Clinks Light Lunch | Issue 381 | 6th March 2015

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In this week's edition....

CLINKS NEWS: Director to step down

Clinks’ Director, Clive Martin, has decided to step down in the autumn of 2015. Recruitment for a new director will commence this week, and the appointment is being handled by the recruitment agency Gatenby-Sanderson. Clive said: “After 16 years at Clinks I have decided to step down as the Director. Clinks has gone from a single employee organisation with a determined set of trustees, to the thriving and robust organisation it is today. It has been a remarkably enjoyable experience and I am really grateful (and proud) to have been a part of it. Clinks have a highly knowledgeable and skilled staff team who I know will support the new Director to continue the great work we do for our members, the wider voluntary sector, and the people in our communities who remain so marginalised.” The advert will be listed from the 7th March on the Gatenby-Sanderson website

CLINKS REPORT: review of arts in criminal justice

National Alliance for Arts in Criminal Justice have published their Annual Review for 2014-15, highlighting their key achievements over the previous twelve months. The review showcases the activities they undertook in relation to the four main strands of their work: commissioning research to highlight the impact of arts in the Criminal Justice System; acting as a conduit between members and local and national policy makers; continuing to raise the profile of arts in criminal justice settings; and encouraging and promoting good practice within the sector. It also highlights the achievements of some of their members. Download the Review here

CLINKS SUPPORT: final call for free legal advice

We have a small number of slots remaining for free legal advice for voluntary sector organisations engaged in Transforming Rehabilitation (TR). Priority will be given to small and medium sized organisations currently, or soon to, be in negotiations to deliver services under TR as tier 2 or 3 providers. In partnership with Russell-Cooke Solicitors we can offer advice on contract negotiations; contract management; identifying and handling TUPE; intellectual property and data protection law; and identifying and effectively managing risk. Email the helpline here

CLINKS BLOG: supporting people with criminal convictions into employment

Do you support people with criminal records into training and employment? In a new guest blog, Chris Procter from Nacro shares his experiences of supporting jobseekers with criminal records to make reassuring disclosures. The blog has practical guidance on supporting clients to construct written disclosure statements, links to useful questions to ask for clients struggling with reading or writing, points to emphasise, and a suggested structure for disclosures. This blog aims to help you challenge negative attitudes among employers and address their concerns around the perceived risk of hiring someone with a criminal record. Read the blog here

CLINKS PROJECT: highlighting best practice in partnership working

Clinks will be hosting two half-day group interview sessions [28th April, London | 30th April, York] to gather information on current partnership arrangements between the voluntary sector and statutory and private organisations working with volunteers in the Criminal Justice System. We also aim to identify characteristics of the most effective models of partnership working. Ideally two organisations directly involved in the same partnership need to participate in the interviews so we have the views of both parties. The findings will contribute to a Justice Involving Volunteers in Europe project report disseminated across Europe to highlight good practice in this area. For more information, and to get involved, please contact robert.price@clinks.org

CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: awards for community programmes

Nominations are open for The Howard League for Penal Reform's Community Programme Awards 2015. The Howard League are looking for the country’s best and most successful community programmes which encourage desistance from crime. The awards will celebrate best practice in diversionary work and champion work in the community that challenges and changes people for the better. Award categories include: women; restorative justice; policing and adults; policing and children; policing and restorative justice; youth liaison and diversion; adult liaison and diversion; and criminal justice champion. The deadline for nominations is 29th April. Find out more here

CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: engaging young people in social action

NCVYS have created the Action Squad Academy, an online resource bank providing opportunities for young people to be engaged in social action, and to act as a hub for resources and opportunities for the voluntary youth sector. It has a range of resources that directly or indirectly support young people's social action, and includes Clinks' volunteering guides and toolkits. They are inviting people to submit resources and submit opportunities available for 10-20 year olds that work towards the principles of excellent social action. Find out more here

CLINKS MEMBER'S NEWS: orchestras in prisons and YOIs

Lemos&Crane and Orchestras Live are exploring the possibility of developing orchestral activities within custodial settings. If you are from a professional orchestra that has experience of, or aspirations to, work in prisons; or someone in the management of a prison or young offender institution that would be interested in including music work with your prisoners in collaboration with an orchestra, then they would like to hear from you. They are gathering information now, with a view to holding a meeting between interested parties in the summer. Submit an expression of interest here

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Inspecting probation work in London

HM Inspectorate of Probation will be carrying out an inspection of Early Work and Effective Recording undertaken by the National Probation Service (NPS) and Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) in Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster during the week commencing 20th April 2015. If you have any queries about this, please contact the HMI Probation (Enquiries) mailbox at Enquiries.HMIProb@hmiprobation.gsi.gov.uk

FUNDING: for youth volunteering in Wales

The GwirVol Youth Volunteering Grants scheme is now open to support the delivery of new volunteering opportunities for young people aged 14-25 in Wales. The scheme offers three different strands of funding: Creating Opportunities, offering grants of up to £10,000 for new youth volunteering projects; Millennium Volunteers, offering up to £10,000 for organisations looking to recognise the commitment young people give to volunteering through offering the 200 hour award of excellence; and International, offering up to £30,000 for the development of overseas volunteering opportunities benefiting young people and their communities. The deadline for applications is 13th March. Find out more and apply here

FUNDING: supporting residents to be financially independent

Redditch Borough Council is inviting voluntary sector organisations to apply for its Investing Grant Programme, with a total amount available of £75,000. The focus is on Redditch Borough-wide services that provide residents with free, independent and confidential advice to support them to be financially independent. The grants scheme is intended to help sustain and support the work of an organisation, for example, the staffing required to deliver its primary activities, or the premises from which it does so. The deadline for applications is 20th March. Find out more and apply here

FUNDING: developing young people's life skills

Grants of up to £15,000 are available from the London Community Foundation to develop education and life skills in the local communities in Barking and Dagenham, Hackney, Haringey, Lewisham, Southwark and Tower Hamlets. Skills for Life funding is available for voluntary sector organisations and projects that support lifelong learning and employment readiness among disadvantaged and vulnerable children and young people aged between eight and 25 years. The fund concentrates on early support of literacy and life skills, helping people who are starting to struggle, and assisting people to achieve their full potential. Priority will be given to local organisations with an annual turnover of less than £250,000 and a track record of working in the borough where the project will take place. The deadline for applications is 30th March. Find out more and apply here

FUNDING: to empower women

The Department for Communities and Local Government is offering grants of up to £20,000 to voluntary sector organisations for local community engagement projects that empower women. The Women's Empowerment Fund is directed particularly at organisations who demonstrate they can work with women who find it difficult to get their voices heard, including: those who are or can be marginalised; women from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic groups; are disadvantaged or deprived with no or little educational attainment or restricted opportunities; who may have been victims of domestic or sexual abuse; and suffer from barriers that inhibit the accessing of day-to-day services. The closing date for applications is 31st March. Find out more and apply here

FUNDING: developing social entrepreneurs

The Lloyds Banking Group Social Entrepreneurs Programme aims to support community-focused business people across the UK to start or scale-up their projects. Grants of £4,000 are available on the 'Start Up' programme, which will support personal and business skills development for those who are in the early stage of a project or organisation. Grants of £15,000 are available on the 'Scale Up' programme, which will equip established organisations with the tools to develop their enterprise further and maximise their social impact. The deadline for applications is 2nd April. Find out more and apply here

FUNDING: for innovative ideas leading to social change

The Stephen Lloyd Awards are now open to support ideas that address social problems at a systemic level, and to help create success by finding and nurturing innovative ideas and projects that can lead to practical, sustainable social change. The awards will bring together experts that can deliver practical, free support to shortlisted candidates as well as award winners. Shortlisted candidates will receive £2,000 to further develop their ideas, with winners receiving up to £20,000. Applications are open until 10th April. Find out more and apply here

CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: growing through franchising

'Wish you were here' is a Changing Tunes conference [18th March, London, £40] where they will share their experience of growing their charity through franchising. Changing Tunes will be sharing their successes and lessons learned, and will answer the question: ‘Is franchising a successful model of growth for charities?’. This event will be of interest to funding bodies, charities looking to expand sustainably, and members of the prison and justice sectors. The day will feature input from the Chief Inspector of Prisons, Nick Hardwick, and criminologist Prof. Shadd Maruna. Find out more and book your place here

CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: the challenges faced by BAME offenders

POPS is hosting their annual event 'The Anderson Lectures 2015' [26th March, Manchester, free]. Baroness Young will present the recommendations and guidelines arising from the The Young Review, which explores how to address the disparity in outcomes experienced by young black and/or Muslim men in the Criminal Justice System and highlights the need for a collaborative approach to ensure that the needs of service users from this target group are met. The event will also feature the Bringing Hope documentary ‘Inside Out’ which explores the real life experiences of Black, Asian, and minority ethnic offenders and the challenges they face as they transition from prison into the community. Book your place here

CLINKS MEMBER'S EVENT: how can TR providers improve outcomes for BAME offenders?

Black Training and Enterprise Group and Black Southwest Network are hosting an event [2nd April, Bristol, free] to look at learning from the Young Review's recommendations, and the role of Transforming Rehabilitation (TR) providers and local criminal justice agencies in delivering improved outcomes for Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) offenders. Will these new structures and interventions improve outcomes for BAME offenders who experience some of the poorest outcomes across the offender population? What are the specific challenges? How should the new providers and statutory bodies respond? Attendees will be able to share best practice, and make proposals to TR providers and statutory bodies. Find out more and book here

PUBLICATION: the deaths of young adults and children in prison

'Stolen Lives and missed opportunities: The deaths of young adults and children in prison' is an INQUEST report, published by Transition to Adulthood (T2A) Alliance, which analyses the deaths of 65 young adults and children who have died in prison whilst in the care of the state between 1st January 2011 and 31st December 2014. It draws upon the evidence-base accumulated through INQUEST’s specialist casework with bereaved families and associated policy work over the last 30 years. It argues for a fundamental rethink about the use of prison for children and young adults, and makes recommendations for policy makers. Download the report here

CLINKS MEMBERS' VACANCIES

Members' vacancies this week include: A Project Manager with the Wandsworth Community Chaplaincy Trust [London/HMP Wandsworth], an Economic Impact Analyst with the Centre for Justice Innovation [London], a Finance Commercial Manager with Pact [London], a Hostel Support Assistant with Foundation [Selby], a Peer Researcher with User Voice [London], a Support Worker and a Programme Manager with Lancashire Women's Centres [Lancashire], Trustees with Trailblazers Mentoring [meetings held in London], Casual Programme Facilitators with Restorative Thinking [South Cumbria], a Family Support Worker with NEPACS [HMP Holme House], a Recovery and Mentoring Worker [Scarborough] and 3 x Assertive Outreach Workers [Tyneside] with Changing Lives. For further information about these vacancies, and many more, click here. 

TIPS OF THE WEEK

  • Tip of the week I: Get a Friday night ticket to London West End musical 'The Lion King' at the Lyceum Theatre, with an overnight stay at The Grosvenor Hotel, for £119 per person. Details
  • Tip of the week II: Stay at 5 star Ashmount Country House in Harrogate, West Yorkshire from £129 for 2 people. Deal includes breakfast, two-course a la carte meal, chocolates and Prosecco. Details
  • Tip of the week III: To celebrate the start of spring, Pitcher and Piano are offering a free Jameson Irish Mule or pint of Guinness until 31st March. Details

EXTRA INFORMATION

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

 

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