DO YOU HAVE THE CONVICTION TO WORK WITH US?

We are a small organisation looking to find someone who can strengthen our team by assisting the Chief Executive in the leadership of the charity. Key focus will be on developing and implementing policies, and on building deeper relationships within Scottish justice.

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
a new post
Reporting to: Chief Executive

CONTEXT
Our mandate is to ensure that people punished within the justice system and those who have left it can be positive about their future life prospects.

‘Positive Prison? Positive Futures… SCIO’ (PP?PF) registered as a charity in September 2012. Since then we have consolidated our role as a key stakeholder with the Scottish Government Community Justice Division and the Scottish Prison Service, while also finding our voice among the other organisations involved with Scottish criminal justice. Through working with groups and in one-to-one settings inside prisons and elsewhere people in, or affected by, the justice system are given the opportunity to recognise that they can rebuild their lives without further offending. Our efforts focus mainly, but not exclusively, on short-term prisoners and young offenders primarily because there is little statutory support for these people when re-joining the community.

Our team of people – both staff and volunteers – with lived experience of the justice system has grown during their own journey to find or re-establish their place in society, and reaffirm their contribution as citizens.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

– To promote the ethos and values of the organisation at all times to deliver key priorities.

– To assist the Chief Executive with the management of staff, volunteers and priorities to maintain progress towards organisational objectives.

– To work alongside the Chief Executive to maximise operational effectiveness in all areas of the organisation’s work including the identification and management of risks.

– To support the Chief Executive in the co-ordination, development and delivery of oral and written updates to the board to accurately reflect all matters relating to people, operations and financial management of the organisation.

– To identify, facilitate and contribute to internal and external discussion on proposals that further the objectives of the organisation, and facilitate debate as the need arises. This may include UK-wide travel as required.

– To contribute to the representation of the organisation at external events/meetings, contribution to consultations etc and the handling of media inquiries.

– To deliver within deadlines, and ensure that staff and volunteers are supported to do the same.

– To facilitate on-going Learning and Development within the organisation, and champion a culture of continuous improvement, individually and collectively.

– To recognise the potential that individuals from differing backgrounds, experiences and perspectives bring to the organisation.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The following range of skills, knowledge and experience are required, please reflect this in your application. Short-listing for interview will be based on meeting these requirements.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

– Lived experience of the Scottish Justice system.

– The ability and commitment to contribute to an organisation that promotes change in social policy for the benefit of people caught up in or affected by the criminal justice system in Scotland.

– Well-developed interpersonal and negotiation skills (oral and written) with an ability to influence, build and maintain positive and constructive engagement with a range of stakeholders in order to raise awareness of PPPF to key partners and the wider public.

– Strong planning and organisational skills including the ability to balance competing priorities to meet task deadlines.

– Adaptable, demonstrating flexibility in tackling unexpected tasks or supporting other staff members to do so with a capacity to work flexible hours as required.

– A self-starter with the ability to identify and develop new opportunities that are aligned with the ethos, aims and objectives of the organisation including the identification of potential funding sources.

– The capability to form and sustain relationships with other organisations.

– A competent user of IT equipment and Microsoft Office and familiarity with use of the internet and key social media channels.

DESIRABLE

– Experience in the line management and/or support of other staff

– Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.

– Legible handwriting for use on flipcharts/whiteboards etc

Application notes:
Please send your CV and cover letter to admin@positiveprison.org

Closing date for applications is 12 noon on Friday 29th April 2016

Interviews will take place in Glasgow on Thursday 5th May 2016

Enquiries to: Pete White, Chief Executive – pete.white@positiveprison.org

Positive Prison? Positive Futures… SCIO Scottish Charity No: SC043426

∙ Robertson House ∙ 152 Bath Street ∙ Glasgow ∙ G2 4TB ∙

Salary: £28,000
Salary info: Fixed Term to 31st March 2017. Hours: 40/week some of which may be considered anti-social.
Status: Full time
Closing date: 29/04/16
Location: Glasgow Charity offices, with home working by agreement

We have been informed by the Scottish Prison Service that the procedures for ending Friday Releases will begin on Monday 1st February 2016. This was part of the Scottish Government’s Prisoners (Control of Early release) (Scotland) Act 2015 .

The relevant law is contained in Section 2 of the above Act and is reproduced below: –

2 Release timed to benefit re-integration

(1) The Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993 is amended as follows.

(2) After section 26B there is inserted—

(1) Where a prisoner is to be released by the Scottish Ministers, they may release the prisoner on a day that is earlier than the day on which the prisoner would otherwise fall to be released (but this is subject to subsections (2) and (3)).

(2) The release of a prisoner may be brought forward under subsection (1) only if, in the Scottish Ministers’ opinion, it would be better for the prisoner’s re-integration into the community for the prisoner to be released on the earlier day than on the day on which the prisoner would otherwise fall to be released.

(3) The release of a prisoner may not be brought forward under subsection (1) by more than 2 days.

(4) In a case in which section 27(7) applies, a reference in this section to the day on which a prisoner would fall to be released is to the day on which the prisoner would fall to be released by virtue of that section.

(5) This section does not apply in relation to a prisoner who is serving a sentence of imprisonment for a term of less than 15 days.”.

Essentially this gives Scottish Ministers, through the offices of Prison Governors, the power to release a prisoner up top two days early from their sentence, IF it will help with their reintegration back to the community (The above provision will not apply to all prisoners due for release on a Friday). This is important because Friday release is such a problem for some people. Upon release they often do not have time to fit into a day the number of appointments and meetings that they have to attend. It is made much worse when the release is on a Friday and all support services are then closed for the week-end.

The two day margin will allow releases to be made on a Wednesday when the Friday is a bank holiday.

This bit of legislation came about following a meeting with Scottish Government Ministers and ourselves. The Ministers listened intently to Colin Jenkins as he outlined the problems that arise with Friday release. These would invariably include an almost immediate return to offending behaviour so that you could get some shelter for the weekend. Colin sadly passed on before this legislation was even put on the table but “Colin’s Law”, as we refer to it, is a fitting tribute and legacy for his contribution made that day to the Scottish Ministers.

As yet, we do not have proposals or procedures as to how this will be implemented within each institution but we will share that information as soon as we receive it…

 

Evolved Art came about through former prisoner William Sinclair looking for somewhere to continue practising art upon liberation from prison. Having found nothing in place or nowhere to go, he started the process of running a class for people with convictions and others going through the criminal justice system to attend and express themselves in a friendly environment.

After 18 months the idea has become reality and classes are now running from Theatre Nemo Studio in Glasgow

 

For up to date information on Evolved Art projects and events please join their mailing list using this link http://eepurl.com/bNMzTX

Our Trustee Professor Nancy Loucks has been awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours list. This was for her work as Chief Executive of Families Outside as well as being a visiting Professor at Strathclyde University law school.

We extend our warmest congratulations to Nancy for this fully deserved recognition for her valuable work…

Well that’s us just about finished another successful mentoring course – the theory and practice thereof. Modesty prevents us from putting up the feedback receive – our egos are already big enough without independent affirmation!

We will be looking to run another set of mentoring courses in the new year – keep an eye out on our newsletter for details. And we are looking to expand our training provision also – so if you offer course that you think might help the journey back to the community then feel free to get in touch…

Please note that the following reports have been published on the Scottish Government website:

INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CUSTODIAL MODELS FOR WOMEN: KEY MESSAGES FOR SCOTLAND

THE FUTURE OF THE FEMALE CUSTODIAL ESTATE

These reports can be found on the Scottish Government website via the following links –

http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/10/7805

http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0048/00487229.pdf

A further report has been published on the Scottish Prison Service website – WOMEN IN CUSTODY – SPS SYMPOSIUM REPORT

This report can be accessed via the following link –

http://www.sps.gov.uk/Corporate/Publications/Publication-3592.aspx

What is an Independent Prison Monitor?

An Independent Prison Monitor is a brand new volunteering role for Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland. The role holds statutory authority under the Public Services Reform (Inspection and Monitoring of Prisons) (Scotland) Order 2015. It is an essential role within the Scottish justice system as it helps ensure prisoners’ human rights are upheld and that life in prison contributes to their rehabilitation.
Independent Prison Monitors will provide an independent viewpoint on the humane treatment and conditions for prisoners in all prisons across Scotland and will conduct investigations either as a result of a prisoner raising an issue or from observations that are made during prison visits. Monitors will also be expected to report formally on their findings.

Further application details available from the new HMIPS website…or from public appointments website.