Administration and Partnership Support Officer, Community Justice Glasgow
You will likely now be aware of previous http://cjg-annualreport23.co.uk/ Community Justice Glasgow (CJG) Annual Reporter editions. Many of our core statutory and non-statutory partners contribute to this not only in the recording and provision of articles for the Annual Report but also during the course of the year, and at times, in an operational capacity.
Part of the CJG Partnership’s aims is to encourage service and resource re-alignment and maintain effective partnership working to the benefit of citizens involved in the justice system. This effectively means that by sharing up to date information in a regular way, services working with clients become aware of what is available, who it suits and how it can help. This means clients can be signposted at appropriate junctures in their journey to consider other supports which may help improve their desistance opportunities. Often this can be a referral to education, training or volunteering courses, assistance with job interviews and CV completion or help with provision of interview clothing. For others it may mean accessing support for family members, through visiting prisons or assisting with travel arrangements, or maximising income and benefits, and for others it can be accessing help on alcohol, drugs, or gambling issues. All of these form part of the broad range of assisting services which are available across the Community Justice Glasgow Partnership areas. It also means that where one organisation is providing a specific service, that may not be the only support that is required for the individual and is perhaps not provided by that organisation. By raising awareness of neighbouring or cross cutting services clients can be signposted to other areas of support, and once they finish with a service, they do not end abruptly, and means there is ongoing support and assistance to that individual, if it is required.
One of the keyways of carrying out this task is in the hosting of the CJG Let’s Get Events. These have evolved over the years and bring together a range of partners and organisations to participate in an event to connect, update and inform those working in the justice arena with all the latest developments. A key feature of the events is to host spotlight sessions for organisations who wish to raise awareness and improve referral pathways and ensure their services are known by those working to support people in the justice system.
These are often regarded as valuable in the sense of getting out appropriate, up to date messages, raising awareness of the services, details of who they serve, highlighting specific criteria requirements and contact information details.
At the October 2023 Let’s Get Reconnected Event which you can read more about in the articles ‘Collaborative Delivery in a Permacrisis’ and ‘Every Contact Leaves a Trace’– so many organisations had applied to feature for a spotlight session that our team had to commit to host a range of online sessions after the live event to cover the demand.
In the summer of 2024, a range of providers were contacted with the offer to carry out an Online Information Session, targeting the justice networks of CJG, ensuring that these services were able to highlight their own work, share details and make strong connections with other relevant services.
A programme of sessions was arranged via Microsoft Teams, ensuring an efficient and time saving use of officers’ time. The sessions last around 30-40 minutes and the host organisation will make a presentation on their services, after which a Question-and-Answer session takes place to clarify any points the audience may have. Sessions were held by:-
- Families Outside – https://www.familiesoutside.org.uk/
- Venture Trust – https://www.venturetrust.org.uk/
- GamCare – https://www.gamcare.org.uk/
- Access to Industry – https://accesstoindustry.co.uk/
- Department for Work and Pensions: A Day in the Life of a Prison Work Coach – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-and-prison-leavers/supporting-prison-leavers-a-guide-to-universal-credit
Sessions were well attended, ranging from 30-60 plus participants, which demonstrates a strong desire by members to be kept updated. Following the sessions contact details are shared along with any presentations shown ensuring that onward working connections across services can be progressed.
“Thank you, that was fab”
“Thanks, we will definitely be in touch”
“Really informative”
“Thank you, it was really helpful to participate today”
The comments illustrate the benefits of hosting these sessions and because of their popularity CJG has committed to providing another range of sessions in the Autumn of 2024, including the work of the Citizens Advice Bureau within HMP Barlinnie, and the forthcoming Glasgow Integrated Joint Board’s Scottish Drugs Consumption Facility https://glasgowcity.hscp.scot/sdcf expected to open in Glasgow in October 2024.
If you wish to participate and propose your organisation for an information slot in the future, please do let us know, by making it known to any of the team or contacting us direct at communityjustice@glasgow.gov.uk and we will be happy to help set this up.