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The Network is pleased to announce that we have been successful in securing grant funding from the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), which runs from December 2011 to March 2014. The NBP is one of a group of third sector organisations that have been chosen to deliver a project that aims to reduce reoffending through volunteering & mentoring.
NBP's work will focus on 3 key areas:
- raising awareness of Criminal Justice System volunteering opportunities for BME individuals
- identify and reduce barriers to volunteering for BME individuals
- developing strategies to enable individuals from BME communities to support offenders & ex-offenders through mentoring & volunteering
The main activity for the remainder of 2011/12 will be to host awareness sessions within our networking events to highlight opportunities within the Criminal Justice System for our members and others from BME communities who would like to find out more about how to support an offender or ex-offender.
It is clear from CJS data that individuals from some BME communities are over-represented at all stages of the criminal justice process with Black Britons being four times as likely to be imprisoned than might be expected based on their representation of British population (MoJ 2010). It is also clear from research that rehabilitative programmes targeted at BME prisoners and run by BME volunteers and independent BME organisations have strong support from prisoners (Hassan, E. and Thiara, R. 2000).
The sessions will be a part of our evening networking events taking place in the New Year – London (25th January), Birmingham (29th February) and Manchester (21st March). So if you would like to meet some people already working with offenders and find out how you can get involved, book your place now to attend one of the three events or email us at enq@nbp.org.uk.
Volunteering and mentoring is a real opportunity for you to make a positive difference and provides an additional benefit in personal and professional development. We look forward to seeing you at the events and we are confident that the Network, with your support, will make a difference.
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