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35,847 claims
Clinks has increased its membership base from 514 members at the start of the year to 570 by the end.
We started the year with 514 members and concluded with 570, reflecting a steady increase in membership throughout the year.
Service · Observational claim · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 51
Clinks aims to increase engagement opportunities for its network members in policy development and decision-making processes.
Increase engagement opportunities for our network members to ensure that their voice and expertise are platformed across Government departments, statutory bodies and other relevant forums.
Commissioning · Commitment statement · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 42
Clinks supports the voluntary sector by providing dedicated staff and resources to keep them informed about criminal justice priorities.
We have continued to ensure that the voluntary sector across England and Wales has access to a wide range of specialist and 1:1 support from our dedicated staff based in areas and through our thematic networks.
Service · Operational statement · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 44
Clinks plans to amplify its network's voice through various mechanisms by 2026.
By 2026, we will have further amplified our voice through our ‘network of networks’, ensuring that the sector has access to the avenues through which they can influence key decisionmakers and have their voices heard.
Commissioning · Commitment statement · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 42
Clinks has established a Special Interest Group on tackling racial disparities in the criminal justice system.
The second was the RR3 Reference Group on tackling racial disparities in the criminal justice system. This group was established as a ‘Reference Group’ to acknowledge that race should not be considered as a special interest.
Commissioning · Procedural statement · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 40
Clinks has strengthened its network of relationships with key decision-makers to advocate for the sector.
We used this strengthened voice to advocate for the sector and to enable our members’ own voices to be represented in key forums: contributing to the continued development of policy and practice.
Governance · Policy statement · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 36
Clinks aims to increase connections between the voluntary sector and policy makers by 2026.
By 2026 we will have increased the opportunities for the voluntary sector to connect with one another and to policy makers and funders, nationally, regionally and locally.
Commissioning · Policy statement · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 34
Clinks events received high ratings, with 93% of participants rating them as 'Good' or 'Very Good'.
93% of participants rated our events as ‘Good’ or ‘Very Good.’
Service · Observational claim · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 28
The Women’s Network has an average of 340 registered individual members from 167 organisations.
Our women’s network continues to thrive, with an average of 340 registered individual members from 167 organisations providing specialist services for women.
Service · Observational claim · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 26
The Good Prison Project at HMP Isis has increased voluntary sector involvement in prison activities.
During this second year of the Good Prison Project, we have increased the impact and involvement of the voluntary sector within HMP Isis.
Service · Observational claim · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 25
Clinks provided over 100 voluntary organisations in London with forums to share best practices and receive learning on evidencing impact.
More than 100 organisations, the majority small and specialist, attended our London Forums, sharing best practice and receiving vital learning on areas such as evidencing impact and embracing technology in frontline delivery.
Service · Observational claim · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 24
Clinks connects members to statutory partners and funders through regional forums and networks.
We have also increased avenues through which the sector can access the specialist information, guidance and resources that they need to thrive within a challenging environment. Organisations are now connected in geographical areas and the places that they operate in, and via our thematic networks to ensure that we continue to provide vital infrastructure support to small and specialist organisations that need us most.
Operational · Procedural statement · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 20
Clinks aims to increase understanding of the voluntary sector's value and role by 2026.
By 2026, we will have further increased the understanding of the value, role and specialist knowledge of the voluntary sector.
Strategic · Commitment statement · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 18
The State of the Sector report highlights significant challenges for voluntary organisations working in criminal justice, including funding instability and increased service demand.
The key findings illustrate the challenging environment within which the sector continues to operate. Funding remains a significant challenge, particularly the destabilising impact of short-term funding cycles. Organisations also reported increasing demand for their services, with service users presenting more complex needs.
Research · Observational claim · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 15
Clinks aims to increase understanding of the voluntary sector's role within the criminal justice system.
Our role remains to ensure that statutory bodies both understand and acknowledge this role, as well as supporting the sector to navigate the complexities of an ever-evolving system.
Strategic · Commitment statement · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 10
The voluntary sector plays an essential role in providing support within the prison and probation systems.
Given the longstanding instability apparent throughout both the prison and probation systems, the role of the voluntary sector as a guarantor of essential support is as important as ever.
Context · Observational claim · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 10
Clinks aims to increase and improve knowledge of voluntary organisations' roles among criminal justice system practitioners by 2025.
By 2025 we will increase and improve the knowledge and understanding of the role and value of voluntary organisations, especially small and specialist ones, among criminal justice system practitioners.
Strategic · Commitment statement · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 7
The Independent Review of Sentencing acknowledges the importance of the voluntary sector and recommends specific ways to fund and support it.
As we reflect on the year, the Independent Review of Sentencing has been published and its clear to see the influence our sector has had on its recommendations. We especially welcome the recognition of the sector’s importance to the review’s implementation, in making specific recommendations as to how to fund and support the sector, to best fulfil its role supporting people in the criminal justice system.
Policy · Observational claim · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 3
The voluntary sector in criminal justice has been advocating for evidence-based changes due to the crisis of overcrowded prisons.
The voluntary sector in criminal justice has been crying out for evidence-based changes to address the lack of opportunity for people in prison and under probation supervision, to get the support they need and deserve.
Policy · Observational claim · From Clinks — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 3
The King's Fund worked on five projects under its contract with DHSC and the University of York in 2024.
During 2024, we worked on five projects under the call-off contract that we have in partnership with the University of York, for rapid research to support DHSC’s policy needs.
Commissioning · Operational statement · From The King's Fund — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 December 2024, page 74