Today Unlock, alongside Working Chance, Clinks and Revolving Doors Agency, gave oral evidence to the Work and Pensions Select Committee inquiry into the support for ex-offenders. We were invited to give evidence following our written response to the inquiry. At the session, Christopher Stacey, Unlock’s co-director, responded to questions focused on employment support, job centre staff and the

Working with other organisations is important to us. It often means we can achieve more than by working alone or we can help other organisations to achieve more themselves. For example, we: Regularly join forces with other advocacy charities to push for changes to policy and practice Deliver training to a range of service-providing organisations.

We’re delighted to announce that Unlock’s criminal record disclosure training has been endorsed by the Probation Institute. It also means that we’re now a Probation Institute Endorsed Learning Provider. Commenting on the news, Christopher Stacey, Co-director of Unlock, said: “Those working in the probation sector are one of the key audiences for our criminal record

Following up on my previous article, here is the second part of my blog originally published as a Clinks Guest Blog, in which I look at the changing relationship between the voluntary sector and probation service provision, and how Unlock is responding.            There’s one common factor amongst everyone who works with people on probation –

In this article, originally published as a Clinks Guest Blog, I share my thoughts on the challenges that are emerging from the changing relationship between the voluntary sector and probation service provision. This is the first of two blogs – the second will look at how I see the voluntary sector responding.      

  We’re excited to announce the details of a new a two-day training course, ‘Supporting with Conviction’, designed specifically for probation providers, staff in Community Rehabilitation Companies, and specialists helping people with convictions to get into employment. At a time when probation provision is going through significant change, both in terms of structure and people,