Overview
Clinks provides a range of support to voluntary organisations working within London's criminal justice system. With several hundred charities and social enterprises operating in a complex funding and operational environment, navigating the overlapping responsibilities of agencies like the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), London Probation, London Prisons Group, the Metropolitan Police, and London Councils can be challenging.
The Mayor of London, serving as the city’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), works with the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime under devolved powers to set policing and crime priorities. MOPAC, led by the Mayor, plays a central role in coordinating criminal justice agencies and funding rehabilitation services, alongside other agencies commissioning voluntary organisations.
Through our Area Development team and London Development Officer, Clinks engages with local needs, builds strategic partnerships, and amplifies the voices of voluntary organisations working to support people in contact with the criminal justice system.
Our work
Keeping the voluntary sector informed
We are committed to keeping voluntary sector organisations informed by regularly sharing criminal justice updates and commissioning news through sector wide mailings and newsletters. These communications ensure that our members and others in the sector are up to date with the latest developments and opportunities.
To help organisations working across London stay connected and informed, we provide additional updates through regular forums and events, and regularly email updates. These communications cover policy developments, opportunities for commissioning and grant funding, training, events, valuable resources, publications, and campaigns. Please contact our London Development Officer to be added to the mailing list.
Enhancing sustainability
Our London Development Officer works directly with members to understand their sustainability challenges and gather insights that we share in commissioning forums. We connect members with relevant grant funding opportunities and support them to engage with public procurement processes, providing sharing information on competitive tendering and commissioned contracts where appropriate. We feed back our members’ experiences to commissioners to help improve commissioning processes.
Listening and acting on the experiences and views of the voluntary sector
We actively gather intelligence from voluntary organisations in London on emerging topics and key policy developments through:
- Email call-outs for information
- Small group discussions at London Criminal Justice forums
- Specific focus groups
The information gathered is then collated and shared to inform our representative work officials in the Ministry of Justice and HMPPS and other stakeholders, ensuring that the voices and insights of our members are considered in national and local policy decisions.
Promoting the expertise of the voluntary sector
Clinks works in partnership with organisations and agencies to build strategic relationships and represents the voluntary organisations within statutory structures in London, including:
- The London Reducing Reoffending Board
- The London Disproportionality Board
- The London Out of Court Disposals Partnership Board
- The Metropolitan Police Out of Court Disposals Advisory Board
- The MOPAC Third Sector & Service User Voice
Our involvement ensures the sector’s views, experiences, and expertise is considered in decision making processes, and that proven and innovative approaches to improving outcomes for people in contact with the criminal justice system are promoted.
In addition, we work closely with commissioners, including the Mayor of London, London Probation, London Prisons Group, and local authorities, to foster meaningful engagement with the voluntary sector. We use the intelligence gathered from the sector to influence the design and delivery of services for better outcomes.
Facilitating networks and collaboration
We have an extensive network in London, connecting Clinks members, the wider voluntary sector, and key statutory bodies including MOPAC, London Probation, Prisons, and HMPPS/MoJ officials. Our London Development Officer can help you connect with these networks and provides valuable opportunities for networking and collaboration. This support is provided through one-to-one assistance, online forums, in-person events, and regular mailings.
Get involved
The London Criminal Justice Forum
Our Criminal Justice Forum brings together voluntary organisations and stakeholders working across London in the criminal justice system.
These forums offer an opportunity for you to stay informed about current and future developments in criminal justice and foster open discussions on policies and practice that impact everyday work. They are designed to strengthen partnership working and provide a platform to address opportunities or challenges your organisation may be facing.
Our London Development Officer convenes the quarterly forum events and liaises regularly with attendees to share information, provide advice, and offer support.
Why attend?
Get involved for opportunities to:
- Connect with other organisations working in London
- Hear from expert speakers on topics relevant to criminal justice
- Showcase your work, share good practice, and learn from others
- Receive policy updates from Clinks
- Receive the latest updates, commissioning, and funding directly from London Criminal Justice agencies including The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), the Metropolitan Police and London Probation
Register your attendance
All voluntary organisations working in the London criminal justice system are invited to attend. Discover details of upcoming forums.
To attend or present at a future forum, contact our London Development Officer.