), part time]; Team Administrator with Why me? [£26,000–£28,000, hybrid with 1–2 days per week in Brixton, part time]; Night Community Lead with One Small Thing [£30,000–£35,000, Southampton, full time]; Floating Support Worker – 25/27 with Imagine Independence [£23,870, Sefton, full time].

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

READS OF THE WEEK:

EXTRA INFORMATION:

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