Wales

Overview

Clinks understands the importance of representing our members in Wales and the complexities of navigating devolved and non-devolved legislation and policy, as well as the opportunities devolution provides for our sector.

Wales, one of the constituent nations of the UK, has a devolved parliament (Senedd) and government (The Welsh Government) with the authority to legislate in over 20 areas of law, including health, education, and accommodation- all of which affect people in contact with the criminal justice system. However, Criminal Justice, including courts, policing, and prisons, is not devolved and remains under UK Government’s jurisdiction through the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Home Office, and His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS). There is strong collaboration between UK justice agencies and the Welsh government to ensure a cohesive system.

Wales has four public sector prisons and one private sector prison/young offenders institution. Whilst there are no women’s prisons in Wales, the country was selected to be the pilot area for the MoJ Women’s Residential Centre that will operate in Swansea. Wales is also divided into policing areas, each led by an elected Police & Crime Commissioner.

Clinks is dedicated to supporting our members in Wales as they navigate these complex frameworks. Through our Senior Development Officer (Wales), we engage with local needs, build strategic partnerships, and ensure the voices of organisations delivering services in Wales, and the people they support, are heard.

Our work

Connect Lead Inform Collaborate

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 Wales 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 Senior Development Officer (Wales) to be added to the mailing list.

Enhancing sustainability

Our Senior Development Officer (Wales) works directly with Network 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 Wales on emerging topics and key policy developments through:

Email call-outs for information
Small group discussions at Wales 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 (MoJ) and His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (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 represents the voluntary sector in Wales through a variety of strategic boards, including:

The Criminal Justice Board for Wales
Wales Women in Justice Board
HMPPS Wales Commissioning & Collaboration Forum
Regional Homelessness Prevention Taskforce meetings
Criminal Justice in Wales Race & Justice Delivery Group
Women’s Blueprint Research & Evaluation Work Stream
Women’s Blueprint Comms Working group
Women’s Blueprint Resettlement Work Stream
North Wales Justice Board
Dyfed Powys Local Criminal Justice Board

Our involvement ensures the sector’s views, experiences, and expertise are 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.

Championing the voluntary sector at the highest levels

We play an important role in championing the women’s specialist voluntary sector at the highest levels through the Wales Seat on the Reducing Reoffending Third Sector Advisory Group (RR3). Chaired by Clinks, this influential group of senior voluntary sector leaders amplifies the voices, concerns, and vital work of organisations supporting people in contact with the criminal justice system.

Facilitating networks and collaboration

We have an extensive network in Wales, connecting Clinks members, the wider voluntary sector, and key statutory bodies, including Welsh Government and His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service and Ministry of Justice officials. Our Senior Development Officer (Wales) 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 All Wales Criminal Justice Forum

The All Wales Criminal Justice forum brings together voluntary organisations and stakeholders working across Wales in the criminal justice system.

These forums offer an opportunity for people 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 Senior Development Officer (Wales) 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 voluntary organisations delivering services in Wales
Discuss sector news, including commissioning and funding opportunities
Explore the latest government policy developments impacting organisations working in Wales
Receive policy updates from Clinks
Hear from expert speakers on topics relevant to criminal justice
Showcase your work, share good practice, and learn from others