Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 920 | 20 February 2026

Light lunch

In this issue...

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 small organisations. This person will work for a small voluntary organisation (with an income of under £250k) that supports people in the criminal justice system. They will be able to reflect the reality of delivering services through small, locally based organisations, and the opportunities and strengths of, as well as the challenges to, this approach. Find out more and apply by [19 March]

NATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE ARTS ALLIANCE NEWS: Anne Peaker Lecture 2026: What Happens if the Art Stops?

The National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance is excited to invite you to our annual Anne Peaker lecture [25 March | 16:30 - 19:00 | BBC Broadcasting House, London & online | free]. At this year’s event, we are delighted to be joined by keynote speaker Professor Shadd Maruna. The event will also include short films from creative projects, a Q&A and an in-person networking drinks reception. Find out more and book here

NATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE ARTS ALLIANCE NEWS: 2025/26 Mentoring Scheme

The National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance (NCJAA) is now inviting applications for its 2025/26 mentoring scheme. The scheme provides emerging arts and criminal justice practitioners with specialist guidance and professional development through a free one-to-one mentoring relationship with an expert in the field. Find out more and apply here by [28 February]

Join the upcoming Clinks Families Network Meeting [25 February | 14:00 - 16:00 | online | free] with Josh MacAlister MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Children & Families) to raise any questions about the CAPI (Children Affected by Parental Imprisonment) agenda or any other related matters directly to the Minister. Book here

CLINKS EVENT: #IWD26

To celebrate International Women’s Day 2026, Clinks is creating a space to hear from women across our membership and partner organisations, sharing their personal experiences, journeys, and the work they do to support women in the criminal justice system [9 March | 11:00 - 12:30 | online | free]. Book here

This webinar launches our 2025 State of the Sector (SOTS) Report [31 March | 10:00 - 11:30 | online | free], where we will hear reflections from Clinks and NCVO about key trends and takeaways, highlighting the challenges faced by the sector, examples of good practice, future risks and opportunities, and recommendations for change. Book here

MEMBER FOCUS: Clean Slate Solutions

Clean Slate Solutions are committed to reducing reoffending and making society safer by placing people with past convictions into meaningful, mentored and sustainable employment across Teesside and North Yorkshire. They work with employers to help reduce the risk of reoffending and make the community a safer place. Once their candidates are in employment, they mentor them outside of work throughout their first six months helping them with any other specific areas in life. Find out more

Actors David Jonsson and Tom Blyth sat down with Switchback to talk about working together on new prison thriller WASTEMAN and why real representation matters. Watch here

Centre for Women's Justice's new film exposes a stark injustice: women who acted in response to serious, often prolonged violence are serving life sentences, their experiences minimised or misunderstood by the criminal justice system. Watch here

After thousands of votes, Criminal Justice Alliance, Samaritans, National Prison Radio, StreetDoctors, Waythrough, and SSAFA have all been recognised as finalists in this year’s Charity Film Awards. Watch here

Neil Hussey has been an Appropriate Adult with Adferiad for nearly 15 years – a role that has seen him support thousands of vulnerable individuals across South Wales and Gwent, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Read here

For Spark Inside coach Caterina Declas, 'Waiting for the Out' resonated deeply with her own experience of coaching young people in prison. Read here

In their initial response to the Casey Commission on Adult Social Care, Homeless Link make the case for applying a social care lens to homelessness. Read here

Catch22 responds to the Milburn Review on youth unemployment. New data reveals unemployment figures in the UK are at a five-year high, with the rate hitting 14% for young people aged 18-24. Read here

Transform Your Training is offering training one-hour training sessions [w/c 23 February | online | free]. Each session focuses on a single topic and offers practical, values-led learning with real-world takeaways. Find out more

Oswin Project are working on a report as part of the 'Economic Trailblazers' project. They are organising an event [24 February | Newcastle Cathedral] and have some spaces left. They are interested in talking to people who are considering hiring people with convictions or who have hired them, or who don't want to hire them. Their work is to map the challenges faced, and produce an 'employers handbook' as part of the work. Find out more

Join Action for Race Equality's next Policy Action Forum [25 February | 10:30 - 11:30 | online | free] to discuss the effectiveness of custody in reducing reoffending and what a “child first” youth justice system should look like through a racial justice lens. Book here

To celebrate International Women's Day, Women in Prison are launching a new briefing on 'Women's Experiences of Tag.' They bring together case studies from the women we work with: tags that don't fit, faults leading to breech, impacts on family and mental health and much more. Join the webinar on their policy perspectives and hear from women with lived experience [5 March | 12:00 - 13:15 | online | free]. To register, send an email with your name, job title and organisation to campaigns@wipuk.org

Join Finding Rhythms for a night of live performances [17 March | 19:00 - 20:30 | London | free] showcasing the creative works made by participants from their music and mentoring programme. Finding Rhythms Studio is their flagship programme, which supports young people at risk and individuals whose lives have been impacted by the criminal justice system to channel their creativity and share their stories through music. Book here

Neurodivergent women face unique and often overlooked barriers when experiencing violence or navigating the criminal justice system. Join Advance to discuss how we can create more inclusive, informed, and effective responses, drawing on the latest research and frontline expertise [18 March | 14:00 - 15:30 | online | free]. Book here

One Small Thing are running a half-day online training course [7 May, registration | 9:15 - 13:00 | online | £95 +VAT] designed to support participants to look at their existing organisational policies, consider what might be amended from a trauma-informed perspective, and think through the development of new trauma-informed policies. Book here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: ‘Scandi’ units open 

Units offering a Scandinavian-style regime with additional staff, extra keywork sessions and communal dining are being launched in Wandsworth and Pentonville. Read here

The Victims and Courts Bill went through the Committee Stage of the House of Lords. Why Me?'s amendment, which would give victims of crime the legal right to a Restorative Justice referral, was raised by Baroness Brinton and supported by Baronesses Jones and Hamwee. The Government responded, stating that they “are very grateful to the restorative justice providers who continue to offer this important service” and recognise the benefits it can provide, but nonetheless decided not to include the amendment in the Bill. Read here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Tech Firms Must Remove Abusive Images in 48 hours

The government said tackling intimate image abuse should be treated with the same severity as child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and terrorist content. Read here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Inspection of Public Protection in Greater Manchester

There were some positive developments; however work to keep the public safe were not sufficient in the cases inspected. Read here

PUBLICATION: A Systems Perspective on Prisoner Health

Drawing on research and insights from academics at The University of Manchester, this briefing provides a high-level overview of the key health challenges in British prisons today, with a particular focus on physical health, mental health, women’s health, older prisoners’ health, and the health of young people. Read here

PUBLICATION: Review of Women’s Services Map

To mark the second anniversary of the National Women's Justice Coalition's Women’s Services Map website, they have published a detailed evaluation report to demonstrate how the UK’s only directory of specialist services for women and girls in contact with the criminal justice system is making a real difference to the women and organisations using it. Read here

OPPORTUNITY: Catalogue of Peer-Led Activities for Prison and Probation

HMPPS are working on the development and rollout of a national framework for peer-led activity across HMPPS and need your help. 

This framework sets clear expectations around role clarity, safeguarding, training, supervision, and local adaptation, with the aim of ensuring peer-led activity is safe, effective, and delivered consistently, while still allowing space for innovation and lived experience. Alongside the framework, they are developing a national catalogue of peer-led activity in prisons and the community. Find out more and complete the form here

OPPORTUNITY: Funding Experience Survey 2026

More than 170 funders have joined the Open and Trusting community and signed up to the eight Open and Trusting commitments, dedicating to change how they work. But they can’t do that without hearing from you - the people on the receiving end of funding. Find out more and complete the survey here

Policy and Public Affairs Policy with Women in Prison [£30640, London / National, Part Time] ; Small Organisations seat holder - RR3 Leadership Board with Clinks [Voluntary, Part Time] ; Service Manager with Achieve [£35977–£39500, Manchester, Full Time] ; Specialist Caseworker - Emergency Department with St Giles Trust [£18000, Whipps Cross Hospital Emergency Department, Part Time] ; Deputy Service Manager with Social Interest Group [£31700, HA9 0AB, Full Time] ; Finance, Benefit and Debt Advisor with The Growth Company [£27500, Sheffield, Full Time] ; Reading Strategy Facilitator with Shannon Trust [£29264, HMP Whatton, Full Time] ; Bid Manager & Writer with Social Interest Group [£42000, N1 1TY, Full Time] ; Learning Coordinator with Back on Track [£29759–£34184, Manchester City Centre, Full Time] ; Navigation and Support Worker (Sex Work) with Basis Yorkshire [£30084, Leeds, Full Time].

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

READS OF THE WEEK:

EXTRA INFORMATION:

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