BUILDING A
WEST MERCIA
COMMUNITY JUSTICE
SECTOR
‘ONE STEP BEYOND’
Rob Smith YSS CEO
George Branch WMPT

Strategic direction of West Mercia Probation Trust and
Probation Trusts nationally
Introduction of the 1 Step Beyond concept
Highlight business needs of Telford Probation Local Delivery
Unit
Explore ideas for service design and innovative partnership arrangements
To be in a position to invite partners to offer an expression of interest for their design ideas.

 West Midlands regional charity supporting young people, adults and families at risk of social exclusion in a wide range of settings
 Significant experience of delivering bespoke services to those at risk of offending in partnership with Youth Offending Services, Probation Trusts,
NOMS, Police, MoJ, DWP and Local Authorities
 Originally established as a multi-agency project aimed at providing community based interventions for young people at risk of being sent to custody

YSS – STRATEGIC PARTNER ROLE WITH
WEST MERCIA PROBATION TRUST
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Delivering directly commissioned services by WMPT based against a business proposal where required
Commissioning services on behalf of WMPT to VCS organisations
Joint business development activity with WMPT and influencing of local commissioning and policy
Developing the VCS capacity to deliver services that meet the needs of offenders across the reducing re-offending pathways creating a ‘1 Step
Beyond’ Community Justice sector
Ensuring service user voice

WEST MERCIA PROBATION TRUST :
DELIVERING THROUGH CO-OPERATIVE ADVANTAGE

Where we want to be
- Hold the Budget, grow the provision
Provision in Community
West Mercia Budget

 Public good, not public monopoly
 Not everything needs to be done by “us”
 Others have expertise
 Others have access to resources
 Others can add value
 “think global, act local” i.e. systemic change driven locally

 Dependence – Probation lead agency
VCS dependent on funding risks distorting aims
 Independence – VCS are the experts, alliances with private sector, bids for OM work etc.
 Interdependence – we all have a place at the table, we hold money for the public good; it needs to be brought together with wider sector skills, experience, aims.

VCS
Private
CIC WMPT
?
Private
VCS
YSS private
VCS
Public
NOMS
Local CJS sector

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NATIONAL OFFENDER MANAGEMENT
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE (MOJ)
Reserved Public Probation services
For
High Risk and Public Protection.
Court work, Pre sentence reports, breaches and enforcement for all or only high risk of harm?
Commissioned Services including short sentenced prisoners.
14 geographic areas in UK.
Could be a prime sub contractor model or partnership of ex probation/ YSS/ Clarent/ Willowdene and other partners
Or a Special Purpose Vehicle

THE 1 STEP BEYOND COMMISSIONING
MODEL FROM THE “BOTTOM UP”
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No ring fenced pot of cash or a developed specification to go to the ‘market’
Identify the business needs of Probation first - invite innovate solutions from the VCS and other partners – multiple outcomes
‘Dragons den’ style meeting of stakeholders with the relevant VCS agency/agencies involved
Identify initial resources to pilot an activity
Resources could be a wide mix of cash, seconded staff, contracts, income generation activity, grants, equipment, office space, volunteers, matched funding, etc.
Agree a service specification and include in a standard contract template
Evaluation model built in at the start (action research) to use as a business case for attracting resources, sustaining the service or scaling up investment from Probation and/or other stakeholders

 Access to strategic forums including LCJB partners, IOM strategy groups, PCC
 Shared research and evidence base
 Redesign of services - Influence local commissioners and policy makers
 Joint business development activity with YSS and WMPT who have access to the ‘target groups’ i.e. YSS Bradley Mental Health project
 Multiple income streams that are strategically aligned
 Enterprise/Commercial approach using activity to generate income wherever possible

 Access to strategic forums including LCJB partners, IOM strategy groups, PCC
 Shared research and evidence base
 Redesign of services - Influence local commissioners and policy makers
 Joint business development activity with YSS and WMPT who have access to the ‘target groups’ i.e. YSS Bradley Mental Health project
 Multiple income streams that are strategically aligned
 Enterprise/Commercial approach using activity to generate income wherever possible

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A big claim
WMPT – core Offender Management (Courts, Reports, Risk, Breach,
Enforcement)
Community Justice Partners do majority of ‘Offender Supervision’
Bottom up commissioning arrangements
Joint business development activity & policy influencing
Building a virtual ‘networked community justice organisation’
Win/win/win - funding pots aligned, local priorities met, social enterprises established, VCS capacity enhanced

1. West Mercia area wide event
6. Business proposal
11. Scale up (if appropriate) new proposal
HOW DO WE
MAKE IT HAPPEN
2.Local LDU event s
3. Expression of
Interest
4. SIFT 5. Joint development meeting
7. 1 Step
Beyond approval
12.
Implementation
Implementation
8. 9.Monitoring
10.Review and evaluation: self
13. Review and evaluate assessment , peer review, research and
14. Recommission
SROI

SOME OF 1 STEP BEYOND
CURRENT PARTNERS :
YSS and West Mercia Probation Trust are already working with :
ASHA
BES, Barrow Cadbury Trust
Bournville College, CRI, FPP, Clarent
ESG( Employment and Skills Group), Fry Housing
Lloyds TSB
PPDG( Pertemps People Development Group)
Shift Care Farm
The Fold CIC
Ubique
Willowdene and Rite social Enterprise
YMCA( Redditch and Worcester)
Women’s Aid
Willowdene

THE 7 PATHWAYS TO REDUCE RE-
OFFENDING
 Accommodation and support
 Education , employment and training
 Health
 Drugs and Alcohol
 Finance , benefits and debt
 Children and families
 Attitudes , thinking and behaviour

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 rob.smith@yss.org.uk
07968 991124 – CEO YSS george.branch@west-mercia.probation.gsi.gov.uk
lorraine.preece@yss.org.uk
07792 749086 – Director of Operations and
Development angela.parton@yss.org.uk
07548 632123 – Operations Director deb.grantham@yss.org.uk
07989 304695 – Senior Operational Manager ann.constable@yss.org.uk
01299 252304 -Executive P.A. and Business
Support
Tina.ashmore@west-mercia.probation.gsi.gov.uk
07974153798 www.yss.org.uk
www.clinks.org
VCS Criminal Justice infrastructure organisation www.westmerciaprobation.org.uk
– Head Office 01562 748375