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Devon Reform is a collective of Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Organisations working with the Criminal Justice System in Devon.
It is led by its membership and provides a countywide forum where these groups can support each other, understand each other roles, look for partnership working opportunities and act as a gateway to the statutory agencies.
It was identified from both the VCS and Statutory agencies working within the Criminal Justice system that having an independent and efficient forum was vital in a period of change and increased financial pressures.
There is no hidden agenda but a desire to build a strong membership of VCS organisations and statutory affiliates that can be proactive and effective in being a vehicle for networking and debate.
Article from the press on Devon Reform:
DATE: 5th September 2011
Big Society organisation brings together voluntary sector
to help ex-offenders
A new Devon-based organisation is believed to among the first in England to meet the Big Society vision by harnessing the power of the voluntary sector to reduce re-offending rates in the county and make communities safer.
Devon ReForm is a hub for all the voluntary and charity groups working with ex-offenders in the county. They include housing, relationship, drug and alcohol services which are regarded as essential in helping to rehabilitate and reintegrate former offenders into society.
By joining forces under the Devon ReForm umbrella, these voluntary organisations believe their work will be even more effective in providing a broad and “holistic” support network to ex-offenders. For the statutory agencies, such as the Probation Trust and the Prison Service, that commission much of the specialist work undertaken by the voluntary sector, Devon ReForm offers a “brokering” service to find the right provider.
Manager, Sarah Carlsen Browne says that with around 85% of prisoners now being released back into society after serving a sentence, there is an overwhelming need for an effective and cohesive hub of voluntary sector support agencies to reduce the risk of re-offending. She said: “Devon ReForm was born out of an identified need for a single Devon-wide forum working with offenders and their families and our affiliates all work very hard to meet the complex and varied needs of ex-offenders. Some of these organisations are large and well known and others are small - sometimes individuals – but they all provide vital services. By working together as Devon ReForm there are no gaps in the services we can deliver and as a collective we can share our experience and good-practice. With the prospect of the VCS being relied upon more heavily in the future, this is a model that can work very effectively indeed.”
“Our ability to provide a holistic service means that the needs of an ex-offender and often their families are met effectively, which reduces the likelihood of them re-offending and ultimately makes our communities a safer place to live in” added Sarah Carlsen Browne.
Mary Greener who is General Manager of Devon Drug Service says that Devon ReForm has the potential to be a county- wide network for all VCS organisations that have a part to play in maintaining ex-offenders in a crime-free life. She explains: “They may need help with housing or finding work or they may have relationship or money problems and with a network across Devon, these ex-offenders, in time, will be able to access the same range of services whether they’re in Kingsbridge, Ashburton or Bideford.” She added: “When it comes to funding bids, there are often smaller organisations doing great work, that don’t have the time or capacity to submit bids for funding. By working with statutory agencies like the Devon and Cornwall Police and the Probation service, Devon ReForm is notified when a service needs to be commissioned and will be able to pull together our expertise as a group to prepare bids.”
Tom Gard is from Soberlink, a Devon-based organisation that supports those recovering from alcoholism through mentoring and befriending. “As a new and relatively small organisation, Devon ReForm provides Soberlink with a platform for our specialist service and a network of contacts with whom we can build partnerships. By combining our specialism in mentoring people who are on the start of their journey to long-term sobriety, with others who provide complimentary support, we can provide a strong, effective and robust service that achieves real results.”
A new website has been launched www.devonreform.org which includes a members’ directory with details of services available to ex-offenders and services and opportunities available to partner members.
Sarah Carlsen Browne explains: “The website is interactive and not only displays details about an organisation but acts as a gateway to opportunities. It includes a section on what skills can be shared in the form of a ‘time bank’to help organisations support each other and foster new partnerships across Devon. She added: “We welcome any other new voluntary and community organisations who currently work with ex-offenders or their families. We also welcome those whose primary focus may not currently be with ex-offenders but whose skills and services might be valuable.”
Ruth Roberts from Devon Probation Trust, commissioners of services for ex-offenders said: “This shared approach will certainly provide best value for money in terms of reducing the amount of man hours currently spent finding and appointing the right voluntary sector organisation. We can post our requirements on the website and Devon Reform can act as the broker”
Jane Andersonfrom Devon Drug and Alcohol Team is also a commissioner of services. She said: “Drugs and alcohol misuse are a major cause of re-offending and our role is to identify a particular support need and then find the right supplier. Devon ReForm will certainly be able to assist with our efforts to do this.”
CASE STUDY:
Devon and Cornwall Partnership – Lucy Allison
“Devon and Cornwall Partnership is a new charity set up to reduce re-offending and prevent crime across the Peninsula. We aim to deliver specific projects to meet specific needs that will ultimately make Devon and Cornwall a safer place to live.
We have already worked with Devon Reform to source several voluntary sector organisations with the expertise to deliver some important work. Effectively, someone has already done our networking and provided us with a shortlist of partners. This has saved a huge amount of time and has enabled us to fast-track the delivery of services and support work." -
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