Clinks is delighted to announce the appointment of Dame Anne Owers OBE as our new Chair. She will take up the post in January 2011. Anne is prominent across the Criminal Justice System of England & Wales for her role as HM Chief Inspector of Prisons (2001-2010) and as a committed human rights campaigner. Read the full story at Clinks Press Releases

CLINKS NEWS: new website launched

We have now launched our new website, where you’ll find everything you need to know about Clinks and our work in supporting the VCS working with offenders. The new site features new staff profiles, better publications section, a search facility, the ability to become a member and subscribe to our ebulletins online, and an organic links section. Make sure you add us to your favourites at: www.clinks.org

CLINKS NEWS: Clinks on Twitter

Clinks are on Twitter! You can follow us @Clinks_Tweets, where we’ll continue our role of keeping you informed and up to speed with developments affecting the VCS in the Criminal Justice System. Even if you don’t use Twitter, you can view our Tweets at: www.twitter.com/Clinks_Tweets

CLINKS MEMBER’S EVENT: Payment by Results seminar

'Payment by results: What does it mean for voluntary organisations working with offenders?' is a free morning seminar [14^th September, London] which will provide an opportunity to explore and discuss payment by results, how is applies to work with offenders, the potential implications for the Sector, and how it might be used to best effect. Only 30 places are available. Check if you're a Clinks member here, then apply for a place here

CLINKS EVENT: Arts Alliance conference

'New Policy, New Evidence' is the 2010 National Conference [28^th & 29^th September, London, FREE for Clinks Members] of the Arts Alliance that will focus on why art works in supporting and rehabilitating offenders. The conference will host the inaugural Anne Peaker Debate and feature a speech from Michael Spurr, CEO of NOMS. Find out more and book your place at: http://www.clinks.org/training/events/arts_alliance

CLINKS EVENT: income generation

Want to maximise your organisation’s potential? Want to take the edge off the impact of spending cuts? Clinks and The Development Trusts Association are delivering a one day workshop [20^th September, Birmingham, £50] that will take you through the first steps to generating your own income. Full details and bookings at: DTA

CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: Ken Clarke’s speech to the Judges Dinner

Justice Secretary Ken Clarke reiterates his plans for a rehabilitation revolution when addressing the Lord Mayor’s Annual Judges Dinner last week. In particular he draws on international comparisons to justify a potential reduction in the prison population and states the Government are reviewing current policy rather than introducing new legislation. Read the full speech at MoJ

GOVERNMENT NEWS: Nick Clegg’s latest speech

Clinks Director, Clive Martin, was at the Centre Forum on Wednesday to hear Nick Clegg's speech 'Closing the gap: building an opportunity society'. Clegg spoke about social mobility as a priority; breaking the link between parental and child achievement; breaking academic and vocational education apartheid; and introducing a children’s premium for schools that will "help pupils overcome the accident of birth". Read Clive's Tweets here

GOVERNMENT NEWS: Cutting VCS bureaucracy

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts will lead a new cutting red-tape taskforce to flush out burdens on the voluntary sector. The taskforce will have a particular remit to consider the full range of burdens that fall on small civil society organisations. Minister for Civil Society, Nick Hurd, said: "Every pound or hour we can save a small voluntary organisation is a pound or hour that could be better spent" Read the press release at: Cabinet Office

FUNDING: for organisations supporting the police

The West Yorkshire Police Community Trust seek to allocate financial assistance on an annual basis to activities that assist in the reduction of crime and improve the quality of life for people living, working and visiting West Yorkshire. The theme for the 2010 Main Grant Round is 'Projects/Activities that Address the Local Policing Priorities Identified by Local Communities'. The main grant deadline is 10^th September, and you can find out the local priorities and apply at: West Yorkshire Police

FUNDING: to increase participation in sport

The Sports Participation Fund opens to applications from London organisations on Monday 23^rd August. The Fund aims to increase participation in sport and promote better health and social cohesion. Not for profit organisations can bid for between £50k and £250k for projects which use sport as a hook to help 'at risk' young adults (16-25 year olds), or for projects which use sport to assist in community development, as well as for those projects that simply get Londoners active. For further information see the GLA website next week: http://www.london.gov.uk/priorities/sport

EVENT: T2A at the party conferences

‘Better for Less: Robust community alternatives to custody for young people’ are two T2A fringe events at the Labour Party [28^th September, Manchester] and Conservative Party [6^th October, Birmingham] conferences. They will explore the different approaches to custody for young adult offenders. Both of these debates are open events, but if you wish to attend, or if you have any questions or queries at this stage, contact andrew.legon@champollion.co.uk

EVENT: Big Society in Yorkshire & The Humber

Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society, will be the key speaker at the Yorkshire & the Humber Regional Forum's 'Big Society Unplugged' conference [11^th November, Sheffield]. This is a unique opportunity to find out the very latest news and thinking, and to tell one of the key people in the design of Big Society how you think it will affect the lives of the VCS and of communities in Yorkshire and the Humber. Details at: YHRF

EVENT: child poverty

'Child poverty: everybody's business' is a NAVCA conference [12^th October, Newcastle upon Tyne, £45 VCS] that aims to give you the opportunity to hear about and discuss some of the key issues, policies and plans to tackle child poverty. With presentations from the Government's Child Poverty Unit, the Child Poverty Action Group, C4EO and Save the Children; and workshops by the National Children's Bureau, Fairbridge Training, Citizens Advice and Youth Access. Details and bookings at: NAVCA

TRAINING: supporting families affected by substance misuse

Adfam are delivering training courses in September to allow professionals to access their training on an individual basis, in various locations. Courses include: Families & Treatment - Effective working for Drug and Alcohol practitioners, Good practice training for professionals on engaging and supporting grandparents carers, and Young people and substance misuse - A family approach to treatment. Details, dates and bookings at Adfam

TRAINING: mental health

Community Links have a range of mental health training courses. They have the following courses currently subsidised to £80 per person: Mental Health First Aid [dates in October, Huddersfield, Leeds & Brigg] and Youth Mental Health First Aid [30^th November & 1st December, Brigg]. Full details and bookings at: Community Links

PUBLICATION: achieving the rehabilitation revolution

'Turning the Corner' is the latest Young Foundation report that argues more experimentation and innovation is needed within the criminal justice system for the coalition government's "rehabilitation revolution" to succeed. The report provides an overview of both the challenges and the potential solutions. It looks at the misaligned incentives that block effective prevention and at the results of over-reliance on incarceration. It argues that reformers need support to get better at designing, rapidly testing and then scaling innovations. Download it at: Young Foundation

PUBLICATION: linking health and crime

'Public health and criminal justice' is a Centre for Mental Health report that states the Government's proposed Public Health Service should have improving mental health and reducing crime among its major national priorities. It concludes that offending and mental ill health often have the same causes and that Directors of Public Health will be in an ideal position to reduce the risks of both within their local communities. Download at: Centre for Mental Health

PUBLICATION: combating drugs in prison

'Coming Clean: Combating drug misuse in prisons' is a Policy Exchange report that claims official approaches to the problem of drugs in prisons had clearly failed. It highlighted the 'mismanagement' of the integrated drug treatment system, and said that it had became the easy option for prisoners' habits to simply be maintained by the state, with little effort made to properly address their addictions. Download at: Policy Exchange

PUBLICATION: prisons as places of work and learning

'How do we make prisons places of work and learning?' is an article from Del Roy Fletcher that draws upon his experience of evaluating pre-release vocational training schemes to highlight some of the challenges that will have to be met if prisons are to be transformed into places of work and learning. He argues that policy makers must significantly reduce the prison population; implement a major programme of ‘justice reinvestment’ to staunch the flow of offenders from our most deprived communities; and introduce small community-based prisons to better facilitate the resettlement of inmates. Download at: Sheffield Hallam University

CONSULTATION: future of the police

'Policing in the 21st century: reconnecting police and the people' is the Home Office's consultation on effective policing. The elements of this consultation can broadly be divided into two parts. The first are specific commitments already made in the Coalition Agreement, where the government is not consulting on whether they should happen, but how best they can be implemented. The second are broader areas where the government is asking for views on whether and how to achieve its aims. Have your say at: Home Office

RESOURCE: Meeting space

Media for Development have recently launched a new social enterprise, Sparkbox, a creative training, events and meeting space based in Hoxton Square, London. The space is available for hire on a half day, full day or evening basis and weekends by negotiation. They are offering a 15% discount to recipients of Light Lunch for their first booking. Details at: Sparkbox

RESOURCE: Evidence for volunteering organisations

The Institute of Volunteering Research has launched a new, free research database. At present the Evidence Bank contains about 200 entries from IVR, and whilst most of them are a few years old, it does feature one from 2010. It is planning to expand to include third party resources. Take a look at: IVR

RESOURCE: for organisations working in Youth Justice

Youth Justice Board (YJB) have just published their first 'Voluntary and Community Sector Bulletin'. The quarterly newsletter is targeted at VCS organisations working in the youth justice system, and features an overview by CEO John Drew, some statistics, examples of good practice and news form the YJB. It's not available on their website yet, but you can sign up by emailing comms@yjb.gov.uk

OPPORTUNITY: Researcher needed

Broadway Homelessness and Housing Support are seeking an independent evaluation of their new Skills Exchange project. This is an opportunity to work alongside the project from its early stages and offer research input to help us shape and improve the project through ongoing learning as well as preparing final evaluation outputs. We are seeking an individual or organisation who can commit to working alongside the project for three and a half years. Details at: Broadway

CLINKS MEMBERS VACANCIES

There are lots of criminal justice vacancies on our new website from our members, including SOVA, Together Women Project, Foundation UK, Inquest and Sussex Pathways. They are located right across the country in Sussex, London, North Yorkshire, West Midlands and Sheffield. Take a look at: Clinks Members vacancies

TIPS OF THE WEEK…

TIP OF THE WEEK I: Staples are offering 20 free CVs on production of this voucher. Thanks to Light Lunch reader Carolyn @ Gingerbread for this tip!

TIP OF THE WEEK II:lastminute.com is offering tickets to Highlight comedy clubs across the country plus a free burger for £5.50. Venues in Portsmouth, Glasgow, Reading, Watford, Birmingham, Leeds, Leicester, Edinburgh and London (Camden & Clapham). Details at: lastminute.com

TIP OF THE WEEK III: Free cocktail, wine or Pimms at any Pitcher & Piano throughout August. Get yours here

TIP OF THE WEEK IV: Get 50% off at Chessington World of Adventures with this voucher

TIP OF THE WEEK V: Get 20% off a £75 spend online at Mothercare until 26^th August using the code 'VFL'

Date Published:

20/08/2010

Source:

CLINKS