Clinks

Who we are

Clinks is the infrastructure organisation supporting voluntary organisations in the criminal justice system in England and Wales. Our aim is to ensure that organisations and the people they support are informed and engaged in order to transform lives and communities.

Our role

In order to realise our vision, Clinks supports, promotes and represents the voluntary sector to ensure it can provide the services people need.

Support: We keep the sector up-to-date through our comprehensive programme of communications, our briefings and events. We support the voluntary sector to address entrenched issues and key challenges, to share solutions and realise opportunities.

Promote: We champion voluntary organisations, highlighting the important role they play in criminal justice system, ensuring this is recognised by policy and decision makers. We provide examples of, and promote, good practice and innovation through communications, events and networks. 

Represent: We give voice to the voluntary sector. We influence stakeholders through participating in policy and decision making bodies, building relationships and developing networks with key decision makers. We share voluntary sector intelligence - gathered through our networks and our research - with the government.

Our vision

Our vision is of a vibrant, independent and resilient voluntary sector that enables people to transform their lives. 

Our mission

To support, represent and advocate for the voluntary sector in the criminal justice system, enabling it to provide the best possible opportunities for individuals and their families.

Our objectives

1. Promote the work of the voluntary sector in the criminal justice system, with a particular focus on smaller specialist organisations.
2. Support voluntary organisations working in the criminal justice system with individuals and their families.
3. Represent and advocate for the voluntary sector and its service users.
4. Identify challenges and opportunities facing the voluntary sector and its service users, and work together to find and implement solutions.
5. Clinks being effective, efficient and professional in its work and operations. Ensuring we have the systems, resources and processes to achieve maximum impact.

Our culture and values

Our values

1. Our members – voluntary organisations play a crucial role at the heart of our criminal justice system
2. Using evidence – in order to improve the system we must amplify the voices of voluntary organisations working in criminal justice.
3. Involving service users – we are committed to supporting the effective involvement of people with lived experience of the criminal justice system to inform policy and practice.
4. People’s capacity to change – we believe that every individual should have the right support so they can transform their lives.
5. Equality – we proactively identify and tackle disadvantage, discrimination and inequality in our criminal justice system.
6. Inclusivity – we strive to be approachable, accessible, inclusive and collaborative.