Case Studies

There is already a lot of good work going on between local support and development organisations and organisations in the Criminal Justice System. Research has shown 11% of NAVCA members provide direct support to groups who work with offenders, former offenders and their families. The case studies on this page give a flavour of what is happening. To encourage partnership working in 2009 NAVCA launched its Networking Support Grant fund, examples of the work undertaken are shown here.

Case studies are available to download in pdf format.

• Adur CVS Homefront and HMP Ford (32 KB) Working with offender volunteers
• Sefton CVS and HMP Kennet Partnership (38 KB) Effective working between the third sector and Prison Service
• Voluntary Action for Oadby and Wigston and the Glen Parva Young Offenders Visitors Centre (41 KB) Providing impartial advice to visiting relatives and friends

Networking Support Grants

From 2009 through to 2011 NAVCA provided small grants to members to enable them to improve partnership working with regional and local organisations working in the Criminal Justice System.

The following case studies demonstrate how NAVCA members have used networking, training and partnership events to bring about change.  Many of the case studies highlight how this work has improved relationships and brought about new ways of working and in some cases attracted additional funding. Many of the case studies demonstrate the challenges faced by development workers.

• Voluntary Action Kirklees
• Medway Council for Voluntary Service
• MVDA (Middlesbrough Voluntary Development Association)
• Surrey Community Action
• Voluntary Sector North West
• Volunteer Centre Northumberland
• Volunteer Centres Bournemouth and Poole (VCBP)
• Gloucestershire Association for Voluntary Community Action (GAVCA)
• Volunteer Centre Milton Keynes (VCMK)
• Sefton Council for Voluntary Service (SCVS)
• Dudley Council for Voluntary Service (CVS)

NAVCA will continue to work in partnership with Clinks to further develop support to NAVCA members working to support voluntary and community groups working with offenders and their families. For further information on this work programme or for more information about any of the case studies please contact Angela Barnes.